Fueling Strategy For My Marathon And Long Run Workouts | FOD Runner - The FOD Runner

Aug 13, 2025

This is a quick summary of Fueling Strategy For My Marathon And Long Run Workouts from The FOD Runner. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Marathon fueling should be practiced during long runs; aim for 150‑300 kcal per hour depending on weight, gender, and sweat rate.
Andrew uses a “gel every half‑hour + water” rule to keep energy steady and avoid stomach cramps.
He structures a brutal 4 × 12‑minute effort at half‑marathon pace (≈2 mi per rep) with short 5‑minute jog recoveries, treating it as a race‑day rehearsal. This is a fantastic example of a long interval session, a concept we explore more deeply in our guide to Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
Small, gentle gel intake (one gel stretched over ~1 mile) works better for sensitive stomachs than gulping a big dose.

Workout Example

Warm‑up 10 min easy jog.
Run 4 repeats of 12 min at half‑marathon effort (≈2 mi each) with 5 min easy jog between repeats. While this workout targets marathon endurance, the principle of using sustained, high-effort repeats is also crucial for shorter distances, as seen in our strategies for Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance.
Fuel plan:
- Start with 250 ml water in a bottle.
- Take a gel after the first 12‑min segment, another gel after the third segment (roughly every 30 min). The intensity of these efforts drives adaptation, a core principle that also applies to the shorter, faster repeats detailed in our guide on Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time.
- Sip water during the 5‑min recoveries and after the final repeat.
Total time ≈ 1 hour (including warm‑up) – you’ll have consumed ~220‑250 kcal/hr (2 gels + water).

Closing Note

Try this fueling‑focused long‑run today, then tweak the gel timing and water volume to match your own pace using the Pacing app. Running stronger starts with the right fuel—go for it