What to eat during a trail run
Knowing what to eat during a trail run can be the difference between finishing strong and hitting the wall. Trail running burns a lot of energy, you're often a long way from a shop, and rough ground makes eating harder than it is on the road.
This guide covers how many gels per hour running makes sense, gel vs real food for running, energy gels for sensitive stomach, fuelling for a trail half marathon and an ultra marathon nutrition plan. It features the new PURE Sports Nutrition range, NZ made sports nutrition we're now proud to stock. Carbohydrate figures come from an outside guide by Precision Hydration (a company that sells sports nutrition, so treat the upper numbers as a starting point). Product details come from our product pages, and PURE's own claims are labelled as theirs.
Shop PURE Sports NutritionShop energy gels
The short answer: what to eat during a trail run
- Under an hour: a well-fuelled runner usually doesn't need to eat.
- One to two hours: aim for roughly 30 to 60g of carbohydrate per hour.
- Over two hours: aim for roughly 60 to 90g per hour, building up in training.
- Practise first: use the exact products you'll race with on your long training runs.
- Mix it up: gels, drink mix and real food together help beat flavour fatigue.
How much carbohydrate do you need?
| Run length | Carbohydrate per hour | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 hour | Usually none if you're well fuelled | Water is enough for most runners |
| 1 to 2 hours | About 30 to 60g | 1 to 2 gels per hour (30g each) |
| Over 2 hours | About 60 to 90g | 2 to 3 gels per hour, or gels plus drink mix and food |
Heavier runners may sit towards the top of each range. Treat these numbers as a starting point and adjust in training.
How many gels per hour running?
Each PURE Fluid Energy Gel has 30g of carbohydrate plus electrolytes. Two gels an hour is about 60g, and three is about 90g. If you're aiming for 60g an hour from gels alone, here's how many to pack.
| Run time | Carbohydrate at 60g per hour | Gels needed |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | 120g | 4 |
| 3 hours | 180g | 6 |
| 4 hours | 240g | 8 |
| 6 hours | 360g | 12 |
Carry a couple of spares. Then build up gradually:
- Above about 60g an hour, guides suggest a glucose and fructose blend, so check the ingredients.
- Build up over four to six weeks, raising your hourly intake by about 10g every one to two weeks.
- Don't try 90g an hour for the first time on race day.
Gel vs real food for running
You don't have to pick one. Gels are quick, easy to carry and give you a measured dose. Real food is more satisfying and helps with flavour fatigue. Most runners end up using both.
| Gels | Real food | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Faster running and races of about 1 to 4 hours | Slower running, ultras and very long days |
| Pros | Easy to carry and eat on the move, measured carbohydrate | More variety and more satisfying |
| Cons | Can get sweet and samey over many hours | Harder to eat when running hard, harder to measure |
If your trail run is really a full-day mission or an overnight fastpack, our 24 hour meal packs are worth a look, and our guide to the best camping meals covers lightweight food for the trail.
Energy gels for sensitive stomach
A gel that sits badly at hour four can ruin a run. No single product suits every stomach, but these habits help:
- Test in training: use the same gels you plan to race with.
- Start small: begin with one gel an hour and build up.
- Choose a light flavour: very sweet gels get hard to stomach late in a long run.
- Check the caffeine: if caffeine upsets you, choose a caffeine-free flavour.
PURE says its Fluid Energy Gels have a runny texture rather than a thick paste, a light flavour that isn't overly sweet, and a formula designed to be gentle on the gut. If stomach trouble keeps happening, talk to your doctor or a sports dietitian.
Fuelling for a trail half marathon
A trail half marathon often takes two to three hours, and longer on hilly or technical courses, so fuelling starts to matter.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 2 to 3 hours before | Eat a light, carbohydrate-rich meal or snack |
| During | About 30 to 60g of carbohydrate an hour (1 to 2 gels) plus water, with gels in a pocket you can reach |
| After | Rehydrate and refuel within a few hours, for example with a recovery shake |
Gear matters too. See our trail running essentials Australia guide for a vest that keeps your gels handy.
Ultra marathon nutrition plan
For an ultra marathon nutrition plan, the goal is steady carbohydrate, no flavour fatigue and a calm stomach. A common approach is a base of drink mix, gels as top-ups and real food for variety. PURE Performance + Race Fuel suits the base: each sachet delivers 90g of carbohydrate, and PURE designs it to work as a sole fuel source. Here's an example for ten hours at 75g an hour (750g in total).
| Fuel source | Amount | Carbohydrate |
|---|---|---|
| Race Fuel sachets (90g each) | 4 | 360g |
| Fluid Energy Gels (30g each) | 8 | 240g |
| Real food from aid stations or your pack | About 150g of carbohydrate | 150g |
| Total | 750g |
That's an illustration, not a prescription. Practise your plan in training, and ask a sports dietitian for a personalised one. For the drinking side, read electrolytes and hydration for trail running.
Recovery nutrition after a long run
What you eat after a long run matters as much as what you eat during it. A shake with protein, carbohydrate and electrolytes helps you restock and rehydrate, and it's easier than preparing a meal when you're wrecked. PURE Performance + Race Recovery is one option.
Our picks: PURE Sports Nutrition for trail runners
PURE is NZ made sports nutrition, produced in a purpose-built factory in Christchurch. PURE says it uses premium ingredients with no artificial flavours or colours, and tests its range with real athletes in racing and training.
PURE Fluid Energy Gel
30g of carbohydrate plus electrolytes in a runny, easy-to-take gel with a light flavour, flavoured with real fruit juice and puree. Sold as single gels in Apple Pie, Lemon Lime, Mango and Raspberry (all caffeine-free), plus Lemon Lime + Caffeine and Raspberry + Caffeine. The caffeine-free Raspberry is HASTA certified.
View PURE Fluid Energy Gel Shop energy gels
PURE Fluid Energy Gels - Box of 8
Eight gels of a single flavour, which is an easy way to keep your training and race supply topped up. Choose Pineapple (caffeine-free), Cola + Caffeine or Raspberry + Caffeine.
View PURE Fluid Energy Gels Box of 8
PURE Performance + Race Fuel
A high-carb drink mix for endurance athletes. Each 98g sachet gives 90g of carbohydrate built around Cluster Dextrin, plus sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, and it's HASTA certified. The Non Flavoured version avoids flavour fatigue on very long days. Raspberry and Tropical are also available.
View Race Fuel Non Flavoured View Raspberry View Tropical
PURE Performance + Race Recovery
A single-serve 112g shake with 29g of protein for muscle repair, 52g of carbohydrate to restock energy stores and electrolytes to help you rehydrate. It also includes blackcurrant anthocyanins and prebiotic fibre, and it's HASTA certified.
View Race Recovery Shop all PURE
Keep reading
- Electrolytes and hydration for trail running: choosing an electrolyte drink for running, the best electrolytes for trail running, hydration for ultra running and how to avoid cramping on long runs.
- Trail running essentials Australia: the gear we'd pack, from vests to headlamps.
- 24 hour meal packs and the best camping meals for longer missions.
Electrolytes and hydration guideTrail running essentials Australia
Talk it through in store
Fuel and gear are personal, and what works for one runner won't suit another. Come into our Helensburgh store and our team can talk through your next run. We're at 10/177 Princes Highway, Helensburgh NSW 2508, open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm.
Contact the storeCall (02) 4294 2810
Why shop with us at PAST Outdoors
We're a family-owned and operated Australian outdoor retailer based in Helensburgh, NSW. We only stock gear we trust, and we're trusted suppliers for emergency services, government, military and outdoor education groups.
We'd rather help you pick the right product than rush a sale, so ask us if you're unsure. Come in and see us, or shop online at pastoutdoors.com.
Frequently asked questions
What should I eat during a trail run?
It depends on how long you're out. For runs under an hour, most well-fuelled runners don't need to eat. From one to two hours, aim for about 30 to 60g of carbohydrate an hour, for example 1 to 2 PURE Fluid Energy Gels an hour. Over two hours, aim for about 60 to 90g an hour and add drink mix or real food.
How many gels per hour should I have when running?
As a starting point, one to two 30g gels an hour for runs of one to two hours, and two to three an hour for longer runs. Build up in training, and see a sports dietitian for a plan tailored to you.
Is it better to use gels or real food when running?
Both work. Gels suit faster running and races because they're quick and easy to eat. Real food suits slower, longer days and helps with flavour fatigue. Most runners use a mix.
What are the best energy gels for a sensitive stomach?
No gel suits every stomach, so test in training. Look for a light flavour that isn't overly sweet and a runny texture. PURE says its Fluid Energy Gels are designed to be gentle on the gut, but start with one an hour and build up.
How should I fuel for a trail half marathon?
Eat a light, carbohydrate-rich meal two to three hours before, take about 30 to 60g of carbohydrate an hour during the run (1 to 2 gels) plus water, and refuel afterwards.
What does an ultra marathon nutrition plan look like?
Most plans aim for about 60 to 90g of carbohydrate an hour using a mix of drink mix such as PURE Race Fuel, gels and real food. Practise it in training, and ask a sports dietitian for a personalised plan.
Do PURE Fluid Energy Gels contain caffeine?
Some do and some don't. Lemon Lime + Caffeine, Raspberry + Caffeine and Cola + Caffeine contain caffeine. Apple Pie, Lemon Lime, Mango, Raspberry and Pineapple are caffeine-free. Check the label for the amount.
What does HASTA certified mean?
It means a product is independently tested for substances banned in sport. PURE Race Fuel and Race Recovery are HASTA certified, as is the caffeine-free Raspberry gel, according to our product pages.
Where can I buy PURE Sports Nutrition in Australia?
We stock it at PAST Outdoors, in our Helensburgh store at 10/177 Princes Highway or online in our PURE Sports Nutrition collection.
Fuel your next trail run
Browse the new PURE Sports Nutrition range, or come and talk fuel with our team.
Shop PURE Sports Nutrition Shop energy gels
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