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Sports Dietitian & EMQ Contributing Writer
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'The biggest nutrition mistake I see at the Gold Coast Marathon is athletes eating a larger than usual dinner the night before and arriving at the start line with gastrointestinal issues by kilometre five.'

— Dr Megan Hoult, Accredited Sports Dietitian

'The biggest nutrition mistake I see at the Gold Coast Marathon is athletes eating a larger than usual dinner the night before and arriving at the start line with gastrointestinal issues by kilometre five.'

— Dr Megan Hoult, Accredited Sports Dietitian

KEY NUMBERS FOR MARATHON FUELLING

10-12g

Carbs per kg body weight per day (loading phase)

30-60g

Carbs per hour recommended during the race

500ml

Water per hour as a starting hydration baseline

Race-morning breakfast: timing and composition

The race-morning meal should be consumed three to four hours before the start gun for events with a large field and staggered start times. This gives adequate time for gastric emptying and prevents the discomfort of running on a full stomach. A typical meal might include white toast with honey or jam, a banana, a sports drink and a small coffee for athletes who are habitual coffee drinkers.

Athletes who struggle with early-morning appetite — common at major events where start times can be as early as 5:30am — can supplement with liquid carbohydrates such as sports drinks, gels diluted in water, or commercial liquid meal replacements designed for pre-exercise use.

Container (1)
A typical race-morning meal layout for a marathon athlete. Image credit: EMQ / Sarah Blackwood.

What to avoid on race day

  • High-fibre foods (wholegrain bread, raw vegetables, legumes) in the 24 hours before the race
  • High-fat meals the evening before — fat slows gastric emptying and increases GI risk
  • Unfamiliar foods or sports products you haven't tested in training
  • Alcohol in the 48 hours before the event — disrupts sleep and impairs glycogen synthesis
  • Excessive caffeine if you're not a regular coffee drinker — risk of GI distress and anxiety
  • Skipping your race-morning meal entirely — even if you're nervous, something light is better than nothing

Race-day nutrition doesn't need to be complicated. The fundamentals — adequate carbohydrate in the lead-up, a familiar race-morning meal, consistent fuelling during the race, and good hydration throughout — will serve the vast majority of Queensland endurance athletes well. Save the experimentation for training, and trust the protocol you've rehearsed on race day.

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