Pasta has been associated with distance running for decades. Mention marathon nutrition and it does not take long before someone starts talking about eating a large bowl of pasta the night before a race. There is good reason for the connection because pasta is rich in carbohydrates, which play an important role in fuelling endurance exercise. However, runners do not need pasta specifically. They need enough carbohydrate and overall energy to support their training, alongside protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. Pasta can be an excellent part of that diet, particularly around longer runs and before endurance events, but eating enormous portions throughout a training plan will not automatically make you run better. Why Runners Need Carbohydrates Carbohydrate availability can influence your ability to train and perform during prolonged endurance exercise. Your muscles store carbohydrate as glycogen, but those stores are limited. As a long run or race progresses and glycogen availability falls, maintaining the same intensity can become increasingly difficult. This is one reason runners can experience the dramatic loss of pace and energy commonly described as hitting the wall during a marathon. Starting with adequate glycogen stores and consuming carbohydrate during longer events can help delay fatigue and reduce the risk of running low on readily available fuel. Pasta is only one way to obtain carbohydrate. Rice, potatoes, bread, oats, cereals and fruit can all contribute towards a runner's carbohydrate requirements. There is no nutritional reason why pasta needs to be the dominant carbohydrate source in your diet. How Much Carbohydrate Do Runners Need? There is no single carbohydrate target that is appropriate for every runner. Requirements vary according to factors including body size and the amount, duration and intensity of training being completed. Someone having a rest day or completing an easy short run will generally require less carbohydrate than a runner completing a demanding long run or a high mileage training week. This is why simply eating large pasta meals every day because you are training for a marathon is not necessarily a good strategy. As your training load rises, increasing carbohydrate intake can help provide the fuel required to complete those sessions and recover afterwards. When training becomes easier during recovery periods, your overall energy and carbohydrate requirements may fall as well. Pasta Should Be Part Of A Balanced Runner's Diet Pasta works best as one component of a balanced meal rather than the entire meal. Runners also need sufficient protein to support muscle repair and adaptation, dietary fats for health and normal physiological function, and a variety of fruit and vegetables to provide fibre, vitamins and minerals. A pasta meal can include foods such as chicken, fish, eggs, beans, lentils or tofu for protein, together with plenty of vegetables and a tomato based sauce. Olive oil, nuts, seeds or other sources of unsaturated fat can also form part of the meal. There is nothing wrong with occasionally eating pasta with a rich cheese or cream based sauce, but the fact that a meal contains pasta does not automatically make it good running nutrition. The nutritional value of the whole meal matters more than the pasta alone. Is Wholegrain Or White Pasta Better For Runners? For everyday meals, wholegrain pasta can be a useful choice because it generally provides more fibre than refined white pasta and retains more of the whole grain. The additional fibre can help support digestive health and makes wholegrain foods a useful part of a varied diet. White pasta is not a bad choice for runners, however, and there are situations where its lower fibre content can actually be useful. Before an important long run or race, some runners deliberately choose lower fibre foods to reduce the likelihood of gastrointestinal discomfort. There is therefore no need to view white and wholegrain pasta as good and bad options. Wholegrain pasta can work well as an everyday choice, while white pasta may be particularly convenient when you want a carbohydrate rich meal with less fibre before running. Homemade pasta can be a simple way to control the ingredients in your meal Is Pasta Good Before Running? Pasta can be a good meal before running, particularly before a long training session, but timing and portion size matter. Eating a large plate immediately before heading out is unlikely to feel comfortable because your body needs time to digest it. For a long run later in the day, a pasta based meal several hours beforehand can provide carbohydrate while leaving sufficient time for digestion. What you add to the pasta matters too. A relatively simple sauce may be more comfortable before running than a meal that is particularly high in fat, fibre or spice. Individual tolerance varies considerably, so use training to discover what works for you. Race week is not the time to experiment with an enormous pasta meal or an unfamiliar sauce simply because somebody has told you that runners should eat pasta. Read more about your long run nutrition here. Is Pasta Good After Running? Pasta can also form part of a good recovery meal after running. Replenishing carbohydrate becomes particularly important after long or demanding sessions because exercise reduces muscle glycogen stores. Recovery meals should not focus on carbohydrate alone. Combining pasta with a suitable source of protein can provide nutrients needed for both glycogen replenishment and muscle repair, while vegetables and other foods can contribute additional nutrients. How urgently you need to refuel depends partly on your training schedule. If another demanding session is coming relatively soon, replacing carbohydrate becomes more important than it would be after an easy run followed by plenty of recovery time. Read more about recovery nutrition here. Should You Eat Pasta Before A Marathon? Pasta can be an excellent food before a marathon, but the traditional giant pasta meal on the evening before the race misunderstands how carbohydrate loading works. The aim is to increase carbohydrate availability over the period leading into the event rather than trying to achieve everything with one enormous dinner. Before prolonged endurance events such as a marathon, established sports nutrition guidance suggests that maximising glycogen stores can involve consuming approximately 10–12g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per day for the final 36–48 hours before the event. That carbohydrate does not all need to come from pasta. Rice, bread, potatoes, cereals, fruit, drinks and other carbohydrate rich foods can make reaching a higher intake much easier than attempting to consume several huge pasta meals. Pasta And Carb Loading Carb loading works alongside the reduction in training that normally occurs during a marathon taper. With less running being completed and carbohydrate intake increased, the muscles can store more glycogen before race day. For many runners, spreading carbohydrate across regular meals, snacks and drinks is considerably more comfortable than eating one enormous meal. Trying to consume most of your additional carbohydrate at a pre race pasta party can leave you feeling bloated and uncomfortable without providing any special performance advantage. Some runners also move towards lower fibre carbohydrate foods during the final day or two before a marathon. White pasta can be useful here because it provides plenty of carbohydrate without the higher fibre content of wholegrain alternatives. Find out more about carb loading for runners here. Common Pasta Mistakes Runners Make One of the most common mistakes is assuming that marathon training provides an excuse to eat unlimited amounts of pasta. Energy requirements increase as training volume rises, but they do not automatically become enormous from the first week of a training plan. Another mistake is concentrating on the pasta while ignoring everything else on the plate. A very rich sauce can make a pre run meal harder to digest, while a meal containing little protein or few vegetables may not provide the nutritional balance you need during regular training. Perhaps the biggest mistake is treating pasta as a performance food with special properties. Pasta is useful primarily because it provides carbohydrate. If you prefer rice, potatoes, bread or other carbohydrate rich foods, there is no requirement to eat pasta simply because you are a runner. Read more about common nutrition mistakes here. Can You Eat Too Much Pasta When Training? Running does not make it impossible to consume more energy than your body requires. If training volume is relatively low but portion sizes increase dramatically, regularly eating more than you need can contribute to unwanted weight gain. The opposite problem is also important. Runners completing substantial amounts of training need enough energy and carbohydrate to support that workload, and consistently failing to consume enough energy can compromise training, recovery and health. The aim is therefore not to eat as little or as much pasta as possible. It is to match your overall food and carbohydrate intake to the demands of your training. What Should Runners Eat With Pasta? A good everyday pasta meal can combine carbohydrate with protein, vegetables and some healthy fat. There is no need for complicated recipes or specialist sports foods. Tomato based sauces work well with vegetables and lean meat, fish, beans, lentils or tofu. Pesto, olive oil and other sauces can also be included depending on your nutritional needs, preferences and the timing of the meal. Before a race or important long run, simplicity may be more important than creating the nutritionally perfect plate. Familiar foods that you know your digestive system tolerates should take priority over trying something new. Is Pasta Good For Runners? Pasta is a useful carbohydrate rich food that can help runners fuel training, replenish glycogen after demanding sessions and increase carbohydrate intake before long endurance events. It is convenient, versatile and easy to incorporate into a balanced diet. It does not have any unique ability to make you run faster, however, and you do not need to eat pasta to become a successful distance runner. The important factor is consuming sufficient carbohydrate and overall nutrition to match the demands of your training. For everyday meals, wholegrain pasta can provide additional fibre, while white pasta can be useful when lower fibre foods are preferred before a long run or race. Match your portion sizes to your training, combine pasta with other nutritious foods and practise your pre race meals during training. Pasta is good for runners, but it should be viewed as a useful source of carbohydrate rather than a magic ingredient.

Heart rate training gives runners another way to judge how hard they are working. Instead of relying entirely on pace, you use your heart rate to help control the intensity of different runs. This can be particularly useful because the same running pace does not always require the same effort. A comfortable pace on a cool morning may feel considerably harder when you are tired, running uphill or training in hot weather. Modern sports watches have made heart rate training much more accessible, with many devices measuring your pulse from your wrist throughout a run. However, heart rate data needs to be interpreted rather than simply followed. Your heart rate zones are estimates unless they have been individually established, wrist sensors are not always completely accurate and your heart rate can change for reasons other than how fast you are running. Used sensibly, heart rate training can help you keep easy runs easy, understand the intensity of harder sessions and recognise how your body responds to different types of training. The important part is understanding what the numbers mean and knowing when perceived effort may tell you more than the number displayed on your watch. What Is Heart Rate Training For Runners? Heart rate training involves using your heart rate, usually measured in beats per minute, to help determine exercise intensity. As running becomes harder, your muscles require more oxygen and your cardiovascular system responds. Your heart generally beats faster as exercise intensity increases, which means heart rate can provide a useful indication of how hard your body is working. Rather than trying to maintain one particular heart rate on every run, runners commonly divide their training intensity into heart rate zones. Lower zones correspond to easier efforts, while higher zones represent progressively harder exercise. A runner can then use these zones alongside pace and perceived effort to select an appropriate intensity for a particular training session. This does not mean heart rate should dictate every run. Pace, terrain, weather, fatigue and the purpose of the session still matter. Heart rate is best regarded as another useful piece of training information rather than a number that must be obeyed regardless of how you feel. What Is Your Resting Heart Rate? Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you are at rest. Regular endurance training can lead to a lower resting heart rate because the heart becomes more efficient at pumping blood, although resting heart rates vary considerably between individuals. If you want to establish your normal resting heart rate, measuring it under similar conditions over a period of time is more useful than relying on a single reading. Many sports watches automatically record resting heart rate, while you can also measure your pulse manually. Changes in resting heart rate can sometimes reflect factors such as training stress, sleep, illness, hydration and general recovery, but a single unusually high or low reading should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that something is wrong with your training. Trends and context are more useful than individual numbers. What Is Your Maximum Heart Rate? Maximum heart rate is the highest heart rate you can reach during maximal exercise. It is influenced strongly by age but also varies considerably between individuals, which creates one of the main limitations of generic heart rate zones. The familiar calculation of 220 minus your age is often used to estimate maximum heart rate. It is convenient, but it should not be treated as an exact prediction of an individual's maximum. Two runners of the same age can have substantially different maximum heart rates while both being perfectly healthy. Other equations have been developed to estimate maximum heart rate, but any age based formula remains an estimate. A properly conducted maximal exercise test can provide a more individual measurement, although most recreational runners do not need laboratory testing simply to make sensible use of heart rate training. If your watch has recorded a heart rate considerably above your calculated maximum during a genuine hard effort, it does not necessarily mean there is a problem. Your estimated maximum may simply be too low. Equally, an isolated unusually high reading can be caused by inaccurate sensor data, so it is worth looking at the context rather than immediately changing all your training zones. What Are Heart Rate Zones? Heart rate zones divide exercise intensity into ranges. Many sports watches use a five zone model, although different manufacturers, coaches and training systems may calculate their zones differently. This is important because Zone 2 on one system is not necessarily identical to Zone 2 on another. A typical five zone system based on a percentage of maximum heart rate progresses from very easy exercise in Zone 1 through moderate aerobic running in Zone 2, harder aerobic work in Zone 3, high intensity running around Zone 4 and very hard efforts in Zone 5. The precise percentage boundaries vary according to the system being used, so there is no single universal set of five heart rate zones that applies to every runner. This is one reason runners should be cautious about becoming overly focused on whether their watch briefly moves from one zone into another. Heart rate does not suddenly create a completely different physiological response when it crosses an arbitrary boundary by one beat per minute. Zones are practical ways of organising training intensity rather than rigid biological compartments. What Does Zone 1 Feel Like? Zone 1 represents very light exercise. Running in this zone should feel comfortable and require relatively little effort. Depending on your fitness, the terrain and the system used to calculate your zones, maintaining Zone 1 may involve very slow running or even walking. For runners, this intensity may be useful during warm ups, cool downs and particularly easy recovery activity. You should normally be able to talk easily and feel that you could maintain the effort for a long time. What Does Zone 2 Feel Like? Zone 2 is commonly associated with easy aerobic running and has become one of the most discussed areas of endurance training. At this intensity, your breathing should remain controlled and you should generally be able to hold a conversation rather than struggling to speak more than a few words. A substantial amount of endurance training is normally performed at relatively low intensity because it allows runners to accumulate training without the fatigue produced by repeatedly running hard. Heart rate can be particularly useful here because many runners unintentionally turn easy runs into moderate efforts. However, runners should not assume that a generic Zone 2 calculation is automatically correct for them. If your watch tells you that you have left Zone 2 while your breathing remains comfortable and you can easily maintain a conversation, it is worth considering whether your zones have been set appropriately rather than immediately slowing to an unnatural pace. What Does Zone 3 Feel Like? Zone 3 represents a moderate to moderately hard effort in many five zone systems. Running becomes more purposeful, breathing is noticeably deeper and conversation becomes less comfortable than during an easy run. This intensity can be useful within particular workouts, but runners sometimes accumulate too much training here because it feels satisfyingly hard without being extremely demanding. The result can be that easy days become harder than intended while genuinely hard sessions are compromised by accumulated fatigue. That does not make Zone 3 inherently bad. Its value depends on the purpose of the session and the training programme. The important distinction is between deliberately training at a moderate intensity and accidentally running there every day. What Do Zones 4 And 5 Feel Like? Zones 4 and 5 represent high and very high exercise intensities in a typical five zone system. Zone 4 is commonly associated with sustained hard running around the upper aerobic and threshold region, while Zone 5 is used for the hardest efforts that can only be maintained for relatively short periods. These intensities can feature during tempo sessions, threshold work, intervals, hill sessions and race specific training. Your breathing will be much harder and conversation will become difficult or impossible as intensity rises. Heart rate becomes less useful for controlling very short intervals because it takes time for your cardiovascular response to catch up with a sudden increase in effort. If you run a fast repetition lasting only a minute, for example, the interval may be nearly finished before your heart rate reaches the zone associated with that intensity. Pace and perceived effort can therefore be more useful for short, fast repetitions. How Should Runners Calculate Heart Rate Zones? The simplest method uses percentages of estimated maximum heart rate. Your sports watch may do this automatically after using your age to estimate your maximum, or it may adjust its estimate using heart rate data recorded during training. Another method uses heart rate reserve, which takes both maximum heart rate and resting heart rate into account. Other systems establish zones around physiological markers such as lactate threshold. These approaches can produce different zone boundaries for the same runner, which again explains why heart rate zones should not be treated as universal numbers. For many recreational runners, the most important step is simply checking how their watch has calculated its zones. If the maximum heart rate entered into the device is inaccurate, every zone calculated as a percentage of that maximum can also be misplaced. Read more on choosing a running watch here. Is Zone 2 Training Good For Runners? Zone 2 training can be a useful way to control easy aerobic running, particularly for runners who have a tendency to run too hard on days intended to be comfortable. Lower intensity endurance training allows runners to develop aerobic fitness while generally creating less fatigue than harder sessions. That does not mean every easy run must remain within a perfectly defined Zone 2 range or that Zone 2 is a special intensity that replaces every other form of training. A balanced running programme can contain easy running alongside long runs and appropriately placed harder sessions, depending on the runner's experience, goals and event. The recent popularity of Zone 2 training has sometimes made a straightforward principle sound more complicated than it needs to be. For most runners, the practical message is simply that much of their running should feel genuinely comfortable rather than every session becoming a test of fitness. Why Does Heart Rate Increase During A Long Run? You may notice your heart rate gradually rising during a long run even though your pace remains unchanged. This phenomenon is commonly called cardiovascular drift and is particularly noticeable during prolonged exercise and in warm conditions. As a run continues, changes including rising body temperature and cardiovascular adjustments can contribute to an increasing heart rate. Dehydration can also contribute to the effect. This means maintaining exactly the same pace does not necessarily represent exactly the same physiological demand from the beginning of a long run to the end. If you are training strictly by heart rate, cardiovascular drift may require you to slow down later in a run to remain within the same zone. Whether that is appropriate depends on the purpose of the session. Once again, heart rate is most useful when interpreted alongside pace, conditions and perceived effort. Read more about the long run here. How Do Heat And Weather Affect Running Heart Rate? Hot weather can increase the cardiovascular demands of running. Your body needs to send more blood towards the skin to help dissipate heat, while sweating can reduce plasma volume as fluid losses increase. Your heart rate can consequently be higher at a familiar pace. Humidity can make running feel particularly difficult because it reduces the effectiveness of evaporative cooling. Hills, altitude and strong winds can also change the relationship between pace and effort, making heart rate useful when a pace target no longer reflects the true difficulty of the run. This is one of the advantages of training by effort or heart rate rather than rigidly following pace. Slowing down on a hot day does not necessarily mean you have suddenly lost fitness. Your body may simply be working harder to maintain the same speed. What Else Can Affect Your Heart Rate? Heart rate is influenced by more than running intensity. Heat, dehydration, fatigue, stress, illness, sleep and stimulants such as caffeine can all affect the number you see on your watch. Some medications can also alter the heart rate response to exercise. Your heart rate may therefore differ between two apparently identical runs. Rather than viewing this variation as a problem, it can provide useful context about how your body is responding on a particular day. This is also why chasing a predetermined heart rate regardless of circumstances can be counterproductive. If an easy pace feels unusually difficult and your heart rate is higher than normal, forcing yourself to maintain your usual pace simply to hit a planned number may defeat the purpose of an easy session. Are Wrist Heart Rate Monitors Accurate? Most modern sports watches use optical sensors on the wrist to estimate heart rate. Research suggests wrist based monitors can provide useful heart rate measurements during running and other steady aerobic activities, but accuracy varies between devices, individuals and types of exercise. Movement, watch position and how securely the device fits can affect optical readings. Rapid changes in intensity can also be more difficult for a wrist sensor to follow accurately. Occasionally a watch may produce a reading that is clearly inconsistent with how hard you are working. For runners who simply want a general indication of intensity during steady runs, a good wrist based monitor may be perfectly adequate. If accurate heart rate measurement is particularly important to your training, an electrical chest strap generally provides greater accuracy and responds more reliably to rapid changes in heart rate. Chest straps can provide more accurate heart rate data during running Should You Use A Chest Strap For Heart Rate Training? You do not need a chest strap simply because you want to use heart rate as part of your training. Many runners find the optical sensor built into their sports watch sufficiently useful for easy runs, long runs and general monitoring. A chest strap becomes more worthwhile when you want greater confidence in the accuracy of your data, particularly during sessions involving changes in intensity. Chest straps measure the electrical activity associated with each heartbeat rather than estimating pulse from changes in blood flow at the wrist, which is why they are generally considered the better option when precise exercise heart rate measurement matters. Comfort and convenience still count. The most accurate monitor is not automatically the best choice for every runner, and there is little benefit in adding equipment you dislike wearing if approximate heart rate information is all you need. Heart Rate Vs Pace: Which Is Better? Neither measurement is inherently better because they tell you different things. Pace tells you how quickly you are moving, while heart rate gives you information about your body's cardiovascular response to the effort required to maintain that pace. On a flat road in good conditions, pace can be an excellent way to control a workout. On a hilly route or during hot weather, heart rate and perceived effort may provide more useful information because maintaining the same pace can require dramatically different levels of effort. Experienced runners often use several measures together. Pace, heart rate, breathing and perceived effort can each contribute to understanding a run, and none needs to be used in isolation. When Should You Ignore Your Heart Rate? Heart rate data should never prevent you from paying attention to how you actually feel. If your watch displays an unexpectedly high or low number but your effort feels completely normal, check whether the reading makes sense before changing your run. Optical sensors occasionally produce inaccurate readings, particularly when movement or poor sensor contact interferes with measurement. Conversely, a normal looking heart rate does not mean you should ignore symptoms that concern you. Stop exercising and seek appropriate medical advice if you experience symptoms such as chest pain, fainting or severe unexplained breathlessness. Runners with cardiovascular conditions, or those taking medication that affects heart rate, should seek individual medical guidance rather than relying on generic training zones. Is Heart Rate Training Worth Using? Heart rate training can be extremely useful, but it works best as a guide rather than a set of absolute rules. It can help runners understand training intensity, prevent easy sessions becoming unnecessarily hard and provide additional information about how effort changes with terrain, weather and fatigue. The biggest mistake is assuming that every number produced by a watch is precise. Maximum heart rate formulas are estimates, heart rate zone systems differ and wrist sensors have limitations. Your breathing, perceived effort and running pace still provide valuable information that should not be discarded simply because you have access to heart rate data. Learn what your normal numbers look like, make sure your zones are sensible and use heart rate alongside the other information available to you. Done that way, heart rate training can help you understand your running rather than giving you another set of numbers to worry about.

The BOLDERBoulder 10K is one of the biggest and most distinctive road races in the United States. Held every Memorial Day in Boulder, Colorado, the race attracts more than 50,000 runners, joggers and walkers to a course that winds through the city before delivering one of the most memorable finishes in running inside the University of Colorado's Folsom Field. First held in 1979, BOLDERBoulder has developed into much more than a 10K. The huge wave start, enthusiastic neighbourhood support, high-altitude setting, international professional race and Memorial Day Tribute combine to create an event that feels considerably bigger than its 10-kilometre distance might suggest. For runners travelling to Colorado, it is also an opportunity to experience one of America's best-known outdoor cities at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Boulder The race takes place in Boulder, Colorado, around 25 miles northwest of Denver. Boulder sits at the foot of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of more than 5,000 feet above sea level, giving the race a very different character from most major city 10Ks. Boulder has a particularly strong association with endurance sport. The combination of altitude, extensive trails and easy access to the mountains has attracted generations of runners, cyclists and other endurance athletes, while the University of Colorado has a long-established distance-running tradition. For visitors, downtown Boulder is compact and easy to explore. Pearl Street is the heart of the city, with restaurants, shops, cafés and street performers concentrated around its pedestrianised central section. Chautauqua and the surrounding foothills provide access to some of Boulder's best-known hiking trails, while Boulder Creek Path offers another easy way to explore the city without travelling far from downtown. Most international runners will reach Colorado through Denver International Airport. Boulder is northwest of Denver and can be reached by road or public transport, although runners should check race-week transport arrangements before deciding where to stay. Staying in Boulder makes it easier to experience the build-up and avoids a longer journey from Denver on race morning. Accommodation can become busy around Memorial Day weekend, so booking early is sensible if BOLDERBoulder is the main purpose of your trip. When Is The Boulder 10K? BOLDERBoulder takes place every year on Memorial Day, the final Monday in May. The 2027 BOLDERBoulder will be held on Monday 31 May. Race morning begins early, with participants released gradually through a large number of starting waves. The running is only part of the day, however, with the international professional races taking place later in the morning before the traditional Memorial Day Tribute begins inside Folsom Field at noon. The History Of The BOLDERBoulder BOLDERBoulder began in 1979 when the event's founders hoped to attract a few hundred friends and local runners to a Memorial Day race through Boulder. Instead, the inaugural event attracted 2,700 registrations and quickly established itself as something much bigger. Participation grew rapidly during the following years and BOLDERBoulder eventually became one of the largest 10K races in the world. Almost 1.5 million runners, joggers, walkers and spectators have been part of the event over its history, ranging from Olympic athletes to families and recreational runners taking part in their only organised race of the year. One of the most important innovations came in 1983 when BOLDERBoulder introduced its wave-start system. Rather than releasing tens of thousands of people together, runners are divided according to expected finishing time and ability. The system has since become one of the defining characteristics of the race. BOLDERBoulder also developed a strong professional racing programme. Elite competition is separated from the mass-participation event, allowing spectators who have completed their own race to watch some of the world's best runners compete later in the morning. How Many Runners Take Part? BOLDERBoulder now attracts more than 50,000 participants, making it one of the largest running events in the United States and one of the biggest 10K races anywhere in the world. Despite those enormous numbers, the wave system means runners do not all start together. Around 95 waves were used for the 2026 event, ranging from fast qualified runners through to recreational runners, joggers and walkers. This allows an exceptionally broad range of participants to experience the event at an appropriate pace. Is There A BOLDERBoulder Expo? Yes. BOLDERBoulder includes a RaceDayEXPO close to Folsom Field, giving runners the opportunity to visit exhibitors and sample products after completing the race. Packet collection arrangements and expo details can vary from year to year, so participants should check the official race information before travelling rather than relying on arrangements from previous editions. Read more about running event expos here. The BOLDERBoulder Course The 10K course starts close to 30th Street and Walnut Street before travelling through Boulder neighbourhoods and towards the city centre. Unlike a conventional big-city road race dominated by major landmarks, much of BOLDERBoulder's character comes from the communities through which it passes. Residents turn race morning into a citywide celebration, and runners can expect music, entertainment, costumes and enthusiastic support throughout the course. The atmosphere becomes an important part of the BOLDERBoulder experience rather than simply something encountered at the start and finish. The biggest challenge for runners visiting from lower elevations is likely to be the altitude. Boulder sits more than a mile above sea level, meaning there is less oxygen available than most runners will experience during their normal training. Even though the distance is relatively short, attempting to run a normal sea-level 10K pace can therefore feel considerably harder. Runners travelling to Boulder should take the altitude into account when setting their expectations. Arriving well hydrated, avoiding an excessively fast opening few kilometres and being prepared to adjust your pace according to effort can make the experience much more enjoyable. Read more about hydration for runners here. Fabulous Pearl Street Mall The BOLDERBoulder Wave Start With more than 50,000 people taking part, starting everyone simultaneously would be impossible. BOLDERBoulder therefore uses one of the most extensive wave systems in road running. The fastest waves require runners to provide qualifying evidence, while later running, jogging and walking waves do not require proof of previous performances. For 2027, the first 29 waves are designated qualified running waves for runners capable of finishing inside 75 minutes. The system means competitive runners can race without becoming trapped behind slower participants while walkers and recreational runners can enjoy the course without feeling pressured to run faster than they want. Your allocated wave determines your starting position and time, so runners should check the latest instructions carefully before race morning. Finishing At Folsom Field The defining moment of BOLDERBoulder comes at the end. Runners enter the University of Colorado campus and finish inside Folsom Field, home of the Colorado Buffaloes American football team. Instead of crossing a conventional roadside finish line, participants enter a major stadium filled with runners and spectators. For many people, the first sight of the stadium and the noise from the crowd provides the standout memory of the entire race. Finishing early also means there is good reason not to leave. Folsom Field becomes the centre of the day's celebrations as participants and spectators gather to watch the international professional races and the Memorial Day Tribute. The famous Folsom Field The International Pro Race BOLDERBoulder is unusual because the mass-participation event is followed by an international professional competition. Instead of the elite runners disappearing long before most recreational participants reach the finish, the scheduling gives ordinary runners the opportunity to complete their own race and then watch the professionals. The International Team Challenge attracts leading male and female athletes from around the world. The races take place late in the morning and finish inside Folsom Field shortly before the Memorial Day Tribute, helping maintain the atmosphere in the stadium long after most participants have completed their 10K. It transforms race morning into something closer to a running festival. You are not simply arriving, completing 10 kilometres and heading back to your hotel; there is plenty of reason to remain at Folsom Field and enjoy the rest of the programme. The Memorial Day Tribute Memorial Day is central to the identity of BOLDERBoulder. The event culminates at noon with a major tribute inside Folsom Field honouring members of the United States Armed Forces, particularly those who lost their lives while serving. The ceremony has included military personnel, parachute displays, music and other commemorative elements and has become one of the largest Memorial Day gatherings in the country. Military runners and veterans are also recognised within the race itself through dedicated starting waves. For international visitors, this aspect of BOLDERBoulder makes the event particularly distinctive. Memorial Day is much more than simply the date on which the race happens; it forms an important part of the character and tradition of the entire event. Can You Walk The BOLDERBoulder? One of the strengths of BOLDERBoulder is that it is deliberately designed for a wide range of abilities. Separate waves are available for runners, joggers and walkers, allowing people to participate at their own pace. There is a course cut-off, so anyone expecting to take considerably longer than two hours should check the current requirements when entering. For most recreational walkers, however, the event provides an opportunity to experience the same course and Folsom Field finish as the faster runners. Does BOLDERBoulder Support Charities? BOLDERBoulder has a strong connection with the local community. Non-profit organisations are involved in volunteering and supporting race-day operations, while the event has historically provided entries and other support that local organisations can use for fundraising. Unlike some major marathons, however, BOLDERBoulder is not primarily structured around charity places and minimum fundraising commitments. Runners wanting to use the race for their own charity fundraising can still do so by arranging their fundraising independently. What Makes BOLDERBoulder Different? There are bigger races and there are longer races, but very few combine all the elements found at BOLDERBoulder. More than 50,000 participants, dozens of starting waves, a high-altitude course, neighbourhood celebrations, a stadium finish, an international professional race and a huge Memorial Day ceremony are packed into a single morning. The result is an event where the 10 kilometres themselves are only one part of the experience. That is particularly important for runners considering travelling a long distance to participate. You are not crossing the Atlantic simply to run 6.2 miles; you are visiting Boulder for one of America's most established running traditions. Our Verdict BOLDERBoulder is proof that a race does not need to be a marathon to justify travelling for it. The scale is extraordinary for a 10K, but it is the combination of the Boulder setting, enormous community involvement and Folsom Field finish that makes the event memorable. For runners from outside Colorado, the altitude adds another dimension and makes chasing a personal best less predictable. Go prepared to run according to effort, enjoy the crowds and take in everything happening around you rather than concentrating entirely on your watch. Most importantly, don't disappear as soon as you cross the finish line. Stay inside Folsom Field, watch the professional athletes arrive and experience the Memorial Day Tribute. BOLDERBoulder is designed as an entire morning of running and celebration, and experiencing the whole event is what makes the journey worthwhile. How To Enter The BOLDERBoulder 10K Registration is available through the official BOLDERBoulder website. Entries can fill as race day approaches, and the 2026 event closed registration after demand exceeded expectations, so relying on being able to enter during race weekend is no longer advisable. The next BOLDERBoulder takes place on Memorial Day, Monday 31 May 2027. If you are planning to travel from outside Colorado or internationally, entering and arranging accommodation well in advance is the safest approach. Race website https://www.bolderboulder.com/

Training for a race does not mean giving up alcohol completely. Whether you are preparing for your first 10K, a half marathon or a marathon, enjoying the occasional pint, glass of wine or gin and tonic is unlikely to undo months of hard work. The key is moderation. Regular heavy drinking, particularly during demanding training blocks or in the days leading up to an event, can affect hydration, recovery, sleep, nutrition and ultimately your running performance. Understanding how alcohol affects your body allows you to make informed choices, allowing you to enjoy your social life without compromising your running goals. How Alcohol Affects Running Performance Alcohol affects several of the body's systems that runners rely on for good performance. While one or two drinks now and then are unlikely to cause problems, drinking heavily can reduce the quality of your training and make it harder to recover between sessions. Alcohol can also make rehydration more difficult, particularly when larger amounts are consumed after exercise. Alcohol can increase urine production, while drinking after a long run or demanding session may also mean runners pay less attention to replacing the fluid and electrolytes lost through sweat. If you have finished a hard session, it makes sense to rehydrate and eat properly before drinking alcohol. Alcohol can also reduce your appetite, making it less likely that you will eat the carbohydrates and protein your body needs to recover properly. Drinking on an empty stomach increases the speed at which alcohol is absorbed, which means its effects are felt more quickly and often more intensely. Alcohol And Recovery Recovery is where fitness improvements actually happen. Every run places stress on your muscles and your body responds by repairing that damage, allowing you to become stronger and more resilient. Excessive alcohol consumption can interfere with this process by reducing muscle protein synthesis, the mechanism responsible for repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue after exercise. Heavy drinking can also interfere with effective refuelling, particularly if alcohol replaces the carbohydrate-rich food and drink needed to replenish muscle glycogen. If you have had a particularly heavy night, it is usually better to replace a planned speed session with an easy recovery run or even take a rest day. Trying to force a quality workout when your body has not recovered properly often leads to poor performance and may increase your risk of injury. Alcohol And Sleep Quality Many people believe alcohol helps them sleep because it makes them feel relaxed and drowsy. While you may fall asleep more quickly, the quality of that sleep is often much poorer. Alcohol disrupts the deeper stages of sleep, including REM sleep, which are essential for physical recovery, hormone regulation and mental restoration. As a result, you may wake feeling less refreshed, while poorer sleep can also compromise the recovery processes runners rely on between training sessions. One poor night's sleep is unlikely to ruin your training programme, but repeated nights of disrupted sleep can gradually reduce your energy levels and make it much harder to complete key sessions consistently. Read more about why runners need plenty of sleep here. Calories, Weight And Body Composition Many runners use training as part of a healthy lifestyle or to help manage their weight. Alcohol can quietly add a significant number of extra calories without providing much nutritional value. Alcoholic drinks can add a significant number of calories. A pint of stronger beer can contain more than 200 calories, while wine, cocktails and drinks with sugary mixers can also contribute considerably to your overall energy intake. A few drinks over the course of a weekend can easily add hundreds or even thousands of calories to your weekly intake. Alcohol may also lower your inhibitions and make you more likely to reach for takeaway food or high calorie snacks after drinking. Even if you are running regularly, these additional calories can quickly offset much of the energy you burn during training. Alcohol And Motivation The physical effects of alcohol are only part of the picture. It can also affect your motivation, consistency and willingness to stick to your training plan. Most runners have experienced waking up after a night out intending to run before deciding to postpone it until another day. Missing the occasional run is not a problem, but frequent hangovers make it much harder to maintain the consistency that successful training depends upon. Steady, regular training almost always produces better results than occasional outstanding sessions followed by missed workouts. Protecting your routine is often far more valuable than trying to make up for lost training later. Does Alcohol Increase Injury Risk? Alcohol does not directly cause running injuries, but it can increase the likelihood of them developing by affecting the factors that help keep your body healthy. Poor sleep, impaired recovery, dehydration and fatigue can leave you less prepared for demanding training. Alcohol can also affect coordination and judgement, so attempting a hard session while still feeling its effects is unlikely to be a good idea. Listening to your body after drinking and adjusting your training when necessary is often the smarter long term decision. Read about the most common running injuries here. Should You Drink During Race Week? Race week is one of the few times when reducing or avoiding alcohol makes particular sense. During the final few days before your event, your priorities should be hydration, carbohydrate intake, quality sleep and arriving at the start line feeling fresh and confident. Heavy drinking works against all of these goals. While a single drink with dinner is unlikely to make a noticeable difference for most runners, avoiding alcohol altogether during race week gives you the best opportunity to perform at your highest level. Alcohol On Holiday Holidays often provide more free time for both running and socialising. Many runners enjoy fitting in extra miles while also relaxing with friends or family, and there is nothing wrong with that balance. However, several consecutive days of heavy drinking can quickly reduce the benefits of your additional training. If you are following a structured training plan during your holiday, aim to complete your runs early in the day, rehydrate well afterwards and keep alcohol in moderation so that you return home fitter rather than simply more tired. Practical Tips For Runners Who Drink Alcohol You do not need to eliminate alcohol completely to be a successful runner, but a few sensible habits can reduce its impact on your training and recovery. Drink plenty of water before going to bed and continue rehydrating the following morning. Eat a balanced meal containing carbohydrates and protein before drinking whenever possible, avoid planning your hardest training sessions after nights when you expect to drink, and if you feel unusually fatigued, do not be afraid to swap a demanding workout for an easier run or a rest day. Making sensible choices most of the time will have a much greater impact on your running than worrying about the occasional drink. Can Runners Drink Alcohol? The simple answer is yes. For most recreational runners, enjoying the occasional alcoholic drink is perfectly compatible with training for races and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The biggest problems arise when alcohol becomes excessive, particularly during heavy training periods or in the days leading up to an important race. If your goal is to achieve a personal best, reducing alcohol intake around key workouts and race week is one of the easiest ways to support your performance without making major changes elsewhere. Running is about building habits that you can maintain for years rather than following unrealistic rules. Train consistently, recover properly, eat nutritious food, stay hydrated and enjoy alcohol in moderation. Taking this balanced approach allows running and an active social life to comfortably coexist while still helping you reach your potential. Read about running nutrition myths here. Final Thoughts Most runners do not need to choose between enjoying an occasional drink and achieving their running goals. What matters is understanding when alcohol is most likely to affect your performance and making sensible decisions during the periods when your body needs to recover and perform at its best. By keeping alcohol in moderation, prioritising hydration, nutrition and sleep, and avoiding heavy drinking before important training sessions or races, you can continue making steady progress while still enjoying the social occasions that are part of everyday life.

A modern running shoe might look relatively simple. There is a fabric upper around your foot, a thick layer of cushioning underneath and rubber where the shoe meets the ground. Take one apart, however, and you discover a surprisingly sophisticated piece of engineering made from numerous materials and components. Depending on the model, a running shoe can combine engineered mesh or knitted fabrics, reinforcing materials, several types of foam, rubber compounds and plastic components. Performance shoes may add a carbon fibre, nylon or other stiffening plate within the midsole. All of those elements have to work together while keeping the shoe comfortable, durable and, particularly in racing shoes, as light as possible. The process of making a running shoe therefore begins long before anything reaches the production line. Designers first decide what they want the shoe to do, engineers develop its shape and materials, prototypes are produced and tested, and only then can the various components be manufactured and assembled into the finished shoe. So how are running shoes made, and what actually goes into creating the pair on your feet? It Starts With The Purpose Of The Shoe Before designing a running shoe, a manufacturer needs to decide what sort of running it is intended for. An everyday road shoe has different requirements from a lightweight racing shoe, while a trail shoe needs greater traction and protection for running over loose and uneven surfaces. Designers establish objectives covering characteristics such as cushioning, stability, flexibility, weight, durability, grip and fit. These decisions influence almost every stage that follows. A highly cushioned daily trainer might use a substantial amount of foam and more outsole rubber for durability, while a racing shoe could prioritise lightweight, responsive foam and incorporate a stiffening plate. The geometry of the shoe is also developed. Designers determine features including stack height, heel-to-toe drop, the shape of the midsole and the amount of space available around different parts of the foot. Computer aided design can be used to develop and refine these ideas before physical prototypes are produced. The Last Helps Determine The Shape And Fit One of the most important pieces of equipment used to make a shoe never appears in the finished product. It is called a last. A shoe last is a three-dimensional form shaped broadly like a foot. It helps determine the internal dimensions and shape of the finished shoe, including characteristics such as heel width, midfoot volume and the space available around the toes. Manufacturers can develop different lasts for different types of shoes and fits. This is one reason two running shoes carrying the same numerical size can fit very differently. The number printed on the box is only part of the story because the underlying shape of the shoe can vary between brands and even between models from the same manufacturer. The last becomes particularly important later in production when the completed upper is placed over it, giving the shoe its intended three-dimensional form before the sole is attached. How The Running Shoe Upper Is Made The upper is the part of a running shoe that surrounds the top and sides of your foot. It needs to hold the foot securely while remaining comfortable, flexible and sufficiently breathable for running. Many modern shoes use engineered mesh. Rather than using material with identical properties everywhere, an engineered upper can provide more ventilation or flexibility in some areas and greater structure in others. Reinforcing elements may also be added around high-stress areas such as the eyelets, heel, toe or sides of the shoe. Knitted construction provides another option. Different structures can be incorporated into a knitted upper so that support and flexibility are placed where they are required without necessarily adding numerous separate pieces of material. This can also reduce some of the cutting waste associated with conventional cut-and-sew manufacturing. Other parts are incorporated as required, including the tongue, eyelets, laces, heel counter, collar and internal padding. The amount of material varies considerably according to the shoe's purpose. A comfortable daily trainer might have substantial heel and tongue padding, while a racing shoe often uses a much more stripped-back upper to save weight. The Upper Is Turned Into A Three Dimensional Shoe Once its individual pieces have been assembled, the upper still needs to acquire the shape of a shoe. Many modern athletic shoes use a form of Strobel construction. The lower edges of the upper are stitched to a flexible fabric underneath the foot, creating something resembling a fabric shell. If you remove the removable sockliner from some running shoes, you can sometimes see this construction underneath. The assembled upper is then placed over the shoe last. This is the lasting stage, which establishes the final shape and dimensions of the upper before it is joined to the sole. This order is important. The upper is not normally attached to the finished sole and then placed on the last. Lasting prepares and shapes the upper so that it can subsequently be aligned and securely bonded to the sole unit. Making The Midsole The midsole sits between the foot and the outsole and is responsible for much of the cushioning and ride you experience when running. It has also become one of the most technologically competitive parts of modern running shoe design. EVA, or ethylene-vinyl acetate, has been widely used in running shoe cushioning for decades and remains important today. Manufacturers can alter its formulation and processing to produce different levels of softness, weight and resilience. Modern shoes can also use TPU and PEBA-based materials, as well as blends and proprietary formulations. PEBA is particularly associated with some high performance running shoes because suitable formulations can produce lightweight foams with high resilience. Simply knowing the name of the polymer does not tell you exactly how a shoe will feel. The formulation, density, cell structure, geometry and manufacturing process all influence the characteristics of the finished midsole. How Midsole Foam Gets Its Shape Midsole materials have to be turned into the precisely shaped cushioning units underneath a running shoe. Manufacturers use several processes depending on the material and the characteristics they want to achieve. Compression moulding is one established method. Prepared foam material is placed into a mould and shaped using heat and pressure. Injection-based processes provide another approach, while some midsoles are produced from expanded beads that are fused together. The mould determines much more than the external appearance of the shoe. Modern midsoles can incorporate curved sidewalls, cut-outs, channels and rocker shapes that influence weight, stability, flexibility and the way the shoe transitions from landing to toe-off. Manufacturing methods continue to evolve alongside the materials themselves, which is one reason two shoes described as using similar types of foam can behave very differently on the road. What Is Supercritical Or Nitrogen Infused Foam? Some running shoes are marketed as having nitrogen infused or supercritical foam. These descriptions relate to processes used to create the cellular structure within certain midsole materials. In a supercritical foaming process, a gas such as nitrogen can be used under controlled temperature and pressure conditions to help create cells within the material. Manufacturers can manipulate the resulting structure to pursue characteristics such as lower weight, greater softness or increased resilience. Brooks, for example, describes using nitrogen in a supercritical foaming process for its DNA LOFT v3 cushioning. Other manufacturers use their own materials, gases and processes, so the phrase nitrogen-infused should not be treated as a universal recipe for one particular type of foam. It also does not automatically mean one shoe will perform better than another. The polymer, foam structure, midsole geometry and overall design still determine how the finished shoe behaves. How Plates Are Added To Some Running Shoes Not every running shoe contains a plate, but plates have become particularly familiar through the development of modern racing shoes. Depending on the design, a plate or other stiffening element can be positioned within the midsole so that it works with the surrounding foam and shoe geometry. Carbon fibre is commonly associated with high-performance racing shoes because it can provide substantial stiffness at a relatively low weight. Other shoes use nylon, thermoplastic materials or alternative structures to modify stiffness without necessarily creating the same characteristics as a carbon fibre racing shoe. The plate is only one part of the system. Its shape, position and stiffness interact with the foam and the geometry of the shoe. Simply adding a carbon plate to a running shoe does not automatically make it faster. How The Outsole Is Made The outsole is the part of the shoe that comes into direct contact with the ground. Its main jobs are to provide traction and protect the softer midsole from excessive abrasion. Rubber compounds are widely used because they can offer substantially greater wear resistance than exposed cushioning foam. The rubber is formed into the required shapes and tread patterns before being attached to the bottom of the midsole. Road shoes usually have relatively shallow tread because they are primarily intended for tarmac and other hard surfaces. Trail shoes typically have deeper lugs designed to grip loose, soft or uneven terrain. Manufacturers do not always cover the entire underside of a running shoe with rubber. Strategically placing it in high-wear or high-grip areas can reduce weight and allow other parts of the midsole to remain exposed. Bringing The Sole Unit Together Depending on the shoe, the sole may consist of several separate components. Different layers or densities of midsole foam can be combined, a plate may sit between or within those layers, and individual pieces of outsole rubber can be attached underneath. These components need to be positioned accurately because relatively small changes can alter the finished shoe. In a plated racing shoe, for example, the relationship between the plate and the surrounding foam is an intentional part of the design. Once the sole unit and lasted upper are ready, they can finally be brought together. Attaching The Upper To The Sole For many modern running shoes, the lasted upper and sole unit are joined using specialised adhesive systems. The surfaces may first need to be cleaned, roughened or otherwise prepared, and primers or adhesives can be applied to create a reliable bond. The upper and sole are carefully aligned and brought together. Pressure is then used to establish the bond, while heat or other activation processes may be involved depending on the materials and adhesive system being used. The strength of this bond matters enormously. Every running step repeatedly bends and loads the shoe, so the connection between upper and sole has to survive a large number of flexing and impact cycles. Only after sole attachment and the appropriate production checks is the last removed from inside the shoe. Read about looking after your running shoes here. Finishing The Running Shoe With the last removed, the shoe begins to look like the product that will eventually appear in a running shop. The removable sockliner can be inserted and the laces fitted or adjusted. Finishing work may include cleaning away marks or excess adhesive, trimming materials and checking the alignment and appearance of the different components. Branding and decorative details may have been incorporated at earlier stages rather than simply being added at the end, depending on the construction of the particular shoe. The completed shoe can then move through final inspection and quality-control procedures. How Running Shoes Are Tested Testing takes place throughout shoe development and manufacturing rather than only after the first production pair has been completed. During development, prototypes can be subjected to mechanical testing for characteristics such as flexibility, cushioning, abrasion and material durability. Manufacturers also use wear testing, putting prototypes onto runners to discover problems that may not be obvious from a computer model or laboratory test. A shoe might feel uncomfortable around the heel, create pressure over the toes or allow too much movement through the upper. Designers can use this feedback to alter materials, dimensions or construction before production begins. Quality control testing continues during manufacturing. The bond between the upper and sole is one example. Footwear testing organisation SATRA has specific procedures for assessing sole adhesion in completed footwear, demonstrating how important that apparently simple glued joint is to the durability of a finished shoe. How Running Shoe Manufacturing Is Changing Running shoe manufacturing continues to develop as companies look for ways to improve performance while reducing material use, waste and environmental impact. Engineered knitted uppers can place material more precisely and reduce some of the waste associated with cutting individual upper components from larger sheets. Recycled polyester, recycled rubber and other recycled materials are also now incorporated into some running shoes. Manufacturers are experimenting with different production methods too, including automated knitting, advanced moulding and increasingly automated handling and assembly processes. Producing a running shoe is nevertheless difficult to automate completely because flexible materials have to be positioned, stitched, shaped and bonded with considerable precision. End of life recycling remains another challenge. Running shoes deliberately combine materials with very different properties and bond them together strongly enough to withstand hundreds of miles of use. Those same characteristics can make the components difficult to separate afterwards. Read about sustainable running shoe brands here. Why Construction Changes How A Running Shoe Feels Understanding how running shoes are made helps explain why choosing a shoe involves much more than looking at how much foam is underneath it. The last influences the basic shape and fit. The upper determines how the shoe holds your foot. Midsole material and geometry contribute to cushioning, responsiveness and stability, while plates and other structures can alter stiffness. The outsole affects grip and durability, and the way all these components are assembled influences the finished shoe. Change one element and the character of the shoe can change with it. Two running shoes with similar stack heights and weights can consequently feel completely different once you start running. There is also no single construction that makes the best running shoe for everyone. A lightweight PEBA based racing shoe with a carbon fibre plate may make sense for someone chasing a personal best, while an everyday runner may place greater value on comfort, durability and stability. From An Idea To The Road A modern running shoe is much more complicated than a piece of fabric glued onto some foam. It is the end result of design, materials science, prototyping, manufacturing and testing, with each component performing a particular job. The upper is designed and assembled before being shaped around a last. Midsole materials are formulated and moulded into carefully designed geometries, outsole rubber is produced for traction and durability, and some shoes add plates or other structures within the cushioning system. The lasted upper and sole are then prepared, aligned and bonded before the last is removed and the shoe is finished and inspected. The next time you lace up your running shoes, take a closer look. The mesh around your toes, the sculpted foam beneath your foot and the carefully positioned rubber underneath are not there by accident. They are the visible results of a manufacturing process that turns a collection of very different materials into a shoe capable of carrying you through hundreds of miles of running. Read about the running shoe brands here.

Vitamin D might not receive as much attention from runners as carbohydrates, protein or electrolytes, but maintaining adequate levels is important for anyone who runs regularly. It plays an important role in bone and muscle health, helps the body absorb calcium and contributes to normal immune function. For runners, this matters because training repeatedly places stress on muscles and bones, making good nutrition an important part of supporting recovery and long term health. The challenge is that relatively few foods naturally contain much vitamin D. Our bodies can produce it when our skin is exposed to sunlight, but in the UK the sunlight between October and early March is not strong enough for us to make sufficient vitamin D this way. This makes vitamin D particularly relevant during the darker months of the year, when runners can spend plenty of time outdoors without necessarily producing enough. Vitamin D for runners is therefore less about searching for another performance supplement and more about making sure the body has what it needs to function normally. Correcting a deficiency can be important, but taking increasingly large amounts in the hope of running faster is unlikely to provide additional benefits if your vitamin D status is already adequate. What Is Vitamin D? Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that helps regulate calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to maintain healthy bones, teeth and muscles, making vitamin D particularly relevant to people involved in regular weight bearing exercise such as running. Unlike most vitamins, vitamin D can be produced by the body when the skin is exposed to suitable ultraviolet B radiation from sunlight. This makes sunlight an important source during spring and summer, although factors including the time of year, skin pigmentation, clothing and the amount of time spent outdoors can all influence how much vitamin D someone produces. Vitamin D can also be obtained from food and supplements, although relatively few foods naturally provide significant amounts. This combination of limited dietary sources and reduced production from sunlight during the UK winter is why supplementation is recommended at certain times of year. Why Is Vitamin D Important For Runners? One of vitamin D's most important functions is helping the body absorb calcium, which is essential for maintaining healthy bones. Running repeatedly loads the skeleton, so maintaining good bone health is an important part of staying healthy and being able to train consistently. Vitamin D is also involved in normal muscle function, while severe deficiency can contribute to muscle weakness. This does not mean taking additional vitamin D will automatically make a runner stronger, particularly when their existing vitamin D status is already adequate. There has been considerable interest in whether vitamin D supplementation can directly improve athletic performance. Some studies have reported improvements in certain measures of strength, power or aerobic performance, but the overall evidence remains mixed and does not establish a reliable performance benefit for athletes who already have adequate vitamin D levels. For runners, it is better viewed as a nutrient required for normal health and training rather than as a performance enhancing supplement. Vitamin D And Bone Health Bone health is perhaps the most important reason runners should pay attention to vitamin D. Running is a weight bearing activity and, when training progresses appropriately and nutrition is adequate, the repeated loading involved can help stimulate the normal process of bone adaptation. Problems can occur when the stress placed on the skeleton exceeds its ability to recover and remodel. This can contribute to bone stress injuries, ranging from early bone stress reactions to stress fractures, although vitamin D is only one part of a much bigger picture. Overall energy availability, calcium intake, training load, recovery, hormonal health and previous injuries can all influence bone health. Research has found associations between lower vitamin D levels and stress fractures in some physically active populations, but this does not mean that low vitamin D is responsible for every bone stress injury. If you experience persistent localised bone pain, particularly pain that becomes worse during running or continues when you are resting, simply taking vitamin D is not an appropriate solution. Bone stress injuries can become more serious if running continues, so persistent or worsening symptoms should be properly assessed. Read more about common running injuries here. Can Vitamin D Improve Running Performance? Some of the claims surrounding vitamin D and athletic performance can be misleading. Correcting a genuine deficiency may help restore normal physiological function, but taking additional vitamin D when you already have enough is not a proven shortcut to faster running. Research involving athletes has investigated endurance, muscle strength, power, inflammation and recovery. Some studies have produced promising findings, but the results vary considerably and the evidence does not currently show that vitamin D supplementation consistently improves running performance in people who already have adequate levels. A useful way to think about vitamin D is that a deficiency may potentially interfere with normal health, training and performance. Correcting that deficiency can therefore be worthwhile, but pushing vitamin D levels increasingly higher does not necessarily produce additional benefits. Are Runners At Risk Of Vitamin D Deficiency? Being a runner does not automatically mean you will have low vitamin D levels. Runners who regularly train outside during spring and summer may receive considerable sunlight exposure, although outdoor training alone does not guarantee adequate vitamin D. Winter running in temperate climates is particularly relevant because the sunlight does not contain enough UVB radiation for the skin to produce sufficient vitamin D. You could therefore run outside several times a week throughout winter and still not obtain enough vitamin D from sunlight. People who spend little time outside, usually cover most of their skin when outdoors or have darker skin are at increased risk of having insufficient vitamin D. Some medical conditions and medicines can also affect vitamin D status, which means two runners following exactly the same training programme could have very different vitamin D levels. Signs Of Vitamin D Deficiency Mild vitamin D deficiency may not produce obvious symptoms, which makes it difficult to identify simply by how you feel. Tiredness, aches and poor running sessions have many possible explanations and should not automatically be blamed on vitamin D. More significant or prolonged deficiency can affect bone and muscle health and may contribute to muscle weakness or bone pain. These symptoms can also have many other causes, so self diagnosing a vitamin D deficiency based on symptoms alone is unreliable. For runners, unexplained recurring bone injuries or other concerns about deficiency may provide a reason to discuss vitamin D status with a GP or another appropriate healthcare professional. A blood test measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D, usually written as 25(OH)D, can be used to assess vitamin D status when testing is considered appropriate. How Much Vitamin D Do Runners Need? In the UK, the reference nutrient intake for people aged four and over is 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day, equivalent to 400 International Units or 400 IU. There is no separate official vitamin D requirement specifically for recreational runners, so running more miles does not automatically mean you should take a larger dose. The NHS recommends that adults consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during autumn and winter. This is because it is difficult to obtain enough from food alone and the UK sun is not strong enough during these months for the body to make sufficient vitamin D. People at greater risk of deficiency, including those who have little or no exposure to sunlight and people with darker skin, should consider taking 10 micrograms throughout the year. Individual medical circumstances can be different, so anyone who has been given specific advice about vitamin D should follow the guidance provided by their healthcare professional. Should Runners Take Vitamin D Supplements? For runners living in the UK, the general advice is essentially the same as it is for the wider adult population. A daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D should be considered during autumn and winter, with some people advised to consider supplementation throughout the year. This recommendation is intended to help maintain adequate vitamin D status rather than improve running performance directly. You do not need a specialist sports supplement simply because you run, and a standard vitamin D supplement can provide the recommended amount. Some runners may be advised to take a different dose if a blood test identifies a deficiency or if there is another medical reason. In that situation, the appropriate amount should be determined by a healthcare professional rather than copied from another runner, an influencer or advice found on social media. Can You Take Too Much Vitamin D? Although vitamin D is essential, excessive supplementation over a prolonged period can be harmful. Taking too much can cause calcium to build up in the body, a condition known as hypercalcaemia, which can weaken bones and potentially damage the kidneys and heart. The NHS advises adults not to take more than 100 micrograms, or 4,000 IU, of vitamin D per day unless advised otherwise by a healthcare professional. This is an upper limit rather than a target intake and is ten times the standard UK recommendation of 10 micrograms. It is particularly worth checking labels if you use several supplements at the same time. A multivitamin, vitamin D tablet and another nutritional supplement could all contain vitamin D, meaning your total intake may be higher than you realise. Salmon is a great source of Vitamin D What Are The Best Food Sources Of Vitamin D? It is difficult to obtain all the vitamin D you need from food alone, but including vitamin D rich foods can still contribute to your overall intake. Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, herring and mackerel are among the best natural dietary sources. Egg yolks and red meat contain smaller amounts, while vitamin D is also added to some breakfast cereals, fat spreads and other fortified foods. The amount in fortified products varies, so checking the nutritional information can help you understand how much they provide. Plant based runners should pay particular attention to fortified products because relatively few unfortified plant foods provide meaningful quantities of vitamin D. Some plant based drinks, cereals and other products are fortified, but this should not be assumed simply because a product is marketed as a dairy alternative. Food should therefore form part of the picture, but during a UK winter it can be difficult to rely on diet alone to provide enough vitamin D. This is one reason the UK advice recommends considering supplementation during autumn and winter. Vitamin D And Calcium For Runners Vitamin D and calcium are closely connected because vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from the diet. Calcium is required for normal bones as well as muscle and nerve function, so runners concerned about bone health should consider their overall nutrition rather than focusing on one nutrient in isolation. Most adults should be able to obtain the calcium they need from a balanced diet. Dairy products, calcium fortified plant alternatives, some green vegetables, calcium set tofu and fish where the bones are eaten can all contribute to calcium intake. Runners should also make sure they consume enough overall energy to support their training. Adequate vitamin D and calcium cannot fully compensate for consistently under-fuelling the body, and low energy availability can have important consequences for bone health and athletic performance. Read more about calcium for runners here. When Should A Runner Consider A Vitamin D Test? Routine vitamin D blood testing is not necessary for every healthy runner. However, there are circumstances where discussing testing with a healthcare professional may be appropriate, including symptoms or medical circumstances suggesting deficiency, very limited sunlight exposure or conditions that interfere with nutrient absorption. A runner experiencing repeated bone stress injuries should not simply assume vitamin D is responsible. Training load, energy availability, calcium intake, hormonal factors, biomechanics and previous injury history may all need to be considered as part of a wider assessment. If vitamin D deficiency is confirmed, a healthcare professional can recommend an appropriate treatment dose and determine whether follow-up testing is necessary. Treatment for an established deficiency may be different from the general supplementation advice given to the wider population. The Bottom Line Vitamin D plays an important role in bone and muscle health, making it a nutrient runners should not overlook. Maintaining adequate vitamin D status is particularly relevant during the UK winter and for runners who have other risk factors for deficiency, but taking more than you need has not been shown to provide an automatic performance advantage. For most UK adults, the practical advice is straightforward. Consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day during autumn and winter, include vitamin D rich or fortified foods as part of a balanced diet and seek professional advice if you have a genuine reason to believe you may be deficient. Getting the basics right is more useful than chasing high dose supplements. For runners, adequate vitamin D should form part of a broader approach that includes sufficient energy intake, calcium, balanced nutrition, sensible training progression and appropriate recovery. Read more about supplements for runners here.

Energy gels for runners are one of the most popular ways to fuel long training runs and races. Walk into any marathon expo or running shop and you'll see shelves packed with different flavours, formulations and brands, while many major races also provide gels at selected points around the course. For runners covering longer distances, energy gels can provide a convenient source of carbohydrate when the body's own stores are being used heavily. They can help support performance during prolonged exercise, but they aren't essential and they don't suit everyone. Some runners rely on them throughout marathon training, while others prefer sports drinks, chews, sweets or carbohydrate-rich foods. Understanding what energy gels do, when to take them and how much carbohydrate you actually need can help you develop a fuelling strategy that works for your training and race day. What Are Energy Gels? Energy gels are concentrated carbohydrate products designed to provide a convenient source of fuel during exercise. They usually contain carbohydrates such as glucose, maltodextrin and fructose, often in combinations designed to deliver carbohydrate efficiently during prolonged activity. Their biggest advantage for runners is convenience. A small packet can provide a useful amount of carbohydrate without taking up much space, making gels easy to carry in a running belt, shorts pocket or race vest. The amount of carbohydrate varies between products, so it's important to check the label rather than simply counting the number of gels you consume. Some gels also contain electrolytes or caffeine, while isotonic or more liquid formulations contain additional water and may have different instructions about whether they need to be taken with fluid. Why Do Runners Use Energy Gels? Your body stores carbohydrate mainly as glycogen in your muscles and liver. During running, carbohydrate is an important source of energy, particularly as intensity increases. Those stores are limited, which is why fuelling becomes increasingly important as the duration of a run or race increases. When carbohydrate availability becomes low during prolonged exercise, maintaining your previous running pace can become increasingly difficult. Marathon runners often describe the resulting dramatic loss of energy as "hitting the wall", although several factors can contribute to late-race fatigue. Consuming carbohydrate during longer runs and races provides an additional source of fuel and helps maintain carbohydrate availability. Energy gels are simply one convenient way of delivering it. When Should Runners Take Energy Gels? Most runners don't need energy gels for an ordinary short run. If you're running for less than around an hour, your existing energy stores will usually be sufficient and taking carbohydrate during the session is generally unnecessary. Fuelling becomes more important as exercise gets longer. For runs and races lasting beyond approximately 60 to 90 minutes, consuming carbohydrate can help support endurance performance. Rather than waiting until you feel exhausted, start fuelling before your energy levels begin to fall significantly. Many runners take their first gel somewhere around 30 to 45 minutes into a longer run and then continue consuming carbohydrate regularly. Exactly when you take a gel will depend on its carbohydrate content, how much carbohydrate you're aiming to consume each hour and what other fuel you're using. How Much Carbohydrate Do Runners Need? Thinking about grams of carbohydrate per hour is more useful than simply deciding to take a gel every 30 or 45 minutes because different energy gels contain different amounts of carbohydrate. For prolonged endurance exercise, around 30 to 60g of carbohydrate per hour is commonly recommended. During longer endurance events lasting more than approximately two and a half hours, higher intakes of up to around 90g per hour may be beneficial for some athletes, particularly when using products containing combinations of carbohydrates such as glucose and fructose. That doesn't mean every runner should immediately aim for 90g per hour. Higher carbohydrate intakes need to be practised during training because the digestive system may need time to adapt. Your pace, race duration, body size, previous fuelling experience and tolerance can all influence the strategy that works best for you. How Many Energy Gels Do You Need For A Marathon? There isn't one correct number of energy gels for every marathon runner. It depends on how long you expect to be running, how much carbohydrate each gel contains and whether you're getting carbohydrate from sports drinks, chews or other foods as well. For example, if a gel contains around 20 to 25g of carbohydrate, taking two gels an hour would provide approximately 40 to 50g. A runner targeting a higher carbohydrate intake would need either additional gels or another source of carbohydrate. This is why copying another runner's gel strategy isn't always sensible. Someone completing a marathon in three hours has very different fuelling requirements and opportunities from someone who will be on the course for five or six hours. Work out your approximate carbohydrate intake per hour and practise that strategy during your longest training runs. Race day should then be a continuation of something your body already knows rather than an experiment. How To Take Energy Gels While Running Traditional concentrated energy gels are generally designed to be consumed with water, although instructions vary between products. Taking water alongside a concentrated gel can make it easier to consume and may reduce the likelihood of gastrointestinal discomfort. Isotonic and more liquid gels are formulated differently and some can be consumed without immediately drinking additional water. Always check the manufacturer's instructions for the particular product you're using. Water stations can be convenient places to take a gel during a race. They also give you somewhere to dispose of the empty packet rather than carrying it or dropping it on the course. Gel wrappers can be slippery underfoot and should always be disposed of responsibly. Practise Using Energy Gels Before Race Day One of the biggest mistakes runners make is trying a new energy gel for the first time during a race. What works perfectly for one runner can cause stomach discomfort for another, and brands differ considerably in texture, sweetness and carbohydrate composition. If you're planning to use gels during a marathon or half marathon, practise with them during your longer training runs. Test not only the brand and flavour but also the quantity and timing you intend to use on race day. It's also worth checking which nutrition products will be available at your target event. If you intend to rely on the gels supplied by the organiser, try that particular product during training first. Alternatively, carry your preferred gels so you aren't dependent on what is available on the course. Training your fuelling strategy is part of preparing for a long-distance race. Read more about how to avoid hitting the wall here. What About Caffeinated Energy Gels? Some energy gels contain caffeine as well as carbohydrate. Caffeine can improve endurance performance and reduce perceived effort for some runners, which is why caffeinated gels are particularly popular during marathons and other endurance events. However, you need to consider your total caffeine intake rather than looking at each gel in isolation. Coffee, tea, energy drinks and other sports nutrition products may also contribute caffeine during the hours before and during a race. Some runners also find that caffeine contributes to stomach problems, nervousness or an increased urge to visit the toilet. If you're considering caffeinated gels, test them during training and keep track of approximately how much caffeine you're consuming across your entire race-day strategy. Do You Need Energy Gels For A Half Marathon? Whether you need energy gels during a half marathon depends partly on how long you'll be running. Faster runners may complete the distance without needing much additional carbohydrate during the race, particularly if they have eaten appropriately beforehand. For runners who will be racing for considerably longer, taking carbohydrate during the event can become more useful. A gel during the race may help maintain carbohydrate availability, particularly towards the later miles. As with marathon fuelling, the best approach is to test your strategy during training rather than introducing gels for the first time on race day. What If Energy Gels Upset Your Stomach? Stomach problems are one of the main reasons runners give up on energy gels, but the gel itself isn't always the only cause. Taking too much carbohydrate too quickly, consuming concentrated gels without appropriate fluid, dehydration, race intensity and nerves can all contribute to gastrointestinal problems. Experiment during training with different brands, carbohydrate amounts and timings. Some runners tolerate thinner gels better than very thick products, while others prefer chews, drinks or ordinary foods. Gradually practising carbohydrate intake during longer runs can also help your digestive system become accustomed to taking on fuel while exercising. Dried apricots are a great alternative to gels Are There Alternatives To Energy Gels? Energy gels aren't the only way to fuel a long run or race. Sports drinks, energy chews, jelly sweets, bananas, dried fruit and other carbohydrate-rich foods can all contribute to your carbohydrate intake. Some runners prefer a mixture. You might use gels because they're easy to carry during a marathon but occasionally switch to a sports drink or another food to provide a change of taste and texture. The important factor is the amount of usable carbohydrate you're consuming and whether your chosen foods and drinks are practical and comfortable while running. If you dislike gels, there is no reason to force yourself to use them when another fuelling strategy works better. For more ideas, read our guide to alternatives to energy gels for runners. Read more about alternatives to running gels here. How Much Do Energy Gels Cost? The cost of energy gels can add up during marathon training. Using a few during a race is relatively inexpensive, but regularly using several gels on long training runs over a 12 to 16 week programme can make sports nutrition another noticeable running expense. You don't necessarily need to use your complete race day gel allocation on every long run. However, your important marathon-specific sessions provide opportunities to practise your intended carbohydrate intake, gel timing and hydration strategy. Buying multipacks can reduce the cost per gel, but don't buy a large quantity of an unfamiliar product until you know that you actually like the flavour and tolerate it well. Are Energy Gels Worth It For Runners? Energy gels can be one of the simplest ways to consume carbohydrate during long runs, half marathons, marathons and ultra-distance events. They're compact, easy to carry and allow runners to plan their carbohydrate intake relatively accurately. They aren't essential, though. A successful endurance fuelling strategy is about consuming appropriate amounts of carbohydrate in a form that you can tolerate, not about using a particular product. If you're new to energy gels, experiment with them during training. Pay attention to the amount of carbohydrate in each gel, how often you're taking them, how much fluid you're drinking and how your stomach responds. By race day, you should have a familiar fuelling strategy that you know works for you. Energy gels for runners are ultimately a tool rather than a requirement. Used properly, they can make fuelling longer runs considerably easier, but the best strategy will always be the one you've practised and can comfortably maintain from the start line to the finish. Listen to our podcast on running with gels here.

Walk into any running shop, sports nutrition store or marathon expo and you'll be bombarded with products claiming to improve hydration through electrolytes. Sports drinks, hydration tablets, powders and sachets are everywhere. Many promise better performance, fewer cramps, faster recovery and improved endurance. The marketing can make it sound as though every runner needs to be constantly topping up their electrolyte levels. The reality is a little more complicated. Electrolytes for runners can be important during longer runs, heavy sweating and hot conditions, but many recreational runners are spending money on electrolyte products they simply don't need. Understanding what electrolytes actually do, when they're useful and when plain water is perfectly adequate can help you make better decisions about your hydration strategy. What Are Electrolytes? Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in fluids such as blood and sweat. They help regulate some of the body's most important functions, including fluid balance, muscle contractions and communication between nerves and muscles. The main electrolytes found in the body include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride and phosphate. While each performs a slightly different role, they work together to keep the body functioning normally. For runners, sodium is particularly important because it is the electrolyte generally lost in the greatest quantities through sweat during exercise. Read more about calcium for runners here and magnesium for runners here. Why Are Electrolytes Important For Runners? Running places additional demands on the body's fluid balance. As your core temperature rises during exercise, you sweat to help cool yourself down. Sweat is mostly water, but it also contains electrolytes, particularly sodium. The longer you run, the more you sweat and the hotter the conditions, the greater those losses can become. Electrolytes help maintain fluid balance and are also involved in normal muscle contraction and nerve function. The body is very good at regulating electrolyte concentrations, which means most runners don't need to worry about constantly replacing them. However, prolonged endurance exercise, heavy sweating and running in hot or humid conditions can create situations where replacing some of the sodium lost through sweat becomes useful. Where Do Electrolytes Come From? One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding electrolytes is that they can only be obtained from sports drinks or supplements. In reality, most people get the electrolytes they need from everyday foods. Sodium and chloride are found in common table salt and many everyday foods. Potassium is abundant in foods such as bananas, potatoes, spinach and apricots. Calcium comes from dairy products, fortified alternatives and some leafy green vegetables, while magnesium can be found in nuts, seeds and whole grains. Phosphate is widely available in foods including meat, fish, dairy products, beans and pulses. A balanced diet therefore provides a wide range of electrolytes, which is one reason most healthy people don't need to routinely take electrolyte supplements. Do Electrolytes Improve Running Performance? This is where some of the marketing claims surrounding electrolytes can become exaggerated. Electrolytes aren't a performance-enhancing supplement in the same way that consuming carbohydrates during prolonged exercise can directly provide additional fuel. Drinking an electrolyte product before every run won't suddenly make you faster or improve your fitness. Where electrolytes can become important is during prolonged exercise when significant fluid and sodium losses occur. Replacing some of those losses can help support normal hydration and physiological function, particularly for runners who sweat heavily or are exercising in hot conditions. For shorter runs and normal everyday training, however, additional electrolytes are unlikely to provide a noticeable performance advantage if you're already eating a balanced diet and drinking appropriately. When Do You Need Electrolytes For Running? There isn't a single point at which every runner suddenly needs electrolytes. How much you sweat, how salty your sweat is, the temperature, humidity, running intensity and duration all influence your requirements. For most runners, additional electrolytes are unlikely to be necessary during shorter runs in normal conditions. They become more useful during prolonged exercise, particularly when you're running for more than around 60 to 90 minutes, sweating heavily or exercising in hot and humid conditions. During a marathon, half marathon, long training run or endurance event, sweat losses can become substantial. In these situations, replacing some of the sodium lost through sweat may help support hydration. Heavy sweaters and runners whose clothing regularly develops visible salt marks after long runs may have greater sodium losses than other runners and could benefit from paying closer attention to their hydration strategy. Electrolytes And Muscle Cramps Many sports drink advertisements suggest electrolytes can prevent muscle cramps, but the relationship isn't that simple. Exercise associated muscle cramps are complex and are increasingly linked with neuromuscular fatigue rather than being explained simply by dehydration or a lack of electrolytes. Large sodium and fluid losses may still be relevant for some runners, particularly during prolonged exercise in hot conditions, but taking an electrolyte tablet isn't a guaranteed way to prevent cramp. Runners who regularly experience cramps should also consider factors such as training, muscular fatigue, pacing and race intensity rather than assuming electrolytes alone will solve the problem. What About Shorter Runs? If you're heading out for a typical 5K, 10K or gym session lasting less than an hour, most runners won't need an electrolyte drink. Your body can normally cope with the relatively small electrolyte losses involved, which can then be replaced through normal food and drink. Water is generally sufficient for shorter sessions, although individual circumstances still matter. A runner sweating heavily during a hard session in extreme heat may have very different requirements from somebody completing an easy 5K on a cool morning. Sports Drinks And The Carbohydrate Factor One of the biggest benefits of many sports drinks has little to do with electrolytes. It comes from the carbohydrates they contain. During prolonged exercise, consuming carbohydrate can help provide fuel for working muscles and support endurance performance. This is why sports drinks can be useful during longer races and training sessions. They combine fluid with carbohydrate and usually some sodium, allowing runners to address several needs at the same time. For runners preparing for longer events, understanding this distinction is important. An electrolyte-only drink may help replace sodium and fluid but won't necessarily provide the carbohydrate needed to fuel prolonged exercise. Are Electrolyte Tablets Better Than Sports Drinks? Electrolyte tablets and powders have become increasingly popular because many provide sodium and other minerals without the carbohydrate found in traditional sports drinks. For runners who already consume energy gels, chews or other carbohydrate sources during exercise, this can be a useful option. Whether electrolyte tablets are better depends entirely on your individual needs. Some runners prefer the simplicity of an all-in-one sports drink, while others like separating their hydration and fuelling strategies so they can adjust each independently. Whichever approach you choose, practise it during training rather than trying a completely new hydration or fuelling strategy on race day. A Cheap Alternative To Commercial Electrolyte Drinks You don't necessarily need an expensive sports nutrition product to combine fluid, carbohydrate and sodium. A simple homemade sports drink can be made using approximately two thirds water and one third fruit juice with a small pinch of salt. The exact carbohydrate and sodium content will vary depending on the juice and amount of salt used, so it isn't identical to a specifically formulated sports drink. However, it can provide fluid, carbohydrate and some sodium during longer training sessions and may be a useful low-cost alternative for runners who don't want to buy commercial products. What About Morning Electrolyte Supplements? One of the more recent trends is taking electrolyte supplements first thing in the morning. Social media is full of claims that they're essential for energy, hydration and general wellbeing, but most healthy people don't routinely wake up with a significant electrolyte deficiency. Normal meals and drinks provide electrolytes throughout the day. Unless you've experienced substantial fluid losses through prolonged exercise, heavy sweating, illness or another specific circumstance, routinely taking an electrolyte supplement every morning is unlikely to offer a significant advantage over eating and drinking normally. If you've been advised to alter your electrolyte intake because of a medical condition or medication, that's different and should be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional. Can You Drink Too Much During A Run? Drinking more isn't automatically better. During prolonged endurance exercise, consuming excessive amounts of fluid can dilute the sodium concentration in the blood and contribute to exercise-associated hyponatraemia, which can become dangerous. This is one reason runners shouldn't assume they need to drink as much as possible at every opportunity. Hydration requirements vary considerably, so your strategy should reflect factors such as the conditions, duration of the run and your individual sweat losses rather than simply forcing down large quantities of water or sports drink. Read more about hydration for runners here. Can You Have Too Many Electrolytes? Just as low electrolyte levels can cause problems, consuming large amounts unnecessarily isn't beneficial either. The body works hard to maintain electrolyte balance, and routinely taking electrolyte supplements when they aren't needed provides little advantage. High sodium intake is associated with increased blood pressure in the general population, although endurance athletes experiencing substantial sodium losses through sweat can have very different requirements during prolonged exercise. The important point for runners is that electrolyte intake should reflect genuine need rather than the assumption that more is always better. Electrolytes are best viewed as a useful part of a hydration strategy for particular circumstances rather than something every runner needs to consume throughout the day. The Bottom Line Electrolytes are essential minerals involved in fluid balance, muscle contraction, nerve signalling and many other important bodily functions. Electrolytes for runners become particularly relevant during prolonged exercise, hot or humid weather and situations where heavy sweating results in significant fluid and sodium losses. Despite the marketing surrounding sports drinks, hydration tablets and powders, most runners don't need additional electrolytes for every run. For shorter sessions in normal conditions, water and a balanced diet will usually be enough. If you're training for longer events, racing in hot conditions or regularly sweating heavily, including electrolytes as part of a planned hydration strategy may be useful. The key is to match your hydration and electrolyte intake to the demands of your running rather than assuming that every workout requires another supplement. Listen to our nutrition podcast here.

Creatine is one of the most extensively researched sports supplements available, but most runners probably associate it with weight training rather than endurance sport. Its reputation has largely been built around improving strength, power and repeated high-intensity exercise, which might make it seem less relevant if most of your training involves running. However, creatine for runners is more interesting than it might first appear. It probably won't suddenly make you a faster marathon runner, and the evidence for improving continuous endurance performance is limited, but it may support some of the training that helps runners become stronger and faster. That includes strength training, hill sessions, sprinting and repeated high-intensity intervals. Creatine may therefore be particularly useful during training periods focused on developing strength, speed and power, although runners also need to consider the small increase in body mass that can accompany supplementation. What Is Creatine? Creatine is a naturally occurring compound made from the amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine. Your body produces creatine itself, while smaller amounts are also obtained from foods, particularly meat and fish. Most of the creatine in your body is stored in skeletal muscle, where it helps replenish adenosine triphosphate, better known as ATP. ATP provides energy for muscular contractions, but the amount immediately available is limited. Stored phosphocreatine helps regenerate ATP rapidly, which becomes particularly important during short periods of intense exercise. This explains why creatine has traditionally been associated with activities such as sprinting, jumping and resistance training rather than long-distance running. Supplementing with creatine increases the amount stored in your muscles, which can help improve performance during repeated high-intensity efforts. For runners, its potential value therefore depends considerably on the type of training you do. Does Creatine Improve Running Performance? Creatine has strong evidence behind it as a supplement for strength, power and repeated high-intensity exercise, but that doesn't mean it automatically improves endurance running. Research looking specifically at endurance exercise has not shown a clear and consistent improvement in aerobic endurance performance. The potential benefits for runners are more likely to appear when training or racing involves repeated high-intensity efforts, sprinting or significant power demands. A 5K runner completing hard intervals, a trail runner powering up steep hills or a marathon runner doing regular strength sessions may therefore have more to gain than someone concentrating almost entirely on steady endurance running. For many runners, the biggest advantage may be how creatine supports training rather than how it affects a continuous run. Improving the quality of strength, sprint and high-intensity sessions could contribute to a better overall training programme without creatine directly making you faster over a long distance. Creatine Can Support Strength Training Strength training can be an important part of a runner's programme, helping develop stronger muscles and improving the body's ability to tolerate the demands of running. It is also one of the areas where the evidence supporting creatine supplementation is particularly strong. When combined with resistance training, creatine can help increase muscular strength and lean body mass compared with resistance training alone. This could make it particularly useful during periods when you're deliberately trying to improve strength and power. The benefit isn't that developing larger muscles automatically makes you a better runner. Instead, creatine may allow you to get more from an appropriately designed strength programme and support the adaptations created by that training. Creatine May Help With Speed And High Intensity Training Creatine's role in rapidly regenerating ATP means it is particularly suited to short, intense efforts. For runners, these might include sprint repetitions, short hill efforts and some forms of high-intensity interval training. Supplementation may help you maintain power across repeated high-intensity efforts, potentially allowing you to complete demanding sessions more effectively. This is much closer to creatine's established performance benefits than expecting it to improve an easy or steady long run. There may also be some relevance for runners competing over shorter distances or those relying on changes of pace and a finishing sprint. However, research specifically demonstrating faster race performances in distance runners remains limited, so these potential benefits shouldn't be exaggerated. Can Creatine Improve Recovery? Creatine is sometimes promoted as a recovery supplement, but the evidence here is less clear than the evidence surrounding strength and high-intensity performance. Some research has suggested that supplementation could influence markers associated with muscle damage and recovery following demanding exercise. Studies have produced mixed results, however, particularly when looking specifically at endurance exercise. It is therefore better to think of improved recovery as a possible additional benefit rather than one of the main reasons for runners to take creatine. Good recovery still depends primarily on sufficient sleep, appropriate training load and getting enough carbohydrate, protein, fluids and overall energy from your diet. Creatine should complement these fundamentals rather than be viewed as a replacement for them. Does Creatine Increase Glycogen Storage? There is some evidence that creatine supplementation, particularly when combined with carbohydrate intake and exercise, may influence muscle glycogen storage. Glycogen is the carbohydrate stored in your muscles and is an important fuel source during longer or harder runs. Runners shouldn't use creatine as a substitute for consuming enough carbohydrate, however. Appropriate carbohydrate intake remains far more important for maintaining glycogen availability during endurance training, so any effect from creatine should be regarded as a potential secondary benefit. What About The Cognitive Benefits Of Creatine? Creatine isn't only found in muscle because the brain also has significant energy requirements. This has led researchers to investigate whether supplementation can support aspects of cognitive performance, particularly when the brain is under additional stress. Some studies have found potential benefits in circumstances such as sleep deprivation, but findings across the wider research remain mixed. It is an interesting area of research, but there isn't currently enough evidence to suggest runners should take creatine primarily to improve concentration or mental performance. Read about the importance of sleep for runners here. Does Creatine Cause Weight Gain? This is probably the most important consideration for distance runners because creatine supplementation can increase the amount of water stored within muscle. As a result, your body weight may increase, particularly when you first begin supplementation. This isn't the same as gaining body fat, as much of the initial increase is associated with additional water within the muscles. Longer term changes can also reflect increases in lean body mass when creatine is combined with resistance training. For runners, additional body mass can potentially matter because you have to move that weight over every kilometre. This may partly explain why improvements in strength or power don't necessarily translate into better endurance race performances, and the amount of weight gained varies considerably between individuals. Should Runners Stop Taking Creatine Before A Race? You may hear recommendations that distance runners should take creatine during strength training and then stop before an important race to reduce any additional water weight. There isn't a universal rule requiring runners to do this, and there is no established period such as eight or ten weeks that every runner should follow. Whether stopping makes sense depends on the individual, the distance you're racing, how your body responds to creatine and why you're taking it in the first place. A runner who experiences a noticeable increase in body mass may make a different decision from someone whose weight changes very little. Any changes to supplementation should be tested during training rather than immediately before an important race. This gives you an opportunity to understand how your body responds without introducing an unnecessary variable close to race day. What Is The Best Creatine For Runners? Creatine monohydrate is the form most runners should choose because it is the most extensively researched form of creatine. It is widely available, relatively inexpensive and has considerably more supporting evidence than many alternative forms marketed by supplement companies. There is generally little reason for runners to pay substantially more for complicated creatine products or alternative formulations. If you compete under anti-doping rules, it is also sensible to choose supplements that have been independently batch tested to reduce the risk of contamination with prohibited substances. How Much Creatine Should Runners Take? A straightforward approach for most adults who choose to supplement is around 3–5 grams of creatine monohydrate each day. Taking it consistently is more important than taking it immediately before or after a particular training session. Unlike caffeine, creatine doesn't primarily work by producing an immediate effect shortly after you consume it. Its benefits come from increasing and maintaining creatine stores in your muscles over time, so it can be taken at whatever time of day makes it easiest to maintain a regular routine. Do You Need A Creatine Loading Phase? A loading phase can increase muscle creatine stores more quickly, but it isn't essential. A traditional loading strategy involves taking around 20 grams per day, usually divided into four smaller servings, for approximately five to seven days before switching to a lower maintenance dose. Alternatively, taking around 3–5 grams every day will gradually increase muscle creatine stores without loading. It takes longer to reach similar levels of muscle saturation, but this simpler approach may be more convenient and can reduce the likelihood of digestive discomfort associated with larger doses. Skipping the loading phase may also make any initial increase in body weight less rapid. For most recreational runners, there is rarely a compelling reason to rush the process. When Should Runners Take Creatine? There is no need to carefully time creatine around your runs because consistency is more important than the precise time it is consumed. Morning, evening, before training or after training can all be suitable if it allows you to take it regularly. Many people find it easiest to take creatine alongside a meal or as part of their usual post-training nutrition. Creatine is generally taken on rest days as well as training days when the aim is to maintain elevated muscle creatine stores. Is Creatine Safe? Creatine monohydrate has been extensively studied and is generally considered safe for healthy adults when used appropriately. Despite longstanding claims linking creatine with dehydration and muscle cramps, research has not established that recommended creatine supplementation causes these problems in healthy people. Runners should still pay attention to their normal hydration requirements, particularly when exercising for long periods or running in hot conditions. Anyone with an existing medical condition, particularly one affecting kidney function, or anyone taking medication that could be relevant to supplementation should seek appropriate medical advice before taking creatine. Read more about hydration for runners here. Do Runners Need Creatine? Most runners don't need creatine because you can train successfully, improve your running and race well without ever taking it. Supplements should always sit behind the fundamentals of appropriate training, sufficient nutrition, good recovery and adequate sleep. Creatine becomes more interesting when your programme includes regular strength training, sprint work, hills or repeated high-intensity intervals. In these situations, it may help improve the quality of training and support some of the adaptations you're trying to achieve. For runners focused almost entirely on long, steady endurance exercise, the argument is weaker. Current evidence doesn't demonstrate a clear and consistent improvement in traditional endurance performance, while the possibility of additional body mass also needs to be considered. Creatine For Runners: The Bottom Line Creatine deserves more attention from runners than its bodybuilding reputation might suggest, but its benefits need to be understood in the context of running. The strongest evidence is for improving strength, power and repeated high-intensity exercise, all of which can form part of a well-rounded running programme. Evidence that creatine directly improves continuous endurance running or distance race times is much less convincing. Its biggest value for many runners may therefore come from supporting strength training, sprinting and high-intensity sessions rather than directly improving aerobic endurance. Creatine monohydrate is the obvious choice if you decide to try it, and there is usually no need for complicated products or aggressive loading strategies. A simple daily dose of around 3–5 grams is commonly used, alongside a well-planned training programme and balanced diet. Read more about supplements for runners here.

Walk into a running expo or browse a sports nutrition website and you'll find an enormous range of supplements promising better endurance, faster recovery and improved performance. From multivitamins and magnesium to creatine, iron, beetroot and protein powders, it can be difficult to know which supplements for runners are genuinely useful and which are largely unnecessary. The reality is much simpler than the marketing suggests. Most runners do not need a large collection of supplements, particularly if they eat a varied and balanced diet that provides enough energy to support their training. However, some supplements can be useful when they correct a nutritional deficiency, make it easier to meet nutritional requirements or provide a specific performance benefit. The important thing is understanding the difference. Supplements should complement good nutrition rather than compensate for a poor diet, and taking something simply because another runner uses it is rarely a good reason to start. Food Should Come First Before thinking about supplements, runners should make sure the foundations of their nutrition are right. Running increases your energy requirements, particularly as weekly mileage and the length of individual sessions increase, and consistently eating too little can affect both health and performance. Carbohydrates provide an important source of fuel for running, while protein supports muscle repair and adaptation after training. Dietary fats, vitamins and minerals also contribute to everything from hormone and immune function to bone health and energy metabolism. A varied diet containing fruit, vegetables, whole grains, protein-rich foods, healthy fats and appropriate dairy products or fortified alternatives will provide most runners with the majority of the nutrients they need. Supplements become more relevant when there is a particular reason to use them rather than simply as an insurance policy against an inadequate diet. Do Runners Need A Multivitamin? For most runners eating a varied and sufficiently nutritious diet, a daily multivitamin is unlikely to produce a noticeable improvement in running performance. That does not mean multivitamins are always pointless. They may be useful when someone's diet is restricted, food variety is limited or certain nutrients are difficult to obtain. However, taking a multivitamin does not automatically correct a poor diet, and more is not necessarily better when it comes to vitamins and minerals. If you regularly eat a good variety of foods and have no known deficiencies, there is little reason to expect a standard multivitamin to suddenly make you faster or improve your endurance. Vitamin D For Runners Vitamin D deserves particular attention because it plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones and muscles. Unlike most vitamins, much of our vitamin D is produced when sunlight reaches the skin, which creates an obvious problem during the darker months of the year. In the UK, the NHS advises adults and children over four to consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during autumn and winter. Some people who have little or no exposure to sunlight, or who are at greater risk of deficiency, are advised to consider supplementation throughout the year. This advice applies to the general population rather than runners specifically, but maintaining good bone and muscle health is clearly important when you're regularly placing your body under the repetitive loading created by running. Vitamin D is therefore one supplement that UK runners should not dismiss simply because they already eat a healthy diet. Iron For Runners Iron is particularly important for endurance runners because it is involved in the production of haemoglobin, which helps transport oxygen around the body. Inadequate iron status can contribute to fatigue and reduced exercise capacity, making iron deficiency an important consideration when a runner experiences an unexplained decline in performance. Some runners have a greater risk of iron deficiency than others. Female endurance athletes can be particularly vulnerable because of menstrual blood loss, while runners following vegetarian or vegan diets need to pay closer attention because iron from plant foods is generally less readily absorbed than iron from animal sources. High training loads can add further complications. This does not mean runners should automatically take an iron supplement. Too much iron can be harmful, so supplementation is best considered following appropriate assessment and professional advice rather than being added to your diet just in case. If you're experiencing persistent fatigue, unusual breathlessness or an unexplained deterioration in your running, speak to a healthcare professional rather than trying to diagnose and treat an iron deficiency yourself. Read more about iron for runners here. Magnesium For Runners Magnesium plays a role in normal muscle and nerve function, energy metabolism and numerous other processes in the body, which has helped make magnesium supplements extremely popular among runners. However, the fact that magnesium is important does not mean taking additional magnesium will automatically improve running performance or prevent muscle cramps. Most runners should be able to obtain adequate magnesium through foods including nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes and leafy green vegetables. Supplementation may be appropriate when intake is inadequate or a deficiency has been identified, but magnesium should not be regarded as an essential running supplement for everyone. Read more about magnesium for runners here. Vitamin B12 And Plant Based Runners Vitamin B12 is needed for normal red blood cell formation and nervous system function. It is naturally found mainly in animal-derived foods, making it an important consideration for runners following vegan and some vegetarian diets. Vegan runners should ensure they obtain a reliable source of B12 through fortified foods or supplementation. Simply eating a varied plant-based diet does not guarantee sufficient B12 because unfortified plant foods are not reliable sources. Other nutrients including iron, calcium, iodine and vitamin D can also require additional attention in restrictive or plant-based diets. This does not make a vegan or vegetarian diet unsuitable for runners, but it does make thoughtful nutritional planning more important. Protein Powders And Recovery Drinks Protein powder is technically a supplement, but it is better thought of as a convenient way of adding protein to your diet rather than a performance-enhancing product. Runners can obtain all the protein they need from normal foods, but a shake can be useful when you're short of time, travelling or struggling to consume enough protein around a busy training schedule. Whey, casein, soy and other plant-based protein powders can all provide convenient options depending on your dietary preferences. The same principle applies to recovery drinks. They can be useful after demanding sessions when consuming normal food is inconvenient, particularly when they provide both carbohydrate and protein, but they are not inherently superior to an appropriately balanced meal or snack. Creatine For Runners Creatine is usually associated with strength training, bodybuilding and sprinting, but it has increasingly attracted attention among endurance athletes as well. It has a strong evidence base for improving performance during repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise and can support strength and training adaptations. This may be useful to runners incorporating gym work, sprint training or repeated high-intensity efforts into their programme. Creatine is less likely to directly improve steady-state endurance running, and the additional water stored within muscle can result in a small increase in body mass. Whether that trade-off is worthwhile depends on the runner and their training goals. Read more about creatine for runners here. Caffeine And Running Performance Caffeine is one of the best researched performance supplements available to endurance athletes. Used appropriately, it can reduce the perception of effort and improve endurance performance, which is why caffeine appears in many sports drinks, gels and pre-race products. That does not mean every runner needs caffeine before a race. Individual responses vary considerably, and too much can cause unwanted effects including anxiety, sleep disruption and gastrointestinal problems. If you plan to use caffeine for running, experiment during training rather than trying a large dose for the first time on race morning. Read more about caffeine for runners here. Focus on a healthy balanced diet before reaching for supplements Beetroot And Dietary Nitrate Beetroot juice and concentrated beetroot shots are popular among endurance athletes because beetroot is naturally rich in nitrate. The body can convert dietary nitrate into nitric oxide, which influences blood flow and several processes involved in exercise performance. Research suggests that dietary nitrate can improve exercise efficiency and may benefit endurance performance in some circumstances, although individual responses vary and the effect is not equally strong in every runner. As with caffeine, beetroot is something to test during training before relying on it for an important race. Read more about beetroot for runners here. What About Omega-3 Supplements? Omega-3 fatty acids are important for general health and are found particularly in oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel. Runners who regularly eat oily fish may already obtain sufficient long-chain omega-3 fatty acids through their diet. Omega-3 supplements are sometimes promoted specifically for exercise recovery and reducing inflammation. Although there is research into these potential benefits, the evidence is not strong enough to regard omega-3 as an essential performance supplement for runners. If your diet contains little or no oily fish, an omega-3 supplement may be worth discussing with a healthcare professional or dietitian, particularly if you're following a plant-based diet and considering an algae-derived alternative. What About Glutamine And L-Carnitine? Glutamine and L-carnitine have both been marketed to endurance athletes, but neither belongs near the top of the list for the average runner looking for evidence-based ways to improve performance. Glutamine performs important functions within the body, while carnitine is involved in fatty acid metabolism, but that does not automatically mean taking additional amounts improves endurance. Evidence for meaningful performance improvements from routine supplementation is considerably less convincing than for established options such as caffeine and dietary nitrate. Most recreational runners would be better served by spending their money on good food and getting their training, fuelling, sleep and recovery right. Can You Take Too Many Supplements? Yes. Supplements are not automatically harmless simply because they are available without a prescription. Some vitamins and minerals can be harmful when consumed in excessive amounts, while supplements can also interact with medicines or result in runners consuming several products containing the same ingredient without realising it. Iron is a particularly good example of a nutrient that should not be supplemented indiscriminately. Competitive runners also need to consider the possibility of supplement contamination. Athletes subject to anti-doping rules are responsible for substances found in their bodies, so products that have been independently batch tested for prohibited substances provide an additional level of risk reduction. Multi-ingredient products such as some pre-workout formulas can be particularly difficult to assess because they may contain numerous ingredients at different doses. Which Supplements Actually Work For Runners? There is no single list of supplements that every runner should take because nutritional and performance needs vary enormously. Vitamin D may be appropriate because of general UK public health guidance, while iron or vitamin B12 supplementation can be important when there is an identified need. Protein powders and sports nutrition products can make meeting nutritional requirements more convenient rather than providing a special physiological advantage. When the objective is specifically improving exercise performance, the list becomes much shorter. Caffeine and dietary nitrate have good evidence for use in endurance sport, while creatine has well-established benefits that may be particularly relevant to strength work and high-intensity training. Other supplements can have specific applications, but that does not make them necessary for the average recreational runner. The question should therefore be less about which supplements are popular and more about whether a particular product solves a genuine nutritional or performance problem. Should Runners Take Supplements? Most runners do not need a shelf full of tablets, powders and capsules to run well. A balanced diet that provides enough energy, carbohydrate, protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals remains the foundation of both health and performance. Targeted supplementation can nevertheless be useful. Vitamin D is particularly relevant in the UK, iron and B12 can require attention in runners at risk of deficiency, and products such as caffeine, dietary nitrate and creatine have credible evidence for specific performance applications. Supplements work best when there is a clear reason for taking them, an appropriate dose and realistic expectations about what they can achieve. Get your training, nutrition, hydration, sleep and recovery right first. Once those foundations are in place, the right supplement used for the right reason may provide an additional benefit, but it will never replace the fundamentals that make you a healthier and better runner. Listen to our podcast on supplements here.

Magnesium doesn't receive as much attention from runners as carbohydrates, protein or electrolytes such as sodium, but it is an essential mineral with an important role in normal muscle function, energy production and bone health. That makes magnesium important for runners, although its benefits are sometimes exaggerated. Taking extra magnesium won't automatically improve your running performance or stop you getting muscle cramps. For most runners, the priority should simply be making sure you're getting enough through a varied diet. So how much magnesium do runners actually need, which foods provide it and is there ever a reason to take a magnesium supplement? What Is Magnesium? Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in hundreds of processes within the body. It contributes to normal muscle and nerve function, helps the body release energy from food and plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones. The body cannot produce magnesium, so it needs to come from your diet. Fortunately, magnesium occurs naturally in a wide range of foods, including nuts, seeds, whole grains, pulses and green leafy vegetables. For runners, its involvement in muscle function and energy metabolism makes magnesium particularly relevant, but that doesn't mean consuming more than you need will necessarily make you run faster or recover more quickly. Why Is Magnesium Important For Runners? Every time you run, your muscles repeatedly contract and relax while your body produces large amounts of energy to keep you moving. Magnesium is involved in processes that support both normal muscle function and energy metabolism. It also contributes to bone health, which is particularly relevant in a sport involving repeated impact. Runners therefore need an adequate magnesium intake in the same way that they need sufficient calcium, iron and other essential nutrients. Small amounts of magnesium can also be lost through sweat during exercise. However, this doesn't mean every runner needs additional magnesium or that runners should automatically take supplements. A varied diet will provide enough for most people. Magnesium And Energy Production One of magnesium's most important roles is its involvement in energy metabolism. The body uses energy stored in adenosine triphosphate, better known as ATP, and magnesium is required for many of the reactions involved in producing and using that energy. This is clearly relevant to running, where energy demand increases substantially during exercise. However, there's an important distinction between needing magnesium for normal energy metabolism and taking additional magnesium to increase your energy. If you're already consuming enough magnesium, taking more isn't likely to provide an additional energy boost. The goal is therefore to avoid inadequate intake rather than treating magnesium as a performance-enhancing supplement. Can Magnesium Prevent Muscle Cramps When Running? Magnesium is probably best known among runners as a supposed cure for muscle cramps. You'll find numerous supplements marketed on this basis, but the scientific evidence is much less convincing than the advertising can suggest. Exercise-associated muscle cramps are complex and are increasingly thought to involve neuromuscular fatigue rather than being caused simply by losing a particular mineral through sweat. Hydration and electrolyte balance can still be relevant, particularly in demanding conditions, but cramps can't usually be blamed on magnesium deficiency alone. There is currently insufficient evidence to say that taking magnesium supplements prevents exercise-associated muscle cramps. If you are deficient in magnesium, correcting that deficiency is important for normal muscle function, but taking additional magnesium when your intake is already adequate shouldn't be considered a reliable way of preventing cramps. Training appropriately for the demands of your event, pacing sensibly and developing a hydration and fuelling strategy are likely to be more useful considerations for runners who experience cramps during races. Does Magnesium Help Running Recovery? Magnesium contributes to normal physiological processes that are involved in muscle function and energy metabolism, so consuming enough is part of supporting normal recovery from training. However, claims that magnesium supplements significantly accelerate recovery, eliminate muscle soreness or allow runners to recover more quickly should be treated cautiously. Research doesn't currently support recommending magnesium supplementation as a general recovery strategy for runners who already consume enough. Good recovery still depends primarily on appropriate training, sufficient food and carbohydrate, adequate protein, hydration and good-quality sleep. Magnesium is part of that overall nutritional picture rather than a shortcut to faster recovery. How Much Magnesium Do Runners Need? In the UK, the recommended daily amount of magnesium for adults aged 19 to 64 is 300mg for men and 270mg for women. You will sometimes see higher magnesium recommendations specifically for athletes because exercise can increase losses through sweat and urine. However, there isn't a separate official UK magnesium recommendation for runners or endurance athletes. Rather than automatically increasing your intake or taking a supplement because you run regularly, the more useful approach is to eat a varied diet containing magnesium-rich foods. Runners with particularly restrictive diets or concerns about their nutritional intake may benefit from discussing this with a registered dietitian, sports nutritionist or healthcare professional. What Are The Signs Of Magnesium Deficiency? True symptomatic magnesium deficiency caused simply by inadequate dietary intake is uncommon in otherwise healthy people because the kidneys help the body conserve magnesium when intake is low. When deficiency does occur, early symptoms can include loss of appetite, fatigue, weakness, nausea and vomiting. More severe deficiency can cause numbness, tingling, muscle contractions or cramps and abnormal heart rhythms. Muscle cramps or tiredness on their own aren't evidence that you have a magnesium deficiency. Both are extremely common among runners and can have numerous causes, including training load, insufficient recovery, inadequate fuelling and other nutritional issues. Certain medical conditions and medications can increase the risk of magnesium deficiency, so anyone concerned about persistent symptoms should speak to a healthcare professional rather than simply starting a high-dose supplement. Read more about running nutrition mistakes here. The Best Magnesium Rich Foods For Runners Most runners can obtain plenty of magnesium through normal food. Good sources include spinach and other green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils and whole grains. Pumpkin seeds, almonds and cashews are particularly useful sources and can easily be added to porridge, yoghurt or salads. Wholemeal bread and other wholegrain foods can also make a useful contribution to daily intake. Dark chocolate contains magnesium too, although obviously it doesn't need to become your primary magnesium strategy. Building meals around a varied selection of whole foods is a much more effective way of obtaining magnesium alongside the many other nutrients runners need. Should Runners Take Magnesium Supplements? Most runners don't need a magnesium supplement if they're eating a varied and balanced diet. Supplements may be appropriate in some circumstances, but taking one simply because you're a runner isn't necessary. If your diet is particularly restrictive, you struggle to consume magnesium-rich foods or a healthcare professional has identified a reason why your magnesium status may be low, supplementation may be worth discussing with them. It's also important to remember that more isn't better. High supplemental doses of magnesium can cause diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal problems, which certainly isn't something you want immediately before a long run or race. Different forms of magnesium are widely available, but runners shouldn't get too distracted by marketing claims around particular formulations unless there is a specific reason for supplementation. Your overall intake and whether you actually need additional magnesium are more important questions. Read more about supplements here. Magnesium And Bone Health Magnesium isn't only important for muscles. A significant proportion of the body's magnesium is stored in bone, and the mineral contributes to maintaining normal bone health. This matters to runners because bones are repeatedly exposed to impact during training. Magnesium should therefore be considered alongside other important factors such as calcium, vitamin D, adequate energy intake and resistance exercise when thinking about long-term bone health. Again, the important point is adequate nutrition rather than simply taking more magnesium. Bone health depends on numerous nutrients and lifestyle factors, and no single mineral can compensate for an otherwise inadequate diet. Is Magnesium Important For Runners? Magnesium is essential for normal muscle function, energy metabolism and bone health, making it an important part of a runner's diet. What the evidence doesn't show is that every runner needs additional magnesium or that taking supplements will automatically improve performance, speed up recovery or prevent muscle cramps. For most runners, the best approach is straightforward. Eat a varied diet containing plenty of whole grains, nuts, seeds, pulses and green vegetables and you'll probably obtain the magnesium your body needs alongside many other important nutrients. If you have a restrictive diet, persistent symptoms or concerns about deficiency, seek professional advice rather than assuming a magnesium supplement is the answer. Magnesium matters to runners, but getting enough is far more important than getting extra.

The best vegetables for runners provide a combination of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and plant compounds that can support training, recovery and overall health. Every runner knows vegetables are good for them, but many of us still don't eat enough. Potatoes often make it onto the plate because they're familiar and filling, yet the colourful vegetables that provide some of the biggest nutritional benefits are often overlooked. If you're training for a race, recovering from tough sessions or simply trying to stay healthy, increasing the variety of vegetables in your diet is one of the easiest ways to improve your overall nutrition. Vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre, while some are also useful sources of carbohydrates, potassium, iron and naturally occurring nitrates. Together, these nutrients support everything from normal energy production and muscle function to immune function and bone health. Some of the best vegetables for runners include beetroot, spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, Brussels sprouts and radishes. Between them, they provide a wide range of nutrients that can contribute to a healthy running diet, and adding more of them to your meals doesn't have to be complicated. Roast them, steam them, stir fry them or add them to soups and salads. Why The Best Vegetables For Runners Matter Running places extra demands on your body. Training can create muscle damage that needs repairing, while longer runs use up energy stores and prolonged or particularly demanding exercise can temporarily affect aspects of immune function. A varied diet that includes plenty of vegetables helps provide many of the nutrients your body needs alongside sufficient carbohydrate, protein and overall energy intake. Different vegetables offer different benefits, which is why variety is so important. Some provide antioxidants and other plant compounds, while others provide carbohydrates for energy or minerals that support normal muscle function. Rather than relying on one or two favourites, aim to eat a wide range of colours throughout the week. Beetroot Beetroot has become one of the best known vegetables in endurance sport, and for good reason. It's naturally rich in dietary nitrates, which the body can convert into nitric oxide. This can influence blood flow and the efficiency with which muscles use oxygen during exercise. Research suggests that dietary nitrate and beetroot juice can improve some measures of exercise performance, although the size of the benefit varies depending on the type of exercise and the individual athlete. If you enjoy the taste, fresh beetroot is an excellent addition to salads or roasted vegetables. If not, concentrated beetroot juice shots are widely available and are commonly used before harder training sessions and races. Read more about the benefits of beetroot for runners here. Spinach Spinach deserves its reputation as a nutritional powerhouse. It's a source of iron, which is particularly worth considering for runners who follow vegetarian or vegan diets, as well as folate, vitamin K and magnesium. The iron in spinach is non-haem iron and isn't absorbed as efficiently as iron from animal sources, so spinach shouldn't be relied upon as a runner's only source of iron. These nutrients contribute to functions including healthy red blood cell production, bone health and normal muscle function. Spinach is also incredibly versatile and can be added to omelettes, curries, pasta dishes, soups and smoothies without dramatically changing the flavour, making it one of the easiest vegetables to include regularly. Read more about the importance of iron for runners here. Broccoli Broccoli is one of the most nutrient dense vegetables you can eat. It's particularly rich in vitamin C, which supports normal immune function and contributes to normal collagen formation. It also provides vitamin K, folate and some calcium, nutrients that can contribute to maintaining normal health and bones as part of a balanced diet. To retain as many nutrients as possible, avoid overcooking broccoli. Light steaming or roasting helps preserve both its flavour and nutritional value while making it an easy addition to almost any meal. Read more about the importance of calcium for runners here. Carrots Carrots are much more than a healthy snack. They provide beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, an important nutrient for maintaining healthy vision and supporting normal immune function. They also provide some carbohydrate, although they shouldn't be considered a major carbohydrate source for fuelling your running. Their natural sweetness means they're just as good roasted alongside a main meal as they are eaten raw with hummus or added to salads. They're also easy to carry as part of a post run snack if you're on the move. Tomatoes Tomatoes provide vitamin C, potassium and the antioxidant lycopene, which gives them their distinctive red colour. Lycopene has been widely studied for its potential role in cardiovascular health, making tomatoes a useful addition to a varied diet. Fresh tomatoes, tinned tomatoes and tomato-based sauces can all contribute useful nutrients, so they're easy to include in everything from pasta dishes and casseroles to sandwiches and salads. Cooking tomatoes can also increase the bioavailability of lycopene, particularly when they're eaten with some dietary fat. Potatoes While vegetables are often discussed because of their vitamins and minerals, potatoes deserve recognition as a particularly useful carbohydrate source for runners. Carbohydrate helps replenish muscle glycogen after training, while potatoes also provide potassium and vitamin C. Whether baked, boiled or mashed, potatoes are an excellent alternative to rice or pasta, particularly during heavy training blocks when getting enough carbohydrate becomes increasingly important. Sweet potatoes provide carbohydrate too, along with particularly high levels of beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A. Brussels Sprouts Brussels sprouts divide opinion, but nutritionally they're difficult to ignore. They provide vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and fibre while also containing a range of beneficial plant compounds that can contribute to a healthy, varied diet. Roasting Brussels sprouts with a little olive oil transforms both their texture and flavour, making them much more appealing than the boiled version many of us remember from childhood. They can work particularly well alongside potatoes and a source of protein as part of a balanced post training meal. Radishes Often overlooked, radishes are low in calories but provide vitamin C, potassium and a range of plant compounds. They also contain naturally occurring nitrates, although the amount can vary considerably, making them another useful addition to a varied diet rather than something runners need to eat specifically for performance. Their crisp texture makes them ideal for salads, while sliced radishes add freshness and colour to sandwiches and grain bowls. Combining them with other vegetables is another simple way to increase the variety on your plate. When Should Runners Eat Vegetables? Vegetables can be included throughout the day, and there's no particular time when runners need to eat them. Adding vegetables to your regular meals is the simplest approach, whether that's spinach with breakfast, salad with lunch or several different vegetables with your evening meal. After a run, vegetables can form part of a balanced recovery meal alongside carbohydrate and protein. Potatoes can be particularly useful because they contribute a meaningful amount of carbohydrate, while other vegetables add vitamins, minerals and variety. The main time to think more carefully about your vegetable intake is immediately before running. Many vegetables are high in fibre, and a large high-fibre meal close to a hard training session or race may cause gastrointestinal discomfort in some runners. If you know you're sensitive to fibre before running, choose familiar foods and save larger portions of high-fibre vegetables for later in the day. Read more about protein for runners here. Don't Forget Variety No single vegetable contains everything your body needs. One of the nutritional mistakes runners can make is eating the same meals week after week. By regularly changing the vegetables on your plate, you'll naturally increase the range of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds your body receives. Frozen vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh ones and are often more convenient, making them an excellent option when time is short. They also reduce food waste and make it much easier to prepare healthy meals after training, so there's no need to assume fresh is always the better choice. Final Thoughts On The Best Vegetables For Runners The best vegetables for runners aren't a collection of superfoods that will suddenly make you run faster. Their real value comes from providing a broad range of nutrients as part of a balanced diet that supports your training, recovery and long term health. From the dietary nitrates found in beetroot to the iron in spinach and the carbohydrates supplied by potatoes, different vegetables bring different nutritional benefits. Instead of concentrating on one particular vegetable, fill your plate with different colours throughout the week, experiment with new recipes and make vegetables a regular part of your meals. Combined with enough carbohydrate, protein and overall energy to support your training, they can form an important part of a healthy running diet. Listen to our nutrition expert discuss supplements and beetroot on this podcast.

Calcium might not receive as much attention from runners as carbohydrates, protein or iron, but it is an important part of a healthy diet and particularly important for maintaining healthy bones. It also contributes to normal muscle and nerve function, so its role extends well beyond simply keeping your skeleton strong. For runners, bone health matters because every run places repeated forces through the body. Running itself can help support healthy bones, but those bones also need the right nutritional support. Calcium is an important part of that, alongside vitamin D, sufficient energy intake and an overall balanced diet. Why Is Calcium Important For Runners? Most of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones and teeth. Bone is living tissue that is continually changing throughout your life, and calcium is one of the minerals needed to maintain normal bone structure. Calcium also helps muscles function normally and is involved in nerve signalling. These are essential processes for everyone rather than benefits that are unique to runners, but they explain why maintaining an adequate calcium intake is important when you are regularly asking your body to train and recover. Eating more calcium will not make you faster or immediately make your bones stronger. The aim is to consistently consume enough to meet your body's requirements as part of a diet that supports your overall health and training. Running And Bone Health Running is a weight bearing activity and the forces generated during running can provide a useful stimulus for bone. However, being a runner does not make you immune to bone problems, and bone stress injuries are an important consideration for anyone regularly increasing the demands placed on their body. A bone stress injury develops when repeated loading causes microscopic bone damage faster than the body can repair it. These injuries exist on a continuum and can progress from an early bone stress reaction to a stress fracture if the affected bone continues to be overloaded. Nutrition is only one part of the picture. Training load, recovery, previous injuries and other individual factors can all contribute to bone stress injury risk. Adequate calcium is important for bone health, but simply consuming more calcium cannot compensate for inappropriate training or inadequate overall nutrition. How Much Calcium Do Runners Need? For most healthy UK adults, the recommended calcium intake is 700 mg per day. Running does not automatically mean that you need a higher calcium intake, and most runners should be able to obtain sufficient calcium from a varied diet. Requirements vary at different stages of life. Children and teenagers have different calcium requirements as their skeleton develops, while some older adults and people with particular medical conditions may also be advised to consume more. This is one reason it is better to follow guidance appropriate to you rather than assuming that every runner should aim for the same amount. For most adult recreational runners, the useful question is therefore not how much extra calcium you need because you run. It is whether your normal diet is consistently providing enough calcium in the first place. The Best Sources Of Calcium For Runners Milk, yoghurt and cheese are useful sources of calcium and can make it relatively straightforward to meet your daily requirements. As an example, the British Dietetic Association lists around 240 mg of calcium in 200 ml of cows' milk and around 240 mg in a 150 g serving of plain yoghurt. There are plenty of other sources. Calcium fortified plant drinks and yoghurt alternatives can provide amounts comparable with dairy products, while tofu can be a particularly useful source when it has been set using calcium. Sardines and pilchards where you eat the bones are another good option, and bread also contributes calcium to the UK diet. Some green vegetables can contribute too. Kale, broccoli and other low oxalate green vegetables can provide calcium that the body can absorb relatively well. Spinach is different because, although it contains calcium, its high oxalate content reduces calcium absorption, so it should not be relied upon as a major calcium source. Read more about the best vegetables for runnersa here. Calcium For Vegan And Dairy Free Runners You do not have to consume dairy products to get enough calcium, but runners following a vegan or dairy free diet may benefit from paying closer attention to where their calcium is coming from. Fortified plant drinks and yoghurt alternatives can be particularly useful because calcium is deliberately added to many of these products. It is important to check the label because not every plant based alternative is fortified. The British Dietetic Association notes that some products, including many organic versions, may not contain added calcium. Calcium set tofu, fortified cereals and bread can provide further options alongside foods such as kale and other green vegetables. Nuts, seeds and beans also contain calcium, but some plant foods contain substances such as oxalates or phytates that can reduce the amount absorbed. They can still contribute to a balanced diet, but it makes sense not to depend entirely on them for your calcium intake. Broccoli provides calcium that the body can absorb relatively well Calcium And Vitamin D Calcium and vitamin D are closely connected because vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. This means that looking after your bones involves thinking about both rather than concentrating entirely on calcium. UK guidance states that adults need 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day. During spring and summer, most people should be able to make sufficient vitamin D through sunlight, but NHS guidance recommends that everyone should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms during autumn and winter. Some people at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency may be advised to take a supplement throughout the year. Calcium, Bone Health And RED S One of the most important nutritional issues affecting bone health in sport is not an individual vitamin or mineral but low energy availability. This occurs when the energy available from food is insufficient to adequately support both exercise and the body's normal physiological functions. Persistent low energy availability can contribute to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, usually known as RED S. Among its potential consequences are impaired bone health and changes to other physiological functions. RED S can affect both female and male athletes, so it should not be viewed solely as an issue affecting women. This is particularly relevant when discussing calcium because a runner could be consuming calcium rich foods while still failing to eat enough overall to support their training. Calcium matters, but it cannot correct the wider consequences of consistently inadequate energy intake. Female runners should also pay attention to persistent changes to or loss of their menstrual cycle, rather than assuming this is simply a normal consequence of training hard. Male runners can also experience the effects of low energy availability. Anyone concerned about possible RED S should seek appropriate professional advice rather than trying to solve the problem by adding individual supplements. Calcium And Stress Fractures Stress fractures are understandably a concern for runners because they can require a considerable period away from normal training. Maintaining an adequate calcium intake supports normal bone health, but it would be misleading to suggest that calcium alone prevents stress fractures. Current sports medicine thinking treats bone stress injuries as multifactorial. Training and loading patterns, nutrition and individual risk factors all need to be considered rather than looking for one single cause. If you develop persistent localised bone pain, particularly pain that worsens with running, it is sensible to stop treating it as ordinary post run soreness and have it assessed. Runners who experience repeated bone stress injuries should also seek professional advice so that possible contributing factors can be investigated properly. Do Runners Need Calcium Supplements? Most runners do not need to take a calcium supplement simply because they run. NHS guidance says that most healthy adults should be able to obtain the calcium they need from a varied diet containing good sources of calcium. There are situations in which a doctor or dietitian may recommend additional calcium, including for some people with osteoporosis or medical conditions affecting calcium requirements or absorption. In those circumstances, supplementation should be based on individual needs rather than a general assumption that more calcium is better. If you think your diet contains very little calcium, looking at the foods you regularly eat is a sensible first step. Adding appropriate calcium rich foods may be all that is required, while a registered dietitian or other healthcare professional can provide individual advice where there are particular concerns. Read more about supplements here. Can You Have Too Much Calcium? Consuming more calcium than you need does not automatically produce stronger bones. This is particularly relevant to supplements, where taking large amounts without a clear reason can be unnecessary and potentially cause unwanted effects. The NHS advises that taking more than 1,500 mg of calcium a day in supplements could lead to stomach pain and diarrhoea. This is another reason not to start taking high dose calcium supplements simply because you are training for a marathon or increasing your weekly mileage. For most runners, concentrating on obtaining sufficient calcium from food is a much more sensible approach. If supplementation has been recommended because of a medical condition or identified deficiency, follow the advice provided by your healthcare professional. Calcium Is Only Part Of The Picture It is easy to focus on individual nutrients when thinking about sports nutrition, but strong bones depend on more than calcium. Vitamin D, adequate energy intake and an overall balanced diet all matter, while your training programme also needs to give your body sufficient opportunity to adapt and recover. This is particularly important for runners who are increasing their mileage, training for longer distances or deliberately trying to lose weight while training. Cutting food intake too aggressively while increasing exercise can reduce energy availability, potentially creating a bigger problem for bone health than simply being a little short of one individual nutrient. Calcium should therefore be viewed as one part of your overall nutrition rather than something that needs to be consumed in unusually large quantities. Getting enough consistently is what matters. Read more about nutrition for runners here. Final Thoughts On Calcium For Runners Calcium is important for runners because it helps maintain healthy bones and contributes to normal muscle and nerve function. For most healthy UK adults, the recommended intake is 700 mg per day, and being a runner does not automatically increase that requirement. Dairy products, calcium fortified plant alternatives, calcium set tofu, bread, fish with edible bones and some green vegetables can all help you meet your needs. Calcium also works alongside vitamin D, while sufficient overall energy intake is particularly important for runners trying to protect their bone health. If you regularly suffer from bone stress injuries, have concerns about your bone health or think your diet may not provide enough calcium, professional advice is more useful than simply adding a high dose supplement. For most runners, however, a varied diet containing regular sources of calcium should provide what the body needs.

For people working in charity fundraising, supporting runners through their training and fundraising is a vital part of the job. You encourage them, provide fundraising ideas, check how their training is going and help them towards their target, but experiencing the challenge yourself can give you a very different perspective on what those runners are actually going through. Mikey Jones works as Regional Fundraiser for North Wales at Shelter Cymru and spends part of his working life supporting people who take on running events for the charity. Until recently, however, he had never taken part in a running event himself. That changed when he signed up for a 10K in Wrexham with only around three and a half weeks to prepare. Mikey went from virtually no running experience to completing his first 10K in around 53 minutes and raising approximately £640 for Shelter Cymru. When he joined Tim Rogers on the Sapphire Running Zone podcast, it was not simply the running that provided some of the most interesting lessons. Becoming a charity runner himself gave him a completely different perspective on fundraising, supporter motivation and the importance of good charity stewardship. He shared a wealth of charity running fundraising tips for whatever race you're doing next and whatever distance. HAVE A LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE Why A Fundraiser Decided To Become A Runner Mikey had two main reasons for taking on his first 10K. He wanted something that would help him stay active through the winter, when many of his usual activities were less accessible, but he also wanted to understand what charity runners actually experience when they commit to an event and start asking people to support them. As a fundraiser, it is easy to ask a runner how their fundraising is progressing or whether they need any help. Mikey wanted to experience the training, fundraising and race day pressures for himself so that he could better understand the people he was supporting. With almost no previous running experience beyond school sport, that meant starting from the beginning, buying some running shoes and working out how he was going to get himself around 10K. Initially, he did not particularly enjoy the running. As his training progressed, however, he began to appreciate the opportunity to get outside, clear his head and enjoy some time away from a busy family and working life. He noticed the mental benefits, increased energy and the post-run feeling that runners often talk about, but the fundraising element interested him from the very beginning. Preparing For A First 10K In Three Weeks Mikey's preparation was considerably shorter than we would normally recommend for someone starting from scratch. He decided to enter only around three and a half weeks before race day and began running approximately every other day, initially covering around one or two miles before progressing towards three or four miles and eventually regular 5K runs. His longest training run was approximately 7K. For a completely new runner, a more typical beginner 10K training programme would be around 10 to 12 weeks, allowing the distance to increase gradually while providing enough recovery between sessions. You do not necessarily need to cover the complete 10K distance before race day, so reaching around 7K or 8K during training can be sufficient when the rest of the preparation has been consistent. Mikey clearly had a good underlying level of fitness and managed the much shorter preparation remarkably well, completing his first 10K in approximately 53 minutes. He also experienced one of the classic first race mistakes by getting caught up in the excitement and starting faster than planned. Running alongside hundreds of other people feels very different from training alone, and he felt afterwards that doing something such as a parkrun beforehand might have helped him become accustomed to running in a group and controlling his early pace. The Extra Pressure Of Running For Charity Race morning brought another experience that Mikey had previously only seen from the fundraiser's side. By that point he had raised around £640 and suddenly felt a responsibility towards everyone who had sponsored him, shared his posts or followed his progress, adding another layer of nerves to the normal uncertainty of taking part in a first running event. Rationally, he knew that supporters would understand if illness or injury prevented somebody from completing an event because, as a fundraiser, he had seen exactly that happen. Emotionally, however, it felt very different when he was the person standing on the start line. That sense of responsibility created additional pressure, but it also gave him another reason to keep going when the race became difficult. Crossing his first finish line, with his wife and son there to see it, brought the kind of buzz that attracts so many people back to organised running events. The occasion, crowds and atmosphere transformed the experience from simply running 10K into something much bigger, and Mikey could suddenly understand why people become hooked on entering races. Charity Running Fundraising Tips: Turn Your Training Into A Story One of Mikey's most successful fundraising tactics was also one of the simplest. Rather than continually posting messages asking people to sponsor him, he used his training to create an ongoing story, sharing short videos showing the reality of becoming a runner in the space of a few weeks. Sometimes the weather was bad, sometimes something hurt and on other days he talked about something he had discovered while running or simply showed where he was. The content was deliberately honest rather than polished, allowing people to follow a developing story rather than simply being presented with another sponsorship request. The fundraising link could still be included without being the focus of every post. Mikey found that straightforward posts directly asking for money often generated less engagement than videos showing what he was actually doing, suggesting that giving people an interesting reason to follow the journey can make the eventual fundraising ask considerably more effective. For charity runners, this is an important distinction. Fundraising through social media does not have to mean repeatedly posting your fundraising page and asking for donations. Your training, setbacks, progress, race preparation and reasons for supporting the charity all provide content that can bring supporters into the journey. LinkedIn Became A Surprisingly Effective Fundraising Tool Facebook and Instagram are obvious platforms for personal fundraising, but one of Mikey's biggest surprises was LinkedIn. He used a similar approach there, posting short updates about his training rather than continually asking for donations, and discovered that his professional network could become another valuable fundraising audience. Some donations came from people he did not personally know but who were connected to him professionally through LinkedIn. For runners who regularly use the platform, their network may include former colleagues, clients, suppliers, local businesses and people working within their sector who would never see something posted solely to a personal Facebook or Instagram account. It is a useful reminder that your fundraising audience can be much bigger than the people you immediately think of as friends and family. Different platforms reach different parts of your network, and telling the same underlying story in an appropriate way across several of them can introduce your fundraising to people you might never have considered approaching directly. Read more about using Linkedin for your fundraising here. Use Local Facebook Groups Another important part of Mikey's fundraising came through local Facebook groups. Instead of restricting his posts to his own followers, he shared his story with groups serving Wrexham and the surrounding communities, some of which had audiences running into tens of thousands of people. A local person training for a local running event while supporting a charity working in the community gives administrators and group members something relevant to engage with. Mikey found that people he did not know interacted with his content and some subsequently donated, showing the potential of community groups when the story genuinely has a local connection. This approach is likely to work particularly well for runners taking part in smaller regional events. Rather than simply dropping a fundraising link into a group, explain what you are doing, why you are doing it and how the event connects with the local area. That gives people a reason to become interested before they are asked to donate. Read more about using Facebook for your fundraising here. Think About Corporate Sponsorship Mikey also generated £100 through a simple piece of corporate sponsorship. He approached a contact at a local company and offered to feature its branding during his training content and on his charity running top on race day in return for a £100 donation. The company agreed, providing an immediate boost to his total before he had approached most of his individual supporters. There was another benefit because once the business became involved, it had a reason to share Mikey's fundraising with its own audience, extending the reach of the campaign beyond the value of the original donation. For runners with business contacts, particularly those taking part in local events, this can be an avenue worth exploring. A local business may be willing to make a donation in return for appropriate recognition, particularly where the runner, event and charity all have a connection with the area. For a bigger challenge and a larger fundraising target, approaching several businesses or creating different sponsorship levels could develop this idea much further. Read more about corporate sponsorship here. Smaller Running Events Can Create Bigger Fundraising Opportunities Mikey also discovered an advantage to fundraising through a smaller running event when he tagged the event organisers in his social media content and some of it was subsequently shared with the event's audience. This provided additional exposure for his fundraising without requiring him to create anything beyond the content he was already producing. That is much harder to achieve at the very biggest running events. Tens of thousands of people may be fundraising around a major marathon, making it impossible for organisers to highlight every individual story, whereas a smaller local race may have far fewer charity runners competing for attention. The organisers need interesting content too, so sharing your training, fundraising story and connection with their event gives them something they may want to amplify. For the runner, that can mean reaching a completely new audience, while for the event it provides a positive story about somebody preparing to take part. Where Did The £640 Come From? One of the most useful parts of Mikey's experience was seeing how widely spread his fundraising eventually became. The £100 corporate donation gave him an immediate start, while his closest friends and family contributed roughly another £150. Facebook and local community groups generated approximately £200, with work colleagues adding around another £50. A significant proportion of the remaining money came through LinkedIn and wider connections, including people Mikey did not personally know. Rather than one audience producing the entire £640, several relatively small groups combined to create a much stronger overall result. This demonstrates why charity runners should avoid relying on a single audience. Friends and family will often provide the foundation of a fundraising campaign, but reaching a more ambitious target usually means moving beyond that first circle. Your workplace, professional network, local community, clubs, hobbies, businesses and online communities can all become separate fundraising audiences. Mikey and the team at the end of the Wrexham 10k Don't Forget The Awareness You Are Creating Mikey raised approximately £640, but he believes the value of the campaign went beyond the amount shown on his fundraising page. Every training video, social post, community group update and shared piece of content introduced more people to Shelter Cymru and its work, including people who may previously have known very little about the charity. That impact is difficult to measure because somebody may see your fundraising today, learn about the charity for the first time and support it months or even years later. They might volunteer, donate, fundraise themselves or simply understand more about the issue the charity exists to address, but that future action will rarely be directly attributed to the original runner. For causes that can sometimes find it harder to attract attention, that awareness can be particularly valuable. Fundraising income matters, but a charity runner can also become a temporary ambassador for the organisation they are supporting, introducing its work to audiences that the charity itself may struggle to reach. Use The Communities You Already Have Mikey is also an artist with an established online following, although he deliberately chose not to make significant use of that audience for this relatively short fundraising campaign. If he were taking on a bigger challenge with a much higher target, it is one of the communities he would consider involving more directly. An existing interest or community can provide another fundraising route. An artist might offer prints or organise a giveaway, while someone involved with a sports club could create an activity around that community. A runner working in a large office might organise a sweepstake, cake sale or workplace challenge, adapting the fundraising to the audience they already have around them. Instead of simply asking who you can approach for money, think about the communities you are already part of and what you could do that would interest them. That shift can produce much more creative fundraising and help you reach people without making every interaction feel like another request for sponsorship. Bigger Targets Need A Different Approach Raising around £640 for a 10K in three weeks was a fantastic result, but Mikey recognised that raising several thousand pounds for something such as the London Marathon would require a different strategy. He would make greater use of his art following, approach more businesses, consider activities such as a quiz night and create more opportunities for people to become involved. A £500 target and a £2,000 target should not necessarily have the same fundraising plan. As the target increases, you will normally need to expand the number of audiences you reach and introduce activities capable of generating larger amounts rather than relying entirely on individual sponsorship donations. You also need to think carefully about when to use your best fundraising opportunities. Mikey talked about knowing when to use the assets you have available. If you have a strong raffle prize, for example, it may generate much more at an event where you have a large captive audience than somewhere surrounded by several other raffles competing for the same people. What Mikey Learned About Charity Stewardship Perhaps the biggest lesson from the whole experience came when Mikey looked at what it meant for his professional role. Having now experienced charity running himself, he believes even more strongly in personalised fundraising support rather than simply sending every runner the same information and occasionally asking how their fundraising is progressing. A runner working in a solicitor's office has different opportunities from somebody working in a factory, while someone with thousands of followers connected to a hobby has a different potential audience from somebody with a large corporate network. Understanding those differences allows a fundraiser to suggest ideas that actually fit the individual. Good stewardship can therefore mean asking better questions. Where does the runner work, what hobbies do they have, which communities are they part of and do they know any local businesses? What type of fundraising would suit their personality and circumstances? The answers can help a charity provide ideas that are genuinely relevant rather than relying entirely on generic fundraising advice. Mikey also found that discovering relatively straightforward fundraising ideas that produced a good return motivated him to do more. That is another important lesson for charities supporting event participants because good stewardship is not simply about helping somebody who is struggling. The right suggestion at the right moment can give an already successful fundraiser the confidence and motivation to push their target higher. What Comes Next? Completing his first 10K appears to have given Mikey the running bug, with a half marathon likely to be the next step and the possibility of a marathon further into the future. With a second child arriving, fitting marathon training into family life may have to wait a little longer, but his first experience has already changed the way he thinks about running fundraising. In just a few weeks he went from having virtually no running experience to completing a 10K, raising around £640 and reaching new audiences for Shelter Cymru. More importantly, he experienced exactly what the runners he supports experience themselves: the uncertainty at the beginning, the pressure created by sponsorship, the challenge of finding new audiences and finally the satisfaction of crossing the finish line. For somebody responsible for supporting charity runners, those lessons may ultimately prove even more valuable than the money he raised. HAVE A LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE

One of the biggest concerns for anyone running for charity is whether they'll manage to raise enough money. Training for a marathon or half marathon is a significant challenge in itself, but having a fundraising target to reach can sometimes feel even more daunting. It's perfectly understandable to worry about what might happen if donations slow down or you realise you're unlikely to hit the figure you agreed to raise. The reassuring news is that every charity understands fundraising is unpredictable. Some runners exceed their target within a few weeks, while others find it much harder despite putting in a huge amount of effort. If you don't quite reach your fundraising goal, the outcome will depend on the charity's terms and conditions, how you've approached your fundraising and how well you've communicated with the charity throughout your campaign. Why Do Charities Set Fundraising Targets? When charities offer places in popular running events, they're making a significant investment. For races such as the London Marathon, charities purchase guaranteed entries from the event organisers, often at considerable cost. They also invest in supporting every runner through fundraising advice, race-day support, training resources and branded running kit. The fundraising target helps charities recover those costs and it helps them raise a surplus to ensure they can continue delivering the services and support that people rely on. Without fundraising commitments, many charities simply wouldn't be able to justify buying places in major events or offering them to runners each year. Although these targets are important, charities also recognise that every fundraiser's circumstances are different. Raising money isn't an exact science, and many factors outside your control can influence the final amount you collect. Read The Fundraising Agreement Before You Accept A Place Before accepting a charity place, it's important to understand exactly what you're agreeing to. Every charity has its own fundraising agreement, and the wording can vary considerably from one organisation to another. Some charities simply ask runners to make every reasonable effort to reach their target, while others include clauses stating that any shortfall may become the runner's responsibility. There may also be deadlines for reaching certain fundraising milestones or conditions relating to withdrawing from the event because of injury or illness. Taking the time to read these terms before accepting your place allows you to make an informed decision and avoids unpleasant surprises later in your training. Most Charities Want To Help Rather Than Penalise You Many first-time charity runners imagine that charities are constantly checking fundraising totals and waiting to contact anyone who falls behind. In reality, the opposite is usually true. Most charities employ experienced fundraising teams whose role is to help runners succeed. They understand that enthusiasm alone doesn't always translate into donations and that fundraising can progress in fits and starts. Their aim is normally to support you throughout your campaign by offering advice, encouragement and practical suggestions if you're struggling to build momentum. From the charity's perspective, helping you reach your target is far more beneficial than creating additional pressure. A runner who feels supported is far more likely to enjoy the experience and continue supporting the charity in the future. Communication Is Key If you're becoming concerned about your fundraising, don't ignore the situation or avoid speaking to the charity. Keeping them informed demonstrates that you're taking your commitment seriously and gives them the opportunity to help before the problem becomes more difficult to solve. Fundraising can be affected by many unexpected events. Illness, injury, changes in employment or family circumstances can all make it harder to raise money, even when your intentions were good from the beginning. Most charities understand this and appreciate honesty far more than silence. By speaking to your fundraising contact early, you may receive additional guidance, access to extra fundraising resources or reassurance about your particular situation. Will You Have To Pay The Difference Yourself? This is often the question that worries runners the most, but there isn't one answer that applies to every charity. Some fundraising agreements include a clause stating that runners are responsible for covering any shortfall if they don't reach the agreed target. Others simply expect participants to make a genuine effort and review individual circumstances if the target isn't achieved. The exact position will always depend on the agreement you accepted when taking your place. It's also worth remembering that charities usually look at the overall picture rather than focusing solely on the final number. Someone who has worked hard throughout their fundraising, stayed in regular contact and clearly made every effort is very different from someone who has made little attempt to fulfil their commitment. Fundraising Left Until The Last Minute Can Create Problems Many runners assume most donations will arrive during the final week before race day. While it's true that fundraising often increases as the event approaches, relying entirely on a last-minute surge can leave you under unnecessary pressure. Starting your fundraising early gives you far more opportunities to build momentum and respond if donations slow down. It also allows supporters to follow your training journey over several months rather than only hearing about your challenge shortly before the event. A steady approach is usually much less stressful and often produces better results than trying to raise a large amount of money in a very short period. Read more about charity fundraising mistakes here. If you're going to hold events, like dinner parties, do them sooner, rather than later. If Your Circumstances Change Not every runner who falls short of their fundraising target has done something wrong. Sometimes life simply gets in the way. An injury might prevent you from training, a family emergency may take priority or changes at work could leave you with much less time to organise fundraising activities. If this happens, contact the charity as soon as you can rather than waiting until the final few weeks before the race. Although every organisation has its own policies, charities generally value openness and honesty. Keeping them informed gives everyone the best opportunity to discuss the available options and decide how to move forward. Fundraising Success Looks Different For Everyone It can be tempting to compare your fundraising page with someone else's, particularly if they're reaching their target much more quickly. However, every runner has a different network of family, friends, colleagues and supporters, and these differences can have a significant impact on fundraising totals. Your focus should be on making a genuine effort rather than comparing yourself with others. Regular updates, consistent fundraising activity and clear communication all demonstrate your commitment, regardless of whether your campaign progresses faster or slower than someone else's. Ultimately, charities understand that not every fundraiser starts from the same position, and they recognise the effort that goes into raising money as well as the final amount. Final Thoughts Falling short of your fundraising target isn't something any charity runner wants to experience, but it also isn't something to panic about. The most important step is understanding your fundraising agreement before accepting a place and treating your fundraising with the same commitment as your marathon training. If you're honest about your circumstances, communicate with the charity and make a genuine effort throughout your campaign, you'll be giving yourself the best possible chance of reaching your target. Even if fundraising proves more difficult than expected, most charities would much rather work with you to find a solution than see you worry in silence.

Hydration for runners can seem complicated, but getting it right is largely about finding the right balance. Some runners head out carrying huge bottles of water on relatively short runs, while others barely drink at all until they get home. Drinking too little can contribute to dehydration and affect performance, particularly during prolonged exercise or in hot conditions, but drinking too much can also be dangerous. Learning how to manage your fluid intake before, during and after exercise is an important part of running. Every runner loses fluid at a different rate depending on factors including the weather, intensity and duration of the session and individual sweat rate, so there is no single amount that works for everyone. Understanding the basic principles of hydration can help you develop an approach that suits your training while avoiding the problems associated with both dehydration and overhydration. How Much Water Do Runners Need? There is no single amount of water that every runner needs. Your fluid requirements depend on how long you are running, the intensity of your session, the temperature and humidity, and how heavily you sweat. Many runners will not need to drink during a short run of less than an hour in cool conditions. Fluid becomes more important as runs become longer, conditions become hotter or sweat losses increase. The aim is to start normally hydrated and develop an individual strategy during training rather than forcing yourself to drink a predetermined amount. Why Hydration Matters For Runners Water makes up a significant proportion of the human body and plays an essential role in many of the functions that keep us healthy. It helps regulate body temperature, transports nutrients and supports the normal function of muscles and other tissues. These processes become particularly important during exercise as your body produces additional heat and loses fluid through sweat. Dehydration can affect how you feel and perform, particularly during prolonged exercise and in hot conditions. However, hydration needs vary considerably between runners, so the aim should not be to constantly drink in an attempt to prevent every small change in body weight. Starting your run normally hydrated provides a sensible foundation for training. During longer exercise, factors including thirst, environmental conditions and your individual sweat losses can help you develop a hydration strategy appropriate to you. Staying Hydrated Every Day Hydration is not something you should only think about when you are training. Your everyday fluid intake helps provide the foundation for your runs, whether you are preparing for a steady 5K or a marathon. UK guidance recommends around six to eight cups or glasses of fluid per day as a general guide, although people may need more when they are physically active for long periods or in hot conditions. Water is a good choice, but lower fat milk, sugar free drinks, tea and coffee can also contribute to your daily fluid intake. Urine colour can provide a simple indication of hydration. The NHS recommends aiming for urine that is a clear pale yellow colour, although factors including some foods, medicines and supplements can also affect its appearance. How Much Should You Drink Before A Run? Starting your run normally hydrated is more important than trying to consume a predetermined amount immediately before you leave. Drinking normally during the hours leading up to your run should mean that most everyday training sessions do not require a special hydration routine beforehand. If you are thirsty before starting, have some additional fluid, but avoid forcing down a large quantity immediately before exercise. Drinking excessive amounts just before running can also leave you feeling uncomfortable once you start moving. After your run, continue drinking according to your thirst and the conditions you have trained in. A short easy run in cool weather may require very little additional fluid, whereas a long run in warm conditions with substantial sweat loss is likely to require more. How Much Water Should You Drink During A Run? There is no universal rule for how much water every runner should drink while exercising. Body size, running intensity, temperature, humidity, duration and individual sweat rate can all influence fluid requirements. For runs lasting less than an hour at an easy or moderate pace, many runners will not need to drink during the session, particularly in cooler conditions. As your runs become longer or conditions become hotter, fluid intake is more likely to become important. Rather than automatically drinking a fixed amount at set intervals, learn what works for you during training. Thirst, the conditions and your experience of how heavily you sweat can all help guide your approach. Many runners find that carrying a small soft flask or hydration belt works well on longer training runs, while others plan routes that provide access to drinks. Whatever approach you choose, practise it during training rather than experimenting for the first time on race day. When Water Is Not Enough As exercise becomes longer, particularly during endurance training and racing, you lose electrolytes as well as water through sweat. Sodium is the principal electrolyte lost in sweat, although other electrolytes are lost in smaller amounts. Sports drinks containing electrolytes can be useful during prolonged exercise, particularly for runners who are training or racing for extended periods, sweating heavily or exercising in hot conditions. Many sports drinks also contain carbohydrates, allowing runners to take in fluid and carbohydrate at the same time. Not every runner needs an electrolyte product for every run. For shorter sessions in normal conditions, most runners are unlikely to need additional electrolytes specifically because of the exercise. If you regularly notice substantial salt deposits on your clothing or skin after running, this can indicate that your sweat contains relatively high amounts of salt. Your overall requirements still depend on how much you sweat, how long you exercise and the conditions, so this is another area where individual experience during training is useful. Read more about electrolytes here. Can Runners Drink Too Much Water? Many runners worry about dehydration, but excessive fluid consumption during prolonged exercise can also be dangerous. Drinking more fluid than your body can adequately deal with can dilute the concentration of sodium in the blood and contribute to exercise associated hyponatraemia. Symptoms can include headache, nausea, bloating and confusion, while severe cases can become life threatening. Although exercise associated hyponatraemia is relatively uncommon, it has occurred during endurance events and is an important reason runners should not continually force themselves to drink simply because fluid is available. Drinking according to thirst is a useful approach for many runners during endurance exercise and can reduce the risk of consuming excessive amounts. Electrolyte drinks can have a useful role during prolonged exercise, but consuming sodium does not make excessive fluid intake safe, so the amount you drink still matters. Hydration On Race Day Race day hydration should be based on what you have already practised during training. Aim to arrive at the start normally hydrated rather than attempting to compensate by consuming excessive amounts of fluid immediately before the race. During the event, do not feel that you have to drink at every water station simply because it is there. Use the conditions, your thirst and the strategy you developed during training to decide when you need fluid. For marathons and other endurance events lasting several hours, your nutrition strategy may include water, sports drinks, gels or other carbohydrate sources. Exactly what you need will depend on the event, conditions, your pace and what you have successfully practised during your longer training sessions. Read more about race day nutrition here. Running In Hot Weather Hot weather can substantially increase sweat losses, making hydration more important. Your body relies heavily on sweating to regulate temperature during exercise, and runners may need considerably more fluid in hot conditions than they would for the same session on a cool day. Heat also places additional strain on the body independently of hydration. Symptoms of heat related illness can include weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea and confusion. Heatstroke is a medical emergency, and a runner showing serious symptoms should not attempt to simply push through them. Your normal pace may also feel considerably harder in hot weather, so hydration should form part of a broader strategy that includes adjusting your expectations and training appropriately for the conditions. Finding The Right Hydration Strategy One way to learn more about your individual sweat losses is to compare your body weight before and after selected training sessions while also taking account of the fluid you consume during the run. Repeating this in different conditions can help you understand how temperature, duration and intensity affect how much you sweat. This information can help you plan for longer runs and races, but the aim is not necessarily to replace every drop of sweat while you are exercising. Trying to prevent any reduction in body weight by continually consuming fluid can encourage over drinking. Hydration is influenced by much more than distance alone. A steady ten kilometre run on a cool spring morning can require a very different approach from a long run or hard session during a summer heatwave. Learning from your own training is therefore more useful than blindly following a single fluid target designed for every runner. Final Thoughts Good hydration is about finding the right balance rather than drinking as much water as possible. Staying normally hydrated throughout the day provides a good starting point, while longer runs, hotter conditions and higher sweat losses require more consideration. Water will be sufficient for many shorter training sessions, while fluid and electrolyte replacement can become more relevant as exercise becomes longer and sweat losses increase. The important thing is not to assume that every runner needs the same amount or that more fluid is automatically better. Use your training to learn how your body responds in different conditions and practise the approach you intend to use on race day. An individual hydration strategy based on the length and intensity of your run, the conditions, your sweat losses and your thirst will help you avoid both drinking too little and consuming more fluid than you need.

Taking on a 10K for charity gives you a great opportunity to raise money for a cause that matters to you. If you have secured your place through a charity, you may have been given a fundraising target as part of your entry. If you already have your own place in the event, there may be no minimum amount to raise at all, but setting yourself a personal target can help give your fundraising some structure. £250 is a realistic target for many 10K runners. It is enough to make a meaningful contribution to your charity without making the fundraising feel bigger than the running challenge itself. Even if your charity has given you a different target, the same approach can be adapted to suit the amount you need to raise. A 10K also gives you something important to build your fundraising around. Whether it is your first 10K, your fastest 10K or simply an event you have chosen because the charity means something to you, your training and race day give people a reason to follow your journey and support what you are doing. Set Your 10K Fundraising Target Start by deciding exactly what you want to raise. If your charity has given you a minimum fundraising target, that decision may already have been made for you. If you have your own place, choose a figure that feels challenging but achievable. For this guide, we are working towards £250. Instead of thinking about finding £250 in one go, break it into smaller stages. Your first target could be £50 when you launch your fundraising page, followed by £100 as your training develops, £175 after involving your workplace or organising a small fundraising activity, and the final £75 around race week and after the event. Breaking the total down makes your 10K fundraising feel much more manageable. It also gives you regular milestones to talk about when you update people on your progress. Start Your Fundraising Early You do not need months and months to fundraise for a 10K, but starting early gives you more opportunities to ask for support without repeatedly approaching the same people. Set up your fundraising page as soon as you know you are taking part and explain what you are doing, when the race is and why you have chosen your charity. A personal explanation is usually much more powerful than simply sharing a link and asking people to sponsor you. Your first supporters are likely to be close friends and family. Their donations can get the page moving and provide some early momentum. An empty fundraising page can be difficult to launch, while seeing that other people have already donated can encourage new supporters to join them. Aim to reach your first £50 during this early stage. Listen to this podcast about starting your fundraising early. Tell People Why You Are Running The 10K is the challenge, but your reason for doing it is often what persuades somebody to donate. If you have a personal connection with the charity, explain it. You do not have to share anything you would rather keep private, but helping people understand why the cause matters to you can make your fundraising much more engaging. If you do not have a personal connection, talk about the charity's work and why you decided to support it. You could highlight a particular service, project or group of people the charity helps. Keep this message consistent across your fundraising page, social media and conversations with friends, family and colleagues. People are far more likely to remember a story than a fundraising link. Read more about writing your fundraising story here. Use Your 10K Training To Keep Fundraising Training gives you a reason to keep talking about your fundraising without simply posting the same donation request again. Share some of the journey. Your first longer run, reaching 5K comfortably, completing a difficult session or getting out for a run when the weather is awful can all provide natural updates. You do not need to post after every run, but occasional updates remind people that you are putting in the work. As race day gets closer, your training also demonstrates that the challenge is real. Somebody who ignored your original fundraising post may decide to donate when they see you completing your final few weeks of preparation. By this stage, aim to have moved your fundraising towards £100. Take Your 10K Fundraising Into Work Your workplace can provide another group of potential supporters, particularly if most of your early donations have come from friends and family. Tell colleagues what you are doing and why. You might share your fundraising page internally, add the link to your email signature for a few weeks or ask whether your employer has a company fundraising platform you can use. It is also worth finding out whether your employer offers matched funding. Some businesses will match money raised by employees or make a contribution towards an employee's charity fundraising. This can make a significant difference to a £250 target without requiring you to find additional individual donors. If matched funding is available, make sure you understand the rules and what you need to do to claim it. Read more about company matched giving here. Add One Simple Fundraising Activity You do not need to organise a huge fundraising event to raise money alongside a 10K. One small activity could provide a useful boost towards your target. A cake sale at work, football sweepstake, quiz, raffle where permitted, dress-down day or similar activity can bring in donations from people who might not otherwise sponsor your run online. Choose something that is easy to organise and appropriate for the people around you. If you raise £50 or £75 from one activity, you could suddenly find yourself approaching £175 or £200. Combined with the donations already on your fundraising page, your £250 target can start to look very achievable. Make sure any fundraising activity follows your charity's guidance, particularly if you are considering raffles, lotteries or collecting money in public. A bake sale is easy to organise and can be a simple way to raise some extra money for your charity. Use Race Week To Push Towards £250 Race week is one of the best opportunities to give your fundraising another push. By now, the event is close enough to feel immediate and people can see that you are about to complete the challenge they are sponsoring. Post an update explaining that race day has arrived, remind people why you are running and tell them how close you are to your target. Being specific can help. If you have raised £205, saying that you need another £45 to reach £250 gives supporters something tangible to help you achieve. You can also share your race number, charity running top or final training update. The aim is not simply to keep asking for money but to bring people into the experience. Friends and family who intended to sponsor you but forgot may also respond to that final reminder. Keep Fundraising After Your 10K Do not close your fundraising campaign as soon as you cross the finish line. Some of your donations may arrive after the event. Share a race photo, your medal and a short account of how the 10K went. Thank everybody who has supported you and include your fundraising link again for anyone who would still like to donate. This is particularly useful if you are just short of your target. If you finish the race having raised £225, for example, telling people you need another £25 to reach £250 could be enough to get you over the line. Post-race donations can continue arriving for several days, so give people the opportunity to support you before you consider your fundraising finished. Read more about fundraising after your event here. What If You Only Have A Few Weeks? Not everybody starts fundraising months before their 10K. You might secure a late entry, decide to support a charity after entering the race or simply realise that race day is approaching and you have not started fundraising. You can still raise a worthwhile amount. Set up your fundraising page immediately and explain why you are running. Contact the people most likely to support you directly rather than relying entirely on social media, involve your workplace if possible and use race week to create some urgency around your target. If £250 no longer feels realistic, do not allow that to stop you fundraising altogether. £100 or £150 raised for your charity is considerably more valuable than deciding it is too late and raising nothing. What If You Reach £250 Early? Reaching your target early does not mean you need to stop. Thank everyone who helped you get there and consider setting a new target. Moving from £250 to £300 or £350 gives people another milestone to help you reach and allows you to make even more of your 10K challenge. You may also find that hitting the original target encourages new donations. People can see that others have supported you and that your campaign has momentum. The important thing is not to become so focused on a particular number that you forget why you started fundraising. Every additional donation is extra money going towards the cause you chose to support. Make Your 10K Fundraising Part Of The Challenge Running 10K and raising money for charity can work brilliantly together. The race gives your fundraising a deadline, your training gives you a story to share and the charity gives the challenge a purpose beyond reaching the finish line. A £250 target might initially look difficult, but it becomes much more achievable when you break it into stages. Find the first £50 when you launch your campaign, work towards £100 through your early fundraising, use your workplace and a simple activity to move towards £175 or £200, and then make the most of race week and your finish-line moment to find the final donations. Whether you have a charity place with a fundraising commitment or your own 10K entry with no minimum target, the same principle applies. Set yourself a goal, give people a reason to support you and keep bringing them along on the journey. By the time your fundraising finishes, you could have achieved two things worth celebrating: completing your 10K and raising £250 for a cause that matters. If you're running a half marathon read our fundraising guide here.

Taking on a half marathon for charity gives you a brilliant opportunity to raise money for a cause that matters to you. You might have secured a charity entry with a minimum fundraising target to reach, or you may already have your own place and have decided to use your 13.1 miles to support a charity of your choice. If you have your own entry, you won't normally have a minimum amount that you need to raise, but setting yourself a target such as £500 can give your fundraising some focus and give your supporters a goal to help you reach. With around 12 weeks to work with, you could aim for your first £100 when you launch your campaign, build towards £200 as your training develops, use your workplace and a fundraising activity to move towards £350 or £400, and then use race week and the period after your half marathon to find the final donations. Is £500 A Realistic Half Marathon Fundraising Target? For many runners, £500 is a realistic target, but that does not mean you should expect to raise it simply by creating a fundraising page and sharing the link a few times. Successful fundraising normally comes from combining several different groups of supporters and giving people repeated opportunities to become involved. Your friends and family might provide the first £100 or £150, while colleagues could contribute another part of your total. A simple fundraising activity could add another £50 or £100, while regular training updates may encourage people who did not donate when you initially launched your campaign. There is no perfect formula. Your network, charity, workplace and personal circumstances will all be different. The important thing is to break the £500 into smaller amounts so that you always have an achievable next target. 12 Weeks To Go: Get Your First £100 The beginning of your campaign is important because early donations create momentum. Set up your fundraising page properly before you start sharing it and explain why you are running the half marathon, which charity you are supporting and, most importantly, why that charity matters to you. If possible, explain what the money you raise could help your charity achieve. A £500 target becomes much more meaningful when supporters understand what their donations could contribute towards. Rather than immediately posting your fundraising link everywhere, start by approaching some of the people most likely to support you. Friends, family and close colleagues can help establish your first donations and make the page look active before you begin sharing it more widely. Aim to reach your first £100 during this initial stage. Reaching 20% of your target early can make the remaining £400 feel considerably more achievable. Read more on writing your fundraising story here. 8 To 10 Weeks To Go: Build Towards £200 Once your initial launch has passed, your training becomes one of your most useful fundraising tools. Instead of repeatedly posting the same fundraising link, give people something new to follow. Share your first longer training run, reaching a new distance, completing a difficult session or simply how your preparation is progressing. If this is your first half marathon, milestones such as running 10K or completing your first 10-mile training run can be significant achievements worth sharing. These updates do not always need to contain a direct request for money. Your aim is to keep people interested in the journey while reminding them that you are taking on the challenge for charity. As you approach £200, make the milestone part of your messaging. Telling supporters that you are £25 away from reaching £200 provides a much clearer objective than simply saying that you still need sponsorship. 6 To 8 Weeks To Go: Take Your Fundraising Into Work Your workplace can potentially become one of the most valuable parts of your half marathon fundraising, particularly if most of your initial donations have come from friends and family. Tell colleagues what you are doing and why. Depending on your workplace, you might be able to share your fundraising page through an internal newsletter, staff messaging system or noticeboard. You could also organise a simple workplace fundraiser such as a cake sale, sweepstake or dress-down day if your employer allows it. It is also worth checking whether your employer offers matched giving. Some organisations will match money raised or donated by employees, potentially adding a substantial amount to your total without requiring you to find additional individual donors. If matched giving is available, make sure you understand the rules before organising your fundraising. Some employers only match particular types of donations or require evidence of the activity. Read more about organising a bake sale at work here. 4 To 6 Weeks To Go: Choose One Fundraising Activity You do not need to organise a calendar full of fundraising events to reach £500. One well-chosen activity can be much more effective than attempting several things and exhausting yourself while your half marathon training is becoming more demanding. Think about the people around you and choose something they are likely to support. That might be a quiz night, coffee morning, cake sale, sponsored challenge or another simple activity that fits your circumstances. If you are considering a raffle or another activity involving prizes, make sure you understand any relevant fundraising or gambling rules before going ahead. Set yourself a target for the activity. If you can raise £75 or £100, you could suddenly find yourself moving from around £250 towards £350 in a single evening or weekend. Remember that the activity can also introduce your fundraising campaign to people who may not previously have seen it. Someone who attends your event might subsequently follow your training and sponsor your half marathon as well. Read more about organising a quiz night here. The Final Month: Aim For £400 With around four weeks remaining, your half marathon will start to feel much more real. Your longer training runs are approaching their peak, race information may have arrived and conversations will increasingly turn towards race day. This is a good point to tell supporters exactly where your fundraising stands. If you have raised £337, don't simply say that you are still fundraising. Tell people that you need another £63 to reach £400. Specific targets give supporters something tangible to help you achieve. One person may decide to donate £13 because you are running 13.1 miles, while several smaller donations can quickly move you towards the next milestone. Continue sharing genuine training updates rather than turning every post into a request for sponsorship. Showing people the work going into your challenge helps demonstrate why their support matters. Race Week: Make The Challenge Feel Real Race week provides some of the strongest content of your entire fundraising campaign. After weeks of talking about a half marathon somewhere in the future, you are suddenly only days away from standing on the start line. Share your race number if you have one, your running kit, your final preparations and your fundraising progress. Remind people when you are running and let them know how close you are to your target. If your charity has provided you with a running vest, include it in your photographs. It reinforces the reason you are taking part and helps connect your challenge with the organisation you are supporting. This is also a good time to contact people who have shown an interest in your training but have not yet donated. A friendly personal message can be more effective than another general social media post. Race Day: Bring Your Supporters With You Race day should be the culmination of both your training and your fundraising journey. If your event provides runner tracking, share the information so friends and family can follow your progress. Photos from the start, updates from supporters around the course and messages after you finish can all help generate additional donations. You may find that some people deliberately wait until race day before sponsoring you. Don't worry about constantly updating social media while you are running. Your priority is completing your half marathon. If friends or family are supporting you, they can share updates on your behalf while you concentrate on reaching the finish. After The Finish: Find The Final £50 Crossing the finish line does not mean your fundraising has finished. In fact, the days immediately after your half marathon can be among the most productive of the entire campaign. Share your medal photograph, finishing time and a short account of how the race went. Thank the people who have already supported you and tell everyone your current fundraising total. If you have raised £450, say that you are just £50 away from your original target. People who followed your training but never got around to donating now have one final reason to act. Keep your fundraising page active and continue promoting it for at least a week or two after the race. Late donations could be what finally takes you through £500. Read more about keeping your fundraising going after race day here. What If You Only Have Four Weeks To Fundraise? Not everyone starts fundraising 12 weeks before their half marathon. You may have received a late charity place, entered close to race day or simply reached the final month before realising that you need to do more. If you only have four weeks, concentrate your efforts rather than trying to recreate a three-month campaign. Make sure your fundraising page clearly explains your story, personally contact your closest potential supporters and investigate any opportunities available through your workplace. Choose one fundraising activity that you can organise quickly and use your remaining training runs as opportunities to update people. Your final long run, taper, race number and race week can all provide natural reasons to talk about the challenge. You may need to ask for support more frequently, but make sure each message adds something new rather than repeatedly sharing exactly the same appeal. What If You Have Already Asked Everyone? One of the biggest concerns for charity runners is feeling that they have already asked everyone they know. Usually, however, you have asked fewer people than you think. Look beyond the people who donated immediately. Former colleagues, neighbours, members of sports clubs, parents you know through school, community groups and people you interact with through hobbies may all be potential supporters if they understand what you are doing. You can also change the way you ask. Instead of another request for sponsorship, invite people to a fundraising activity, ask them to share your page or tell them about an important training milestone. Not everyone will donate, but someone sharing your story could introduce it to an entirely new group of supporters. What If You Reach £500 Early? Reaching your target before race day is something to celebrate, but it does not mean you have to stop fundraising. Thank everyone who helped you reach £500 and explain what their collective support means for your charity. You can then set a sensible stretch target, perhaps £600 or £750, while making it clear that you have already achieved your original goal. People who have not yet donated may actually be encouraged by seeing that the campaign has been successful. Fundraising momentum can be powerful, so don't automatically stop talking about your challenge once the target counter reaches 100%. Remember Gift Aid If you are raising money for a UK charity, eligible taxpayers may be able to add Gift Aid to their donations. This allows the charity to claim an additional 25p for every £1 donated without costing the supporter anything extra. Gift Aid will not normally count towards a minimum fundraising commitment set by a charity, and eligibility rules apply, but it can significantly increase the overall value of your fundraising. Make sure supporters provide the information required by your fundraising platform or charity rather than simply assuming every donation qualifies. Read more about Gift Aid here. Half Marathon Fundraising FAQs When Should I Start Fundraising For A Half Marathon? Starting around 10 to 12 weeks before race day gives you plenty of time to build your campaign alongside your training. Starting earlier can also work, particularly if you have a larger fundraising target, while a shorter campaign can still succeed if you are organised and consistent. How Much Should I Raise For A Half Marathon? There is no single amount that every half marathon runner should raise. If you have a charity place, your charity may have set a minimum fundraising commitment. Own-place runners can choose a target that feels ambitious but achievable for their circumstances. Can I Ask People For Sponsorship More Than Once? Yes, but give people a reason to hear from you again. Training milestones, fundraising activities, reaching a new total and approaching race day all provide fresh reasons to share your page without simply repeating the same request. Should I Keep Fundraising After My Half Marathon? Yes. Some supporters will wait until you have completed your challenge before donating, while others may simply have forgotten. Share your result and photographs, thank everyone for their support and keep your page active for a little longer. What Should I Do If My Fundraising Slows Down? A slowdown does not necessarily mean you have run out of potential supporters. Change what you are sharing rather than simply increasing the number of times you post your fundraising link. Use a training milestone, set a smaller short-term target, organise a simple activity or approach a different group of people. Moving from a general request for donations to something specific, such as trying to raise the final £40 needed to reach your next milestone, can give your campaign fresh momentum. Final Thoughts On Half Marathon Fundraising Raising £500 from your half marathon fundraising becomes much easier to approach when you stop thinking of it as one large target. Your first goal might be £100, followed by £200, £300 and £400 before using race week and the excitement of completing your half marathon to make the final push. Your training gives you a ready-made story that develops every week. Use that story, involve different groups of supporters and give people plenty of opportunities to become part of your challenge. Most importantly, don't stop the moment you cross the finish line. Celebrate what you have achieved, thank the people who supported you and give those final potential donors the opportunity to help you reach, or even exceed, your £500 target.