Congrats, you’ve signed up for a race! Now that you have something on the calendar, it’s time to push your mind and body to go that extra mile every week. Paired with physical training, nutrition is an important part of building your physical strength and energy. Good nutrition helps runners develop the mental and physical endurance they need for race day. It’s the fuel that keeps runners going strong, from start to finish line.

It’s crucial for runners to understand what their body needs and how to replenish those needs. Make sure to continually fuel up while running to keep your energy level high. Gels and gummies are an easy and convenient source of energy during races. Find out what type of gels and gummies your body prefers by testing different ones during your training runs.

Whether it’s a 5K or a marathon, hydration goes hand-in-hand with runners’ nutrition, especially on race day. Runners need to stay hydrated throughout the whole race to prevent cramping or worse, hitting the wall! When you’ve completed your race, you’ll need to replace all the body weight lost while running with about 35-60 ounces (or 4-6 cups) of water, followed by 16 ounces 2 hours after the race. Remember to hydrate yourself with a combination of water and electrolyte drinks like Gatorade Endurance.

For more information about race day nutrition and hydration, check out our latest infographic!