13.1 miles is far enough that fueling makes or breaks your race — under-fuel and you hit the wall, over-fuel or mistime it and your stomach rebels. Getting it right is a skill you practice. The half-marathon guide: why fueling matters, the before-during-after plan and the practice-it notes. (Not medical advice.)

The Fueling-Matters Case

Why fueling makes or breaks 13.1: the far-enough-to-need-fuel (the 13.1-miles being far-enough to require fueling from the half-marathon-training-plan chapter — the the-distance; the fuel-needed), the under-fueling-hits-the-wall (the under-fueling causing the-wall/bonk from the half-marathon-race-week chapter — the the-bonk; the under-fuel-crashes), the mistiming-upsets-the-stomach (the wrong-fuel-or-timing upsetting the-stomach from the half-marathon-race-week chapter — the the-gi-issues; the stomach-rebels), the the-practice-it-in-training (the practicing fueling in-training, not race-day from the half-marathon-training-plan chapter — the the-practice; the nothing-new-on-race-day), and the reframe (the half-marathon-fueling as a make-or-break, practiced skill for 13.1).

The Before-During-After Plan

The fueling plan for 13.1: the the-carb-load-lightly (the a-light carb-focus in the days-before from the half-marathon-race-week chapter — the the-before-days; the carb-focus), the the-pre-race-breakfast (the a-familiar, carb-rich breakfast a-few-hours-before from the half-marathon-race-week chapter — the the-breakfast; the pre-race-fuel), the the-hydrate-before (the hydrating in the days-and-morning-before from the half-marathon-race-week chapter — the the-hydration; the hydrate-early), the the-during-fuel (the gels/chews for energy during (for longer times) from the half-marathon-training-plan chapter — the the-during; the mid-race-fuel), the the-during-hydration (the sipping water/electrolytes during from the half-marathon-race-week chapter — the the-during-hydration; the drink-during), the the-timing-the-fuel (the timing gels every-few-miles from the half-marathon-training-plan chapter — the the-timing; the space-the-fuel), the the-post-race-recovery (the protein-and-carbs post-race from the post-race-recovery chapter — the the-after; the recover-fuel), and the the-familiar-foods-only (the familiar, tested foods (no new race-day) from the half-marathon-race-week chapter — the the-familiar; the nothing-new).

The Practice-It Notes

Practicing your fueling: the the-practice-in-training (the testing fueling on long-runs from the half-marathon-training-plan chapter — the the-practice; the test-it), the the-find-what-works (the finding gels/foods your-stomach-tolerates from the half-marathon-training-plan chapter — the the-tolerance; the what-works-for-you), the the-nothing-new-on-race-day (the no-new-fuel on race-day from the half-marathon-race-week chapter — the the-rule; the no-surprises), the the-hydration-strategy (the a-practiced hydration-plan from the half-marathon-race-week chapter — the the-hydration; the plan-it), the the-individual (the fueling being individual (practice yours) from the half-marathon-training-plan chapter — the the-individual; the your-plan), the the-recovery-fueling (the post-race recovery-fueling from the post-race-recovery chapter — the the-recovery; the refuel-after), the the-first-half-considerations (the first-half-marathon fueling from the half-marathon-first chapter — the the-first-timer; the for-beginners), and the frame (half-marathon-fueling as a before-during-after carb-hydration-and-gel plan, practiced-in-training-with-nothing-new-on-race-day — eat and drink for 13.1 miles. Fuel 13.1 with a plan — light carb-focus and hydration in the days before, a familiar carb-rich breakfast, gels/chews and water-electrolytes during (timed every few miles), and protein-and-carbs after — all practiced in training (nothing new on race day): how to eat and drink before, during and after 13.1 miles.

13.1 miles is far enough that fueling makes or breaks your race — under-fuel and you hit the wall, mistime it and your stomach rebels. The plan: a light carb-focus and hydration in the days before, a familiar carb-rich breakfast a few hours before, gels/chews and water-electrolytes during (timed every few miles), and protein-and-carbs after. Practice it — test your fueling on long runs, find what your stomach tolerates, do nothing new on race day, and make it your individual plan. How to eat and drink before, during and after 13.1 miles.