Most avid runners will have a solid post-run routine in place. You walk through the door, kick off your shoes, and scroll your stats on Strava as you foam roll your body.
For some runners, a post-run meal may be the first thing on their mind after a long and intense session on the roads, while for others, it barely makes it onto their radar.
Regardless, most runners know how important fueling up before a run is, but what you eat after a run is just as important as what you’re knocking back before hitting the pavement.
If you’re a runner, this article is for you. We’re breaking down everything runners need to know about post-run nutrition to kick-start recovery and strengthen your running game.
Benefits Of Post-Run Nutrition
A lot of people focus on carb-loading pre-run to maintain energy. Depending on the distance, some runners will even carry along energy gels or chews to top up glucose stores mid-run. But once the run has finished, what goes into our mouth is usually an afterthought.
Post-run nutrition is just as crucial as pre-run nutrition. Fueling up before you take to the trails will dictate your energy levels and running performance, but what you eat when you walk through your door will dictate how well you recover and perform in the following days.
A good approach to post-run nutrition will:
- Replenish liver and muscle glycogen stores
- Repair micro-trauma in the muscles to accelerate recovery
- Replace electrolytes and minerals lost through sweat
All of these are needed to support optimal and efficient recovery.
On top of that, you also have to look at your run intensity. The level at which you run is also a major factor in what you should eat after a run.
If you’re hitting a six-minute mile pace or more, chances are you’re burning more calories and losing more sweat than you would be if you’re running at a nine- or ten-minute mile pace.
As a result, you’re causing more damage and losing more minerals, which means nutrition in the post-workout period is critical to replenish lost glycogen stores, getting muscle repair going, and bring your body back into homeostasis.
While there may not be an “ideal” time for refueling after a prolonged and/or strenuous run, an optimal recovery depends on how quickly you can get the repair process going, which means chowing down on carbs and protein as soon as possible 1.
What To Drink
It’s also important to remember that high-intensity, prolonged activity can cause serious sweat loss. And it’s through sweat that minerals like sodium, potassium, and chloride are lost, all of which are needed to facilitate recovery.
If you’re unable to sip on water throughout your run (we recommend buying a running belt with a bottle or a handheld one), you must make sure you’re rehydrating sufficiently post-run.
Athletes losing too many electrolytes may experience cramps that can impair performance. If you’ve ever noticed a gritty feeling on your skin after an intense sweat sesh, that’s salt—and it needs to be replaced.
The recommendation is 16-24 ounces of fluid for every pound of sweat lost 2. While some experts will recommend a sports drink to replace electrolytes, most of what you’ll find on shelves is loaded with artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners that have no benefit to your health and performance.
Rather, drink pure water with some pink salt added, or opt for an ultra-clean electrolyte powder free of anything artificial.
Hydration For Recovery
Being adequately hydrated is also critical for muscle recovery. Not only does being hydrated help to flush out toxins and metabolic waste that can accumulate and cause muscle cramping and soreness, but it also needs to regulate body temperature, pH balance, and muscle protein synthesis.
On top of that, a 2012 study looked at the role of hydration in health and exercise and found that hydration status had a significant impact on recovery 3. Participants were divided into two groups and completed a 90-minute treadmill run.
One group drank water during and after the workout, while the other group did not. Results showed that individuals who consumed water had significantly faster heart rate recovery after the workout, suggesting a greater capacity to recover from the stress of exercise.
As a general rule of thumb, drink to thirst. Drinking when you’re thirsty can help to prevent underhydrating (which can cause dehydration) and overhydrating, which can result in hyponatremia (low blood salt level due to abnormal fluid retention) 4.
You should be drinking 4-6 ounces of fluid every 20 minutes. Runners exceeding 8-minute miles should bump that up to 6-8 ounces every 20 minutes, and workouts longer than 90 minutes should be replacing lost minerals with an electrolyte powder or recovery formula.
But remember, don’t gulp—sip.
What To Eat After A Run
Post-workout nutrition seems to be anything but simple, but sticking to the basics can be helpful to kick-start recovery and get you back on the road faster.
There’s a lot of talk about when to eat post-workout, as some research suggests eating immediately can mitigate muscle soreness because your muscles are most receptive to rebuilding glycogen stores immediately post-exercise for up to two hours 5.
Even so, there’s still a lot of conflicting information around nutrient timing. In general, try to eat within 1-2 hours of finishing your run. If your run was short or less intense, a quick refuel is less important.
So, now that you’ve finished your run and you’re rehydrating, what do you eat?
Suppose you’re running for extended periods as marathon runners do. In that case, you’ll want to make sure you’re topping up your nutrient stores, replenishing hydration and electrolytes, and boosting glycogen stores back up. That means:
- Complex carbohydrates
- Electrolyte supplement
- Protein
Let’s break those down.
Protein
Protein is the building block of your muscles and is essential after any form of exercise to facilitate damage control. Sufficient protein is needed to repair exercise-induced muscle damage, reduce the response of cortisol (the primary stress hormone), and can even accelerate glycogen replacement, the goal of consuming carbohydrates.
But how much is enough?
Research suggests that whole-body net protein balance increases in response to protein intake in a dose-dependent manner. It’s recommended to consume at least 30g of protein to maximize skeletal muscle myofibrillar protein synthesis rates during recovery from a single bout of endurance exercise 6.
Endurance athletes may require a higher intake of protein than most people due to higher amino acid oxidation rates 7. According to sports nutrition consensus statements, it’s recommended that endurance athletes consume 1.2–2.0 g protein/kg/day to maintain protein balance, which is roughly 120% higher than the current RDA of 0.8 g/kg/day 8.
Post-run protein options may look like:
- 3-6 oz turkey or chicken
- 3-6 oz. Salmon
- Four large eggs
Or for plant-based eaters, that may come in the form of black beans and quinoa, tempeh, or a vegan protein shake. Regardless of how you consume it, protein is essential after a run.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are one of the most underestimated recovery techniques, especially for endurance athletes. Most people know that protein is needed to repair muscles and limit muscle damage and soreness. Still, carbs are required to replenish glycogen stores—your energy storehouse during prolonged endurance activity.
Consuming sufficient carbs before a workout is essential for maintaining an immediate energy source during your run—and even consuming them mid-run for long-distance runners.
But your blood sugar is affected for some time afterward because your body remains in high gear for a handful of hours post-run. So, refeeding with carbs can help to regulate glucose levels and mitigate damage.
However, the amount of carbs you consume will depend on how you’re training. If you’re doing a moderate jog for 30 minutes, you’re not going to need anywhere near as many carbs as someone who’s cranking out 6-minute miles for 1-2 hours.
For endurance athletes undergoing vigorous training and races, that looks like 2.5-4.5g per pound of bodyweight, equating to roughly 55-65% total calories from carbohydrates. In contrast, moderate exercisers need about 2.5-3.0g/lb and over 4.5 g/lb for ultra-endurance athletes.
However, you want to be picky with what kind of carbs you’re consuming. Complex carbs are always a good choice—that’s things like yams, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, or anything high-nutrient and high-fiber—but if you’re looking for immediate glycogen replenishment, you can cut back on the fiber and opt for simpler carbs like fruit, white potatoes, and rice.
Be sure to avoid the processed and refined stuff, as it’s likely going to spike your blood sugar and impair your performance.
Top Recovery Foods For Runners
Need some inspo on what to eat post-run? Here are our top picks!
Protein
- Poultry (chicken, turkey)
- Beef
- Eggs
- Fish (salmon, trout, tuna, cod, haddock)
- Protein shakes (plant-based or not)
- Beans and legumes
- Fermented tofu (or tempeh)
Carbs
- Root vegetables (carrots, squash, sweet potato, yam, beet, rutabaga)
- Potatoes
- White, brown, or wild rice
- Quinoa
- Fruit (apple, banana)
- Beans and legumes
- Oats
BONUS: Performance Lab Recover
Whether you’re pulling doubles or just looking to maximize your recovery between runs, having a solid recovery formula can be super helpful. And the best choice? Performance Lab Recover. It’s the world’s smartest fuel for all-in-1 anabolic muscle support between workouts.
Recover features a precise 2:1 ratio of KarboLyn® clean carbohydrates and Oryzatein® organic brown rice protein technology for synergistic nutrient replenishment. Plus, you’re getting 1600mg of restorative beta-alanine to fast-track recovery and power muscle across strength, endurance, and growth.
Flavored and sweetened with organic cocoa, vanilla bean, cinnamon, coconut palm sugar, yacon root, monk fruit, and stevia, Recover is the cleanest, best-tasting, and most-effective post-workout drink.
Post-Run Nutrition No-No’s
What you eat after a run is important for supporting optimal performance and recovery, but if you’re not choosing carefully, it can also hinder it.
Overindulging after a string of calorie-torching exercises can be tempting, but you don’t want to overdo it. If you don’t pay attention to what and how much you’re eating, your post-run meals or munchies can easily turn into a nasty habit that impedes on your performance.
Here are some things you should avoid in post-workout meals:
- Alcohol—It may get the feel-good hormones going, but alcohol can prevent dietary protein from doing its job—i.e., building and repairing muscle.
- Eating too much protein—While protein is needed for muscle protein synthesis, too much of it can be dangerous. Stick to the recommended guidelines if you’re looking for optimal repair.
- Eating too late—If you want to kick-start recovery, you need to give your body something to kick-start it with. You should eat within 2 hours maximum post-exercise.
- Refined/processed carbs—Carbs are necessary, but don’t make the mistake of going after any carb you see. Avoid the ultra-processed, nutrient-devoid ones for those packed with nutrients and fiber to support recovery.
- Fried foods—Chicken wings, fried tofu, or anything else fried may sound good and may be packed with protein and carbs, but the unearthly oils aren’t doing your body any good. Avoid them post-run (and in general).
Concluding Thoughts
Performance nutrition seems to be anything but simple. Eat this, don’t eat that; eat now, wait until later to eat; load up on carbs, cut carbs completely. There’s no end to the conflicting information, but for endurance athletes, focusing on protein and carbs after a run is important to get recovery started.
When you can stick to the basics of sports nutrition and not get complicated with your meals, you’re giving your body what it needs to perform and recover optimally.
References
- Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ. Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window?. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013;10(1):5.
- Roy Exercise and Fluid Replacement: Brought to you by the American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal. 2013;17(4):3.
- Noakes D. Commentary: role of hydration in health and exercise. BMJ,.2012;345:e4171.
- Hew-Butler T, Loi V, Pani A, Rosner MH.Exercise-associated hyponatremia: 2017 update. Front Med (Lausanne). 2017;4:21.
- Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33.
- Churchward-Venne TA, Pinckaers PJM, Smeets JSJ, et al. Dose-response effects of dietary protein on muscle protein synthesis during recovery from endurance exercise in young men: a double-blind randomized trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020;112(2):303-317.
- Tarnopolsky M. Protein requirements for endurance athletes. Nutrition. 2004;20(7-8):662-668.
- Kato H, Suzuki K, Bannai M, Moore DR. Protein Requirements Are Elevated in Endurance Athletes after Exercise as Determined by the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Method. PLoS One. 2016;11(6):e0157406.
