If you run - whether it's a 5k or a 100k - you get to a point with your running where you begin to understand that your training demands carbohydrates. Marathon training, to continue that thought, demands even more.
Long runs get longer. 12 miles becomes 14 - then 16 - then 20. Weekly mileage climbs. Recovery becomes more important than ever.
But there's another piece of the nutrition puzzle that often gets overlooked until it's too late: protein.
If your goal race is this fall, now—not October—is when your protein habits should be dialed in and practiced to near perfection.
Why protein matters for marathon runners
Every quality workout creates microscopic damage within muscle fibers.
That's a good thing. That 3x3mile workout you did this morning can absolutely help with your marathon fitness - if you fuel it right. Your body rebuilds those fibers stronger during recovery, allowing you to handle higher training loads and become more resilient over the course of a marathon build.
But, of course, without enough protein, that rebuilding process slows.
Instead of adapting to training, you simply accumulate fatigue.
Research over the last several years has increasingly emphasized that endurance athletes need significantly more protein than recreationally active adults. Current recommendations generally fall between 1.6-2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight per day during periods of heavy training.
For a 70 kg (154-pound) runner, that's roughly 110-140 grams of protein every day.
Recovery isn't the only benefit
Protein does much more than repair sore muscles.
During high-volume marathon training, adequate protein intake helps:
- Support lean muscle mass despite increasing mileage
- Improve recovery between hard workouts
- Reduce muscle protein breakdown
- Support immune function during heavy training blocks
Anyone who's gotten sick in the middle of marathon training knows how disruptive missing even a few key sessions can be. Nutrition won't eliminate every illness, but consistently meeting protein needs gives your body another tool to stay healthy throughout a demanding build.
Timing matters
Hitting your daily protein goal is the priority, but when you eat protein can also make a difference.
Aim for roughly 20-30 grams of high-quality protein after harder runs, especially long runs, workouts, or double-session days. An even better methodology and approach to this all would be spreading protein throughout the day rather than consuming most of it at dinner.
Four to five evenly spaced servings stimulate muscle protein synthesis more consistently than one or two large meals.
Leucine (an amino acid found in protein, a mainstay of our Science Wednesday series) is particularly important because it helps trigger this rebuilding process.
Around 3 grams of leucine is commonly cited as an effective target for maximizing muscle protein synthesis after training.
Don't forget the carbohydrates
Protein isn't replacing carbohydrates, but is complementing them.
Carbohydrates fuel performance, and protein helps your body adapt to that training.
The runners who recover best consistently prioritize both - so lock that in now, not in the fall, two weeks before your A-race.
Build the habit before peak mileage
One of the biggest mistakes runners make is trying to overhaul nutrition during the final few weeks before race day. Successful marathon training is built on consistent habits developed months in advance.
Starting your protein strategy now means that by the time your highest-mileage weeks arrive, recovery is already part of your routine.
That's one less variable to worry about when training gets hardest.
A simple recovery solution
After demanding workouts, look for a recovery option that delivers:
- Around 20 grams of protein
- Approximately 3 grams of leucine
- Easy digestibility
- Consistency you can stick with
ADDRA Protein Bars provide exactly that, making them an easy post-run option whether you're heading to work, traveling, or simply trying to recover before your next session.
Your marathon isn't won on race day. It's built during the months of training that come before it, and every recovery decision matters.
