How to Fuel for Your Next 10K

A 10K may be short compared to marathon or ultramarathon distances, but that does not mean fueling is irrelevant. In fact, racing well over these distances depends on arriving at the starting line with fully stocked glycogen, stable blood glucose, and zero gastrointestinal distractions. The goal is simple: fuel early, fuel cleanly, and eliminate uncertainty. You should not need nutrition during the race itself, but how you fuel in the days leading into the event—and the final 15 minutes before the gun—can meaningfully affect performance. This guide outlines exactly how to fuel for a 10K using Neversecond, broken down by timeline, with clear explanations for why each step matters.

Seeing The Big Picture: What Matters for Short-Distance Racing

A 10K is raced at or near lactate threshold, with significant anaerobic contribution. What does that mean?

You are almost entirely dependent on muscle glycogen.
Blood glucose stability affects perceived effort and pace control.
Gastrointestinal comfort is critical. Any distress is amplified at high intensity.

Unlike longer races, you are not trying to fuel during the event. Instead, you are optimizing your readiness.

2–3 Days Before the Race: Top Off Your Tank

What to Do

Maintain normal training nutrition, but prioritize carbohydrates.
Aim for consistent, evenly spaced carbohydrate intake across meals.
Stay hydrated with electrolyte-based fluids such as C30 Sports Drink.

Why This Matters

Muscle glycogen does not fill instantly. It accumulates over multiple meals and multiple days. For a short race, you are not carb-loading aggressively. You are simply ensuring glycogen stores are full and stable, not partially depleted from training. Underfueling in the days before a race often shows up as:

The feeling of having "heavy legs."
Inability to change pace.
Early accumulation of fatigue.

How Neversecond Fits In

C30 Sports Drink can be used during training sessions to ensure consistent carbohydrate availability without gastrointestinal stress.
Keeping carbohydrate intake modular and measurable reduces guesswork and avoids last-minute dietary changes.

1 Day Before: Stay Consistent and Familiar

What to Do

Eat familiar, carbohydrate-forward meals
Avoid excessive fiber, fat, or large portions late in the day
Hydrate steadily; do not overdrink plain water
Finish your final substantial meal 12–14 hours before race start

Why This Matters

The day before the race is about digestive calm. You are no longer building fitness or glycogen. You are preserving what you’ve already accumulated. High fiber, unfamiliar foods, or oversized meals increase the risk of:

Gastrointestinal distress
Poor sleep
Morning bloating or discomfort

Electrolytes matter here as well. Adequate sodium intake helps maintain plasma volume and supports neuromuscular function on race morning.

How Neversecond Fits In

A light serving of C30 Sports Drink with meals can support hydration without heaviness
Neversecond’s clean formulations reduce the risk of residual gut irritation heading into race day

Race Morning: Fuel Without Interference

2–3 Hours Before Start

Consume a small, carbohydrate-focused breakfast or snack such as C30 Fuel Bar
Keep protein and fat minimal
Drink fluids with sodium, such as C30 Sports Drink.

Why This Matters

You want enough carbohydrate to support liver glycogen and blood glucose, but not so much volume that digestion competes with race-day blood flow. The purpose of this meal is availability, not fullness.

15 Minutes Before the Start: The Final Signal

Take 1x C30 Energy Gel or C30+ Caffeine Energy Gel (Make sure to test in training) approximately 15 minutes before the start
Do not stack multiple gels
Sip water only if needed

Why This Matters

At high intensity, blood glucose can fall rapidly early in the race, especially if you start aggressively. A single gel shortly before the gun:

Raises circulating glucose
Spares early muscle glycogen
Reduces perceived exertion in the opening kilometers

This is not about “fueling during the race.” It's about starting the race fueled.

During the Race: Consume Nothing

For a 10K, no nutrition should be required during the event. Trying to consume fuel mid-race offers no physiological benefit, increases distraction and introduces unnecessary gastrointestinal risk. If you have fueled properly beforehand, your glycogen stores and blood glucose are more than sufficient to carry you to the finish.

10K Fueling Checklist

Do

Arrive at race week well-fueled, not depleted
Eat consistent carbohydrates 2–3 days out
Keep the day before boring and familiar
Hydrate with electrolyte-containing fluids like C30 Sports Drink
Take 1x C30 Energy Gel or C30+ Caffeine Energy Gel ~15 minutes pre-start

Don’t

Experiment with new foods or supplements
Overeat the night before
Consume high fiber or high fat meals close to race day
Overdrink plain water
Take gels during the race
Add complexity where it isn’t needed

10K Fueling Guide

Download & Print

Still have questions? We have answers. Just drop us an email at hello@never2.com and we will reply within 24 hours.