Key takeaways
- Estimate your time on the course before choosing your fuel.
- Short races generally do not require carbohydrate during the event.
- Use thirst and conditions to guide drinking, and practise unfamiliar intake in training.
How long will you be running?
Distance alone cannot settle your nutrition choices. Hills, heat or a combination of running and walking can extend your time on the course. Start with a realistic estimate based on recent training rather than the finish time you hope to achieve. This helps you use the guidance below without borrowing a marathon strategy for a much shorter race.
Guidelines distinguish efforts under 45 minutes, those lasting roughly 45 to 75 minutes and longer endurance exercise. These categories overlap: reaching one hour does not suddenly make eating essential. Intensity, familiar routines and the opportunities to consume something all matter when you choose what to carry.[1]
Will a gel help during a 10K?
For exercise under 45 minutes, carbohydrate intake during the event is not needed in the guidelines. Around an hour of sustained high-intensity exercise, small amounts may offer a benefit; contact with carbohydrate in the mouth can contribute to that effect. This does not make a whole gel essential for every runner.[1][2]
If your race will last well over an hour, endurance fuelling guidance becomes more relevant. Choose a form that you can comfortably consume while moving. Check carbohydrate per serving on the label: the weight of a sachet is not its carbohydrate content. A sweetened sports drink also contributes to the total, so water and sports drink cannot be treated as equivalent in that calculation.
What should you drink?
Check the water stations and expected weather. Sweat losses differ considerably between runners, so one fixed drinking volume will not suit everyone. Thirst is a practical guide to avoid forcing fluids; racing for performance in hot conditions may call for an individual strategy established during training.[3][4]
At a station, allow yourself enough time to drink comfortably, slowing down if necessary. Do not swallow a large amount simply because a cup is available. If you carry a gel, check its directions about water. Keep the practical details simple: you need to be able to open, carry and dispose of whatever you choose while sharing the course with other runners.
Which mistakes are worth avoiding?
Avoid trying a new product on race day or adding several servings because you are worried about running out of energy. Practise your choice in a session close to your expected race intensity. Notice both the ease of taking it and your digestive comfort: something that feels fine at rest may be less comfortable during hard running.[5]
Have a simple alternative if the advertised station does not offer what you expected. Read the organiser’s information, distinguish plain water from carbohydrate drinks and keep only options whose contents you understand. That preparation lets you focus on the race with a clear choice, instead of managing a collection of unfamiliar products.
Guidance by exercise duration
| Exercise duration | Carbohydrate | Practical context |
|---|---|---|
| Under 45 min | Not needed during exercise | This concerns intake during the event. |
| Around 45–75 min | Small amounts may help | A gel is not compulsory; practise taking it. |
| 1–2.5 hours | 30–60 g/h | Endurance guidance, not an automatic switch at 60 minutes. |
These are general recommendations, not targets to hit at any cost. The overlapping ranges reflect different combinations of duration and intensity.[1]
Frequently asked questions
Can I run a 10K without a gel?
Yes, particularly when the effort is short. For a longer race, consider whether a familiar, well-tolerated carbohydrate source could be useful. Having a gel in your pocket does not, by itself, guarantee a better race.
Do I need salt at every aid station?
Distance alone does not justify routine supplementation. Duration, heat and sweat losses change the context. Sodium does not cancel out excessive water intake; our hydration guide explains why those are separate issues.
Scientific sources
These references support the guidance presented. Applying it depends on duration, intensity and your tolerance; the references do not validate Glyk’s scoring rubric.
- Australian Institute of Sport — Sports gels: how and when do I use it?
- Jeukendrup — A Step Towards Personalized Sports Nutrition: Carbohydrate Intake During Exercise (2014).
- Sawka et al. — ACSM position stand: Exercise and fluid replacement (2007).
- Hew-Butler et al. — International Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia Consensus (2015).
- Costa et al. — Sports Dietitians Australia–USSF position statement on exercise-associated gastrointestinal symptoms (2025).
