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RunningWhat to eat before a 5K or 10K
Short races need less than you think: a good breakfast and nothing fancy. · 2 min read · Updated September 30, 2026
How we made this guide: we built it from the research below and checked every number against it: ACSM, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics & Dietitians of Canada joint position stand (2016).
Most fueling advice is written for half and full marathons. Short races are simpler, and the plan fits in a few lines.
| 5K (most runners: under 45 min) | 10K (most runners: 45–75 min) | |
|---|---|---|
| Carb load? | No | No; carbs at every meal the day before |
| Breakfast | Light and familiar, 1–3 hours before | 1–4 g/kg of carbs, 1–4 hours before (the guideline for efforts over ~60 min) |
| During the race | Nothing needed | Little or nothing; a few sips of sports drink, or a mouth rinse (swish it and spit it out) |
| After | Your normal next meal | Your normal next meal |
From the ACSM joint position stand (Thomas, Erdman & Burke, 2016): no fuel needed under ~45 min; small amounts or a mouth rinse at 45–75 min; carb loading only for efforts over ~90 min.
A 10K breakfast for a 150 lb runner
About 140 g of carbs two hours out, such as a bagel with 2 tbsp honey, a banana and a glass of orange juice, or about 70 g an hour out if you’d rather eat less, closer to the start.
If you’re running longer than 75 minutes
A slower 10K moves into the next band: 30–60 g of carbs an hour once you’re past about 75 minutes. Our carbs-per-hour guide has the details.
Rehearse it once
Try your race breakfast before a hard training run and note how it felt. We built My Track Record so logging that breakfast is one spoken sentence.
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By Andrew, founder of My Track Record. Andrew has been active all of his life across a variety of sports and continues to stay active through climbing, swimming, weight training, golfing, snowboarding, and more. He built My Track Record so logging food and training takes one spoken sentence and can support any activity. He puts these guides together from published sports science research cited on each page. About AndrewSources
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Nutrition and Athletic Performance: joint position statement of the American College of Sports Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543–568. Source
General information for healthy adult runners, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or have a history of disordered eating, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing how you eat or use caffeine.