A 12‑Week Journey from Quiet Winter Roads to Spring Start Lines.
"The miles no one sees become the finish lines everyone remembers."
Week 8 — March 2–March 8
Before we talk miles, workouts, or long‑run strategy, Week 8 asks you to shift your attention inward — to the quiet systems that make strong running possible. This is the week where you stop thinking of fueling as something “extra” and start seeing it as part of the training itself.
Your body is preparing for a race.
Your long run is becoming a rehearsal.
And the choices you make in the next few days — what you eat, how you hydrate, how you practice — will shape how ready you feel when you step to the start line.
Week 8 is about filling the tank with intention, not intensity.
Let’s get you fueled for the miles ahead.
🥣 WEEK 8 OVERVIEW
Theme of the Week:
Fueling Is Training Too
Primary Goals:
• Learn the basics of carb loading for a half marathon
• Dial in hydration + electrolytes to support glycogen storage
• Practice race‑morning breakfast during the long run
• Test mid‑run fueling and timing
• Prepare for destination‑race challenges (travel, routine, food access)
📚 TRAINING INSIGHTS
Fueling Is Part of the Training — Not an Extra
Week 8 is where the physical work and the nutrition work finally meet. You’re not just building fitness — you’re building the systems that support that fitness.
Carb Loading Isn’t Complicated — It’s Intentional
Carbs can’t be stored as glycogen without water and electrolytes.
Hydration is what unlocks the fuel.
Hydration Is a Performance Tool
Steady fluids, electrolytes to retain water, and small sips during the run to support carb absorption.
Your Long Run Becomes a Dress Rehearsal
Breakfast, fueling, hydration, timing, gear — all of it.
Destination Races Change the Equation
Travel disrupts hydration, digestion, and routine. Planning ahead matters.
The Work Shifts — But It Doesn’t Get Harder
Week 8 is about getting smarter, not pushing harder.
Fueling + Hydration Education: What Your Body Needs for 13.1
Week 8 is where we shift from “just running” to understanding the engine behind the running.
What Is Glycogen (and Why It Matters Now)
Glycogen is your body’s stored form of carbohydrate — your built‑in energy tank.
Key insight:
You can’t store glycogen without water and electrolytes.
Carbs + fluids + sodium = glycogen storage
1. Carb Loading for a Half Marathon
Carb loading = shifting your plate toward more carbs in the 24–48 hours before the race.
How Much to Aim For
A simple, effective endurance target:
7–10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight per day
during the 24–48 hour loading window.
Examples:
• 120 lb runner → ~380–540g carbs/day
• 150 lb runner → ~475–680g carbs/day
• 180 lb runner → ~570–815g carbs/day
It looks like a lot on paper — but spread across meals, snacks, drinks, and simple carbs, it’s very doable.
How to Carb Load (Simple + Effective)
• Increase carbs, not total calories
• Keep fiber moderate
• Keep fat low
• Choose familiar foods
• Spread carbs throughout the day
Practical Carb Sources
Rice, potatoes, pasta, oats, pancakes, fruit, bread, tortillas, pretzels, cereal, bagels, sports drink.
Hydration + Electrolytes Matter
Carbs can’t be stored as glycogen without water.
Electrolytes help your body retain that water.
2. Hydration Strategy (24–48 Hours Before the Race)
Daily Targets:
60–80 oz total fluids per day
• 40–60 oz water
• 20–30 oz electrolytes
The Day Before the Race:
70–90 oz total fluids
with 20–30 oz electrolytes
Steady sipping, not chugging.
3. Race‑Morning Fueling
2–3 Hours Before the Race:
• Simple, familiar carbs
• Low fiber, low fat
• Examples: bagel + banana, oatmeal + honey, toast + jam, pancakes, rice bowl
Race‑Morning Hydration:
• 12–20 oz water + electrolytes
• 4–6 oz water 30 minutes before
⭐ Runner Fuel Spotlight: Why Rice Krispies Work So Well
Rice Krispies (and similar puffed‑rice cereals) are one of the most effective pre‑race carb sources you can use. Fast‑digesting, low‑fiber, gentle, and easy to pair with electrolytes.
Why They Work
• Pure, fast carbs
• Very low fiber
• Low fat + low protein
• Easy to pair with electrolytes
• Familiar + predictableHow Runners Use Them
2–3 hours before:
• 1–2 bowls
• Banana or honey
• 12–20 oz electrolytes
30–60 minutes before:
• Rice Krispies Treat
• Small bowl
• A few sips of water💡 Runner Tip: Yes, You Can Add Sugar
A little sugar on your Rice Krispies is totally fine on race morning. It’s just more simple carbs — fast, gentle, and easy to absorb. If a teaspoon of sugar (or a drizzle of honey) helps the bowl go down easier at 5:30 AM, that’s a win.
4. Fueling During the Race
Most runners underfuel during a half marathon — and they feel it late in the race. Your goal on race day is simple: keep a steady stream of carbs coming in so your glycogen tank doesn’t bottom out.
General Guideline:
Take carbs every 30–40 minutes
(30–60g/hour)
Fuel Options That Work Well
You don’t need anything fancy. The best mid‑race fuels are the ones your stomach already knows:
• Gels
• Gummy bears (tiny, joyful sugar rockets — and yes, they work)
• Jelly beans
• Sports drink
• Chews
• Activastic Boost Energy Strips — a clean, fast‑absorbing option for the final stretch
A Note on Activastic Boost Energy Strips
These strips shine in the final 3 miles of a half marathon — right when fatigue peaks and focus starts to slip. The combo of Green Tea Caffeine + L‑Theanine gives a smooth, steady lift without the jitters. They dissolve quickly, hit fast, and help you finish with intention instead of survival mode.
This is exactly how I use them: one strip when I hit the final 3 miles — a gentle but noticeable “let’s go” that helps me stay sharp and strong to the finish.
Hydration During the Race
Hydration supports carb absorption and keeps your stomach happy.
• 3–5 oz every 15–20 minutes
OR
• 6–10 oz at each aid station, depending on spacing
Important:
Always take a sip of water with your carbs.
5. Destination Races: What Changes When You Travel
During Travel:
• 8–12 oz water per hour
• One serving electrolytes
• Limit alcohol + caffeine
Once You Arrive:
• 20–30 oz water + electrolytes
• Resume 60–80 oz/day
• Scout carb options early
• Bring familiar foods
Race‑Morning Reality:
Hotel breakfasts are unpredictable.
Plan ahead.
6. This Week’s Long Run = Dress Rehearsal
• Eat your race‑morning breakfast
• Hydrate using Week 8 targets
• Fuel every 30–40 minutes
• Drink small amounts consistently
• Test what you’ll carry
• Note what works
Confidence comes from practice, not guessing.
🏃WEEK 8 TRAINING PLAN — BEGINNER
🏃WEEK 8 TRAINING PLAN — INTERMEDIATE
Before You Head Out…
This week gives you a lot to take in — fueling, hydration, electrolytes, carb loading, race‑morning routines, mid‑run timing, destination‑race planning. It’s more information than usual, and that’s intentional. You’re learning the pieces that make race day feel steady instead of chaotic.
You don’t need to master everything at once.
You don’t need to memorize every number.
You just need to practice.
Fueling isn’t glamorous. It’s the quiet work that makes race day feel like something you built, not something you survived. So take what you can this week, try it out, and let the rest settle in over time.
Practice your breakfast. Practice your fueling. Practice your hydration. Let this week be a dress rehearsal for the runner you’re becoming.
Fill the tank, trust the work, and let the miles come to you.