Keto Long Distant Runners

Hello :)

I recently became Keto adpted ( and do 16/8 fasts). My energy levels have been thru the roof and I wanted to get back to doing marathons again. Any Keto marathon runners here? Do you have a ‘snack’ or drink to fuel up for long distance runs? Any tips welcomed


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Replies

  • timothyocean
    timothyocean Posts: 1 Member
    I'm currently am injured runner (not running) and I'm about 10 days into ketosis. Following this post with interest. Have only one marathon under my belt so far but crave more. Aiming for ultras.
  • arialb122
    arialb122 Posts: 34 Member
    I'm also very interested in responses to this post. I am an endurance runner (although only halves!) and have had a few failed attempts at running since I have started Keto. Would love to get back to it, but can't imagine how my body would fare!
  • tess5036
    tess5036 Posts: 942 Member
    I am keto and training for a marathon. I was put in the direction of keto by my doctor after he discovered I was doing endurance sports. During the initial stages it was difficult training and I had to cut back a bit as my energy levels dropped, but they have since recovered. I usually train fasted as that is what is better for me, but I have noted when I have something about 2 to 3 hours before a long exercise a session it appears to help.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    tess5036 wrote: »
    I am keto and training for a marathon. I was put in the direction of keto by my doctor after he discovered I was doing endurance sports. During the initial stages it was difficult training and I had to cut back a bit as my energy levels dropped, but they have since recovered. I usually train fasted as that is what is better for me, but I have noted when I have something about 2 to 3 hours before a long exercise a session it appears to help.

    I would be so skeptical if a doctor recommended keto to me specifically because I was doing endurance running. Given that the most successful endurance athletes tend to eat carbohydrate-rich diets (especially during training), what was his justification? Also, does his practice focus on endurance athletes and their nutritional needs?

    Especially considering that my dietitian -- who focuses on sports medicine/sports nutrition, and lectures at a national level -- told me that of all the poor choices I could make, she would rather have me *restrict* to <1000 than she would have me do keto. And she has OPINIONS about <1000. That's how strongly she feels about the negative effects of keto.

    Regarding judging: Generally, I don't care what people do, and how they eat. You do you. But if "you" tell me that I'm doing it all wrong, and that low carb and keto are the only way to go, I will come down on you like a hammer on a fruit fly. Because that *kitten* doesn't fly -- don't food shame me, and don't food shame other people.

    Yeah, I can get having other reasons to want to eat ketogenically and then working to do that in a way that supports your endurance training. It's harder for me to imagine reasons why one would choose to eat ketogenically specifically because one was doing endurance training.

    There is an allure in being able to theoretically run off my existing fat stores for fuel vs messing with gels and things. So I can understand why many have tried (myself included).

    But everyone that I know who has tried (myself included) found that we didn’t care how much fat we were burning if we’re running slower (and with less overall energy). Since that is literally no one’s goal.

    So as seems to be the message in the studies and things on the prior page (and vast amounts of anecdotal evidence), higher carbs is better for performance in endurance running.

    Yeah, it *sounds* amazing. When I first read about it, I was intrigued. And while I've never tried it, what I've read from the experiences of others is that it is kind of like "fool's gold."