What I Would Buy from The Feed: Marathon Training Edition
The Feed is a great resource for distance runners, making fueling easier and more accessible. With so many products available, it can be overwhelming to know which ones are worth your money and will truly support your performance. As a dietitian and competitive distance runner, I want to simplify your next order from The Feed with great-tasting, high-quality products that support your training, racing, and recovery.
Let’s take a look at what I would buy from The Feed during a marathon training block:
In this article
Pre-Run Fuel Products
Electrolyte and Hyperhydration Products
Performance Supplements
Intra-Run Fuel Products
Recovery Products
Pre-Run Fuel Products
Provides 36 g of carbs per bar to help fuel longer runs or workouts.
Oat-based bar that is easy to digest and works well as a pre-run or pre-workout snack.
Made with simple ingredients and a balanced mix of quick and sustained energy.
Tasty, easy-to-digest pre-run snack that’s gentle on the stomach.
Provides 19 g of carbohydrates per waffle for quick energy before or during a run.
Contains both glucose and fructose to help support efficient carbohydrate absorption and fueling.
A great quick-carb option for before or during a run, provides 19 g of carbs and 150 mg of sodium per serving.
Gluten free and vegan.
A step up from typical fruit snacks or chews.
Electrolyte and Hyperhydration Products
Lower sodium option (300 mg per serving) for light to moderate salty sweaters or milder weather conditions.
Great before a base run, workout, or race alongside a carb-based snack or meal.
Simple ingredient list and lightly sweetened with Stevia, which most runners tolerate well.
Higher sodium option (1000 mg per serving) for heavy salty sweaters or hot and humid conditions.
Good before a base run, workout, or race alongside a carb-based snack or meal.
Simple ingredient list with no artificial sweeteners or stevia.
Moderate sodium option (400 mg) for moderate salty sweaters and moderate conditions.
Good before a base run, workout, or race.
Contains natural sugar, which can improve hydration because sodium and glucose are absorbed together in the intestine, helping pull water into the body more efficiently.
Precision Fuel & Hydration Electrolyte Capsules
Offers 250 mg of sodium per swallowable capsule packaged in a waterproof blister pack.
Great option for moderate to heavy salty sweaters or hot and humid conditions.
Helpful during a marathon when you may need more sodium than what’s offered on course.
The majority of gels and chews don’t exceed 250 mg of sodium per product.
Good for runners who tend to experience heat stress.
Performance Supplements
Contains dietary nitrates, which act as a vasodilator.
Helps deliver more oxygen to working muscles, delays fatigue, and improves exercise efficiency.
Great option before a workout or race, recommended to take 2-3 hrs prior.
Provides 400 mg of dietary nitrate, the scientifically supported effective dose, and is Informed Sport certified.
The Feed Lab Creatine Monohydrate Powder
Supports strength and power, which may help marathoners maintain a better running economy.
Helps replenish ATP, which can improve performance during short, intense intervals, hills, and finishing kicks.
May help reduce inflammation and muscle damage from exercise.
May also support cognitive performance during fatigue.
May aid hydration and temperature regulation by increasing water content inside muscle cells.
Very affordable, NSF Certified for Sport and contains only creatine monohydrate.
Intra-Run Fuel Products
Drink Mix comes in 160 (40 g carbs) or 320 (80 g carbs) packets. The 320 packet works well for long runs, while the 160 works well for shorter workouts or when combining with gels. They also offer a caffeinated option for both mixes.
Sodium content is relatively low, so salty sweaters or runners in hot conditions may want to add electrolytes.
The 100 Caf gel works well pre-race or mid-race, while the 160 gel helps deliver more carbs with fewer gels to carry.
Neutral sweet taste with no strong flavor; gels have a thicker hydrogel consistency that many runners tolerate well.
Science in Sport (SiS) Gels
Wide variety of gels available. Favorites include Beta Fuel (40 g carbs), Beta Fuel + Electrolytes (200 mg sodium), and GO Energy + Caffeine (22 g carbs, 75 mg caffeine).
More liquid consistency, making them easy to consume while running.
Available in many flavors.
Precision Carb Drink Mix
Drink mix options include Carb Only Drink Mix (30–120 g carbs per liter) or one that contains electrolytes (60 g carbs and 1000 mg sodium per liter).
Both options work well depending on the type of run, sweat rate, weather conditions, and whether you want electrolytes already included.
Precision Gels
Popular gels include PF 30 (30 g carbs) and PF 30 Caffeinated (30 g carbs, 100 mg caffeine).
The carb drink mixes and gels have a mild citrus flavor, and the gels have a thinner, jelly-like consistency.
The Feed Lab High-Carb Drink Mix
Great option if you're looking for a simple and affordable carb drink mix.
Unflavored (similar to Maurten), which helps prevent flavor fatigue during long runs.
Contains a low to moderate amount of sodium per serving.
Recovery Products
Made from tart cherries, rich in Anthocyanins that may help reduce exercise-induced inflammation.
Research suggests tart cherry products may support muscle recovery and reduce soreness after intense training.
Use during intense or high-volume weeks and a few days before and after a race.
Great before bed, especially when traveling across time zones, because tart cherry juice contains a small amount of melatonin and also helps support your body’s natural melatonin production.
Concentrated and easy to mix (water, juice, smoothies), also offer convenient 2.5 oz. travel packets.
The Feed Lab Whey Protein Powder
Whey protein is a high quality, highly bioavailable protein that provides 100% or more of the essential amino acids, which is optimal for muscle protein synthesis.
Supports muscle repair and recovery, and is ideal for daily use or after hard workouts or lifting.
Can be added to oatmeal, smoothies, milk, muffins, and more to boost protein content and support optimal recovery.
Promix Whey Isolate Protein Powder
30 g of grass-fed whey protein isolate per serving.
No artificial sweeteners, minimal lactose, and a simple ingredient list make it GI friendly.
Mixes well and taste great.
Plant-based protein blend designed to support muscle recovery and repair.
Provides a complete amino acid profile using complementary plant protein sources.
Dairy-free, making it a good option for athletes with lactose intolerance or those following a plant-based diet.
Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega 2x Sport
High-potency omega-3s (EPA + DHA) to support heart, joint, and muscle health.
May help reduce inflammation and improve post-workout recovery.
May support brain and eye health.
Ideal for runners who don’t eat enough fatty fish like salmon, sardines, or mackerel (recommended 2–3 times per week).
This supplement is NSF Certified for Sport.
Supports tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues, helping with lingering soft-tissue injuries.
Provides vitamin C, which is necessary for your body to produce and stabilize new collagen.
Best taken daily 30–60 minutes before a run or rehab session to help blood deliver collagen to the tissues being worked or healing.
Mixes easily with water or an electrolyte drink.
Collagen production naturally declines starting in your late 20s, making supplementation especially important for tissue repair and recovery.
This supplement is NSF Certified for Sport.
Skratch Labs Recovery Sport Drink Mix
Available in a dairy-based version or a vegan option.
Tastes great and provides a 4:1 carb-to-protein ratio, making it a perfect to-go snack option on busy days, after harder runs or races, or when experiencing low appetite post-workout.
Contains 1 billion probiotics to support digestion and nutrient absorption.
Protein content per serving is a bit low, so consider adding an extra 1-2 scoops or mixing with 8 oz of milk.
Tailwind Nutrition Recovery Mix
Dairy-free and gluten-free recovery mix that still provides all 9 essential amino acids from brown rice and fava bean protein.
Contains 20 g of complete, plant-based protein per serving.
Provides a balanced amount of carbs, protein, and electrolytes per serving, making it an excellent post-workout option for optimal recovery.
Transparent Labs Grass Fed Protein Bar
Contains 16 g of complete protein per bar from grass-fed whey isolate and egg whites.
Provides a balanced amount of carbs, fats, and protein per bar, making it a great to-go option post-workout.
No artificial sweeteners and simple ingredients.
15 g of plant-based protein per bar
Good amount of carbs and protein per bar, making it a great to-go option post-workout.
Gluten-free, no artificial sweeteners, and simple ingredients.