What you eat after a run matters as much as what you eat before it. Yet most runners treat recovery nutrition as an afterthought — grabbing whatever is convenient rather than fueling the repair process their muscles desperately need. The science is clear: the type, amount, and timing of post-run nutrition should be calibrated to the distance and duration you just covered.
The window immediately after exercise is when muscle glycogen resynthesis is fastest, protein synthesis is elevated, and your gut is primed to absorb nutrients efficiently. Miss this window and you delay recovery by hours. Nail it and you come back stronger for your next session. Here is the evidence-based protocol broken down by distance.
5K: Keep It Simple
A 5K run at easy to moderate effort depletes relatively little glycogen and causes minimal muscle damage. For most runners, a normal balanced meal within 2 hours is sufficient. You do not need a recovery shake or aggressive refueling strategy — your body handles this distance without emergency intervention.
If you raced a 5K at maximum effort, the picture changes slightly. A small carbohydrate-protein snack within 30 minutes (something like a banana with Greek yogurt, providing roughly 15g protein and 30g carbs) can accelerate the repair process for damaged fast-twitch muscle fibers. Rehydrate with 500ml of water with a pinch of salt to replace modest sweat losses.
10K: The 60-Minute Rule
At 10K distance, glycogen depletion becomes meaningful — especially if you raced hard. Research consistently shows that consuming 20-30g of high-quality protein combined with 40-60g of carbohydrates within 60 minutes post-run significantly accelerates muscle glycogen resynthesis and reduces next-day soreness by 20-30% compared to delayed eating.
Practical targets for 10K recovery:
- 20-30g protein (whey, eggs, Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese)
- 40-60g fast-digesting carbohydrates (white rice, banana, sports drink)
- Fluid replacement of approximately 1.25x your sweat losses
- Follow with a full balanced meal within 2-3 hours
A NorthLine performance drink mixed with a high-protein snack hits this window efficiently when you cannot immediately access a meal.
Half Marathon: The 45-Minute Window and Rehydration
After 21.1km, muscle glycogen is substantially depleted, muscle damage is real, and fluid losses typically range from 0.8-1.5 litres depending on conditions. The recovery window tightens. Research from the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism recommends consuming 30-40g of protein and 60-80g of carbohydrates within 45 minutes of finishing.
Rehydration is particularly critical at this distance. Studies show that athletes need to consume approximately 1.5x their sweat losses to return to euhydration within 4-6 hours — accounting for ongoing urine losses. If you lost 1kg of body weight during the run, target 1.5 litres of fluid over the next 2 hours. Use the Sweat Rate Calculator to personalise your fluid targets based on your body weight change.
Anti-inflammatory foods — tart cherry juice (shown to reduce muscle soreness by 25% in multiple trials), fatty fish, blueberries, or turmeric — are worth incorporating into your recovery meal at this distance and beyond.
Marathon: Four Hours of Active Recovery Eating
A marathon depletes virtually all available glycogen and causes significant muscle damage. Recovery is not a single meal — it is a 4-hour eating protocol. Research by Burke et al. recommends consuming 1.0-1.2g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per hour for the first 4 hours post-marathon to maximally accelerate glycogen resynthesis. For a 70kg runner, that means 70-84g of carbs every hour.
Protein targets escalate to 40g within the first hour, with ongoing protein intake (20-25g every 3-4 hours) to support the elevated muscle protein synthesis that persists for 24-48 hours post-marathon. Electrolyte replacement is non-negotiable — sodium (1,000-2,000mg), potassium, and magnesium all require active replenishment.
- Hour 0-1: Recovery shake with 40g protein + 80g carbs + electrolytes
- Hour 1-2: Full meal — rice, salmon or chicken, vegetables
- Hour 2-4: Continue eating every 60-90 minutes, prioritising carbs
- Anti-inflammatory focus: tart cherry, omega-3s, colourful vegetables
- Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours — it impairs protein synthesis by up to 37%
For a deeper look at the 7-day marathon recovery process, see our marathon recovery guide, which covers sleep, training return timelines, and immune support strategies.
Ultra: Continuous Recovery Eating for 24-48 Hours
Ultra-distance events (50K, 100K, 100 miles) cause a category of physiological damage that standard recovery protocols simply do not address. Gut permeability increases significantly during events lasting 6+ hours — meaning your intestinal barrier is compromised and nutrient absorption is impaired for 24-48 hours post-race.
Immune suppression is severe. Studies show that rates of upper respiratory illness triple in the two weeks following an ultramarathon. Muscle damage biomarkers (CK and myoglobin) can remain elevated for 3-5 days. The recovery protocol reflects this:
- Immediate: liquid calories are often better tolerated than solids — smoothies, soups, NorthLine performance drinks
- Hours 1-6: Small, frequent feeds every 60-90 minutes; aim for 60-80g carbs + 20g protein per feed
- Gut repair priority: fermented foods (kefir, yogurt), glutamine-rich foods, and bone broth to support intestinal lining repair
- Immune support: Vitamin C (500-1,000mg), Vitamin D, zinc, and antioxidant-rich foods for the following 2 weeks
- Sleep is the highest-priority recovery modality — target 9-10 hours per night for the first 3 nights
- Return to structured training should be delayed by 1 day per 10km of race distance as a minimum guideline
For a full breakdown of the principles underpinning recovery at all distances, read our post-workout recovery guide. And use the Race Day Nutrition Planner to plan your fueling and recovery nutrition for your next event.