Mediocre Miles: What My First Half Marathon Taught Me About Exercise Nutrition
This past weekend I toed the line at the Saucony Covered Bridge Half Marathon in Shelburne, Vermont. It was a gorgeous course—mostly flat with some rolling hills, winding through small-town scenery and, yes, past a couple of covered bridges. The weather couldn’t have been better for running: overcast skies, mid-50s, and just a hint of sprinkling rain to keep things cool.
Originally, I had big plans for this race. The goal was to chase a 90-minute finish. But training priorities shift, and right now my eyes are set on two ultra marathons later this fall—one in October, one in November. That meant this half marathon wasn’t going to be an all-out effort but rather a glorified long run, a workout embedded inside a bigger training cycle.
I ended up running right at my training pace—around 7:30 per mile—comfortably finishing without emptying the tank. On paper, it looks like a win. But looking back, I realize I could have squeezed more value out of this race if I had paid closer attention to one piece of the puzzle: nutrition.
Turns out, a half marathon has a funny way of humbling you when you ignore the details. Here are the two big lessons I walked away with.
Lesson 1: Sodium matters…A LOT
There’s a lot of debate in the endurance world about electrolytes. Do you need them every day? Is “sports drink science” mostly marketing? In truth, the average desk worker sipping electrolyte powder during Zoom calls probably isn’t moving the needle on performance. But when you’re out running for 90 minutes or more, electrolytes—especially sodium—become critical.
Sodium is the main electrolyte lost through sweat. It plays a big role in fluid balance, nerve signaling, and muscle contractions. When levels dip too low during a long effort, your body notices—and not in a good way. Fatigue sets in sooner, cramping risk goes up, and performance takes a hit.
Looking back, I should have done some sodium loading in the day leading up to the race. Nothing extreme, just starting to sip on a high-sodium drink the afternoon prior so my body had a reservoir to draw from. Instead, I treated the event like a casual long run, and my fueling reflected that. Rookie mistake.
Lesson 2: Intra-run fueling is a skill (and I don’t have it… yet)
Confession: I can’t even walk and sip from a water bottle without spilling on myself. Now picture me trying to slurp maple syrup out of a gel packet while running a 7-minute mile. Not pretty.
But here’s the thing: if I’m serious about running ultras, I don’t get to avoid this skill. Eating and drinking on the move isn’t optional—it’s survival. The body only stores so much glycogen (carbohydrate energy), and if you’re out for multiple hours, you’re going to need mid-run fuel.
This half marathon made it clear that I need to practice intra-run nutrition. Not just on race day, but during training. That means working on opening, eating, and swallowing gels while moving. It means experimenting with a hydration vest until I can drink without breaking stride. It’s clunky now, but it will get better. And when it does, I’ll thank myself at mile 35 of an ultra.
What this means for you
Now, you may be thinking: That’s great, but I’m not training for an ultra marathon. Totally fair. But don’t tune out yet, because the bigger lesson applies to anyone who exercises: nutrition around your workouts is a variable that requires attention.
Want to crush that 6 p.m. workout after a long day at work? Plan a mid-afternoon snack.
Love early morning training? What you eat for dinner the night before sets the tone for how you’ll feel.
Doing a long hike or bike ride this weekend? Bringing along a water bottle and quick-digesting fuel could make the difference between finishing strong and dragging your feet.
It’s easy to dismiss nutrition as something “serious athletes” worry about. But food is fuel, and being intentional about it helps anyone get more from their effort—whether your goal is shaving time off your 5K PR, lifting heavier in the gym, or simply feeling less wiped out after a workout.
Final thoughts…
The Covered Bridge Half Marathon gave me a dose of perspective. Yes, I hit my pace and logged the miles I needed. But I also got a firsthand reminder that endurance performance isn’t just about fitness—it’s about fueling.
For me, that means dialing in sodium and practicing eating on the run before my ultras this fall. For you, it might mean tossing a banana in your work bag so you’re not running on fumes by the time your evening workout rolls around.
Either way, the principle is the same: don’t leave nutrition as an afterthought. Plan it, practice it, and your body will thank you when it counts.