Weekly Training Notes: Match Your Fuel to Your Training

Practical training advice, athlete highlights, and lessons from real training blocks. Each week I send a short newsletter to my athletes with training tips, coaching notes, and shout-outs. The goal is simple: share things that actually help people train consistently and stay healthy while working toward their goals. Below is an excerpt from a recent newsletter.

Training Tip: Match Your Fuel to Your Training

As mileage starts to increase, your energy needs increase with it. The most common nutrition mistake I see isn’t eating poorly. It’s simply not eating enough.

When runners regularly under-fuel, recovery slows down. Workouts start to feel harder than they should. Sleep and mood can take a hit. Over time, small aches tend to stick around longer and injury risk starts creeping up.

You don’t need to count every calorie. But you do need to respect that a long run costs more than a rest day.

Instead of focusing on numbers, it can help to think about building a balanced plate with four basic components.

Carbohydrates – Your main fuel source, especially for moderate to hard efforts.
Think oats, rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, and fruit.

Protein – Supports muscle repair and recovery.
Eggs, yogurt, chicken, fish, tofu, beans.

Healthy fats – Important for overall health and lower-intensity energy needs.
Avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fish.

Color (fruits and vegetables) – Vitamins and minerals that support energy production and muscle repair.
A simple goal is trying to get at least two colors on the plate when you can.

From there, you can adjust based on the day.

Hard or long run days: Increase carbohydrates while keeping protein steady.

Moderate training days: Aim for a balanced plate across all four categories.

Easy or rest days: Carbs may come down slightly, but don’t eliminate them. Keep protein high and lean into fruits, vegetables, fiber, and healthy fats to support recovery.

One small habit that makes a big difference is eating within an hour after key workouts and including both carbohydrates and protein.

You don’t need perfect nutrition to train well. But you do need to fuel consistently enough to support the work you’re doing.

Most progress in a training cycle is built on ordinary days. Fueling those days well makes everything else easier

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