If you’re trying to improve cross country running – or help your kids or student athletes to improve their runs! – nutrition is one frequently overlooked aspect. While training and mental toughness are critical to racing, nutrition also plays an important role in maximizing performance and recovery.
Let’s take a look at everyday nutrition and workout-specific nutrition to help you prepare an optimal nutrition plan.
Disclaimer: This post was written by Chrissy Carroll, MPH, RD, RRCA Running Coach. It is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as individual nutrition advice. For individual nutrition questions, consult a Registered Dietitian.

Daily Nutrition Needs
There are a few helpful topics to consider as part of daily nutrition needs:
Get enough calories
Depending on an athlete’s competition level, fitness level, and coach, a cross-country runner may tackle anywhere from 20 to 80 plus miles per week. With those miles comes an increased need for calories.
The specific number of calories burned per mile varies based on the athlete’s weight, age, and speed, but let’s take a loose estimate of 100 calories per mile. That’s 2000-8000 extra calories per week from running alone!
As far as a daily total number of calories to eat – that depends on age, weight, muscle mass, genetics, and training routine. If you find yourself unintentionally losing weight or feel tired often at practice, that’s a sign you may not be eating enough though.
Consuming enough calories will help your performance and recovery, so be sure to fuel your body.
Eat all three macronutrients
As far as what makes up those calories – ideally, aim for all three macronutrients.
Carbohydrates are the muscle’s main source of energy during very intense running, and contribute some energy during moderate intensity running. Nutritious carbohydrates for runners include whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, yogurt, milk, and fruit.
Protein helps support muscle repair and recovery. You can find protein in foods like chicken, fish, beef, lamb, tofu, milk, soy milk, beans, and lentils. (Protein powders for runners can be an addition if you’re not getting enough protein, but should not take the place of these nutritious foods.)
Fat helps support overall health and wellness. Good sources of fat include nuts, avocado, olive oil, and fish.
In general, healthy sources of carbohydrates should make up about 50 to 65 percent of daily calories, protein should make up another 15 to 30 percent, and fat should make up the remaining 20 to 30 percent. These percentages will vary based on medical conditions, genetics, and other health goals.
Eat a rainbow of produce
Each color of produce represents a unique set of nutrients and phytochemicals (including flavonoids and antioxidants) that contribute to various aspects of health. For example, the antioxidants found in colorful fruits and vegetables may help reduce oxidative stress in the body that happens after intense exercise.
Plus, the natural sugars found in fruits can provide a quick energy boost!
Stay hydrated
Hydration is necessary for everyone to keep your tissues healthy, lubricate joints, and prevent constipation. But for runners in particular, research suggests that dehydration before an event may reduce performance – so it’s wise so stay hydrated daily for your best training and races.
There’s no perfect answer for how many cups of water a day that you need, as individual needs vary based on weight, body composition, and training routine. That said, the Institute of Medicine has made the following recommendations for daily fluid intake:
- Adult male: 3 liters (about 13 cups) of fluid from beverages
- Teen male: 2.6 liters (about 11 cups) of fluid from beverages
- Adult female: 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of fluid from beverages
- Teen female: 1.8 liters (about 8 cups) of fluid from beverages
Water is the preferred choice of fluid most of the time, but you can count other beverages (even coffee drinks in moderation) in this count.
Also, if an athlete is struggling to get in enough calories, then caloric beverages like chocolate milk or 100% fruit or vegetable juice might be helpful to add into the rotation. These help with hydration and fueling needs.
Pre-Run Nutrition
Eating before exercise allows you to top off your energy stores and prevents lightheadedness and hunger during your workout. It can be hard to push yourself when all you’re thinking about is your next chance to have a meal!
Your pre-run nutrition could be a meal a couple of hours before running, or could be a snack closer to practice. If you’re eating close to practice or a meet, you generally want to eat a bit less so that you’re not too full and don’t have stomach upset during your run.
A pre-run meal or snack should contain carbohydrates and some protein. A little fat can be helpful and satiating when eaten a couple hours out, but can cause stomach upset in some folks – so pay attention to how your body responds.
Here are a few pre-run fuel ideas that could be eaten 2 hours before practice:
- PB & banana sandwich
- Turkey sandwich and a handful of grapes
- Clif bar
- Animal crackers and flavored yogurt
- Pretzels and string cheese
If it’s getting close to practice or meet time, smaller easily digestible foods like sports drinks, a handful of pretzels, or a banana are better choices. Liquids tend to leave the stomach a bit faster than solid foods, so consider those if you tend to get stomach upset during runs from your snacks.
If you are doing an early morning workout, you may be tempted to hit the pavement without eating anything. This may work for some athletes; however I recommend that you still eat something before running.
This can be something as simple as a banana or a piece of toast. If you don’t eat anything before a workout – even a short one – you may have a harder time sustaining the same intensity. Try a small carbohydrate-rich snack, and then eat the rest of your breakfast after your workout.
Meet Day Nutrition
All the tips above apply to meet day nutrition as well. Typically, you’ll eat a meal before the meet around 2-4 hours beforehand.
On meet days, be sure to choose foods that you know sit well in your stomach. Now is not the time to try a brand new food you’ve never had. It’s also not the time to skip meals or snacks. Instead, choose easily digestible options that you know have served you well in practices.
If it’s an afternoon meet and you’re relying on a cafeteria meal, consider what is being served and if it’s a good option to fuel you. If not, pack your own lunch that day.
If you’ve got a nervous stomach and can’t fathom eating anything in the couple hours before the meet, try sipping on a sports drink leading up to the event. Don’t drink too much in the 30 minutes before the event though, as you don’t want a sloshing feeling or having to run to the bathroom.
Fueling and Hydration During Runs
Fuel is typically only needed during running when the runs last beyond 75 minutes. If your longest runs of the week don’t go beyond that, you don’t have to worry about bringing along fuel (unless a medical condition dictates that you do).
If you do any runs that are longer than 75 minutes, you might aim for 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour on those long runs. This can be consumed via…
- Gels
- Shot bloks
- Sports drinks
- Dried fruit (lower fiber options)
- Gummy candy
Luckily, most cross-country runners are focused on race distances around the 5K distance (or up to 10K at the college level), so fueling during runs isn’t a concern.
As far as hydration goes, you can drink to thirst on runs. Pay attention to your body’s signs, like dry mouth and a thirst sensation indicating you need more fluid, or sloshing and nausea maybe indicating you need a little less. If it’s a hot day or a long run, you can hydrate with an electrolyte drink that contains sodium.
Recovery Nutrition
Recovery nutrition refers to the meals or snacks you eat after a training session or race. It’s important to make sure you’re eating the right amount of the right types of foods at the right time afterwards – because this can help your muscles recover and bounce back quickly. If you’ve ever done a long run and forgotten to eat something afterward, and then your legs felt dead in the next day’s training session – you may have been skimping on recovery nutrition.
After practice or a meet, try to eat both carbohydrates and protein. This could be a snack that you enjoy, or a planned mealtime (for example, if you finish practice at 4:30pm and go home and eat dinner at 5pm).
Some good recovery snack options include:
- Bagel with peanut butter, glass of milk
- Greek yogurt with berries and granola
- Tall glass of chocolate milk
- Smoothie with fruit and protein powder
- Trail mix, dried fruit, and beef jerky
- Oatmeal made with egg whites, fruit, and honey
Additional Tips
Here are a few additional tips that often come up when thinking about cross country nutrition:
- Vitamins and minerals: It’s always a good idea to see a doctor for a regular physical with blood work, which can help identify potential vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Vitamin D and iron are two of the most common ones in the United States. If you’re following a vegan diet, Vitamin B12 is also typically of concern. If you are deficient, your doctor will recommend a vitamin or mineral supplement.
- Supplements: There are a ton of supplements on the market, but not all have evidence behind them. If you choose to use a supplement, make sure it’s one that has actual science to support its use. Also, be sure to choose a brand that’s Informed Sport Certified or NSF Certified for Sport. These products are tested by a third party for banned substances, reducing the risk of accidentally ingesting a banned substance.
- Energy drinks: Energy drinks are different than sports drinks. Sports drinks contain fluid, carbohydrates, and electrolytes, and can be valuable for very active people. Energy drinks, on the other hand, often contain high levels of caffeine. These can cause jitteriness, racing heart, or upset stomach on your runs. Some drinks have herbal supplements or other questionable ingredients, even if they do not contain caffeine.
The Bottom Line
The journey to peak performance extends beyond the training and into the kitchen. Proper nutrition is the cornerstone for energy, performance, and recovery.
Remember, nutrition isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Find the right balance that works for your individual needs and training demands. Experiment early in the season to discover what helps you feel your best.
Good luck and happy racing!
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