# What should you eat, drink and take during the Comrades Marathon?

Source: https://www.healthnews24.co.za/answers/comrades-marathon-nutrition-and-supplement-plan-south-africa/
Publisher: Healthnews24 (South Africa's supplement answer desk)
Updated: 2026-10-27

> For Comrades, aim for 60 to 90 g of carbohydrate an hour from the first hour, drink to thirst, add sodium only if you sweat heavily and save caffeine (3 to 6 mg per kg in total) for the second half. The 12-hour limit means 8 to 12 hours of eating, so practise everything in training. 32Gi was the official gel and bar supplier in 2024.

Key facts:
- Comrades has a 12-hour limit; for efforts beyond 2.5 h up to 90 g/h of carbohydrate (glucose plus fructose) is supported, with 60 g/h a realistic start (Jeukendrup 2014).
- 32Gi was named official gel and energy-bar supplier to the 2024 Comrades Marathon, per the race's own announcement.
- ISSN caffeine dose is 3 to 6 mg/kg; use it late in the race and trial it in training.
- Overdrinking is the main cause of hyponatraemia; risk rises beyond four hours and at slower paces.

## What makes Comrades a fuelling challenge?

Comrades is roughly 90 km between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, with a **12-hour limit**, big hills and a direction that alternates between the "up" and "down" run. You are on your feet for 7 to 12 hours, which means glycogen alone will not carry you. Nutrition errors, not fitness, end many second halves.

## How much carbohydrate do you need?

For efforts beyond 2.5 hours, Jeukendrup's framework supports **up to 90 g/h** using a glucose and fructose blend (about 2:1); single glucose sources saturate near 60 g/h. A realistic target for most runners is 60 g/h, rising only if your gut is trained. At 60 g/h across 10 hours that is about 600 g of carbohydrate. Slower, walking-heavy runners tolerate real food well.

Rough costs at October 2026 prices, for 600 g: 32Gi Race drink (about R0.58/g) around R350; Biogen Elite Carb Gel (about R1.00/g) around R600; SiS GO (about R2.04/g) around R1 225. Mixing drinks, gels and real food is cheaper and kinder to the gut. Carbohydrate per gel is not published for 32Gi gels, so check the pack.

## How should you handle fluid and sodium?

- **Drink to thirst.** Overdrinking, not under-drinking, is the main cause of exercise-associated hyponatraemia, and risk rises with slower pace and events beyond four hours. See [what is hyponatraemia](/answers/what-is-hyponatraemia-in-endurance-events-south-africa/).
- Sweat rates of 0.5 to 2 L/h are common; run a sweat test in training.
- **Sodium** is for heavy or salty sweaters. Salty food (boiled potatoes, sandwiches, broth) plus an electrolyte drink usually covers it. Biogen Electrolyte sachets cost about R4.63 to R5.17 each; per-sachet sodium is not published, so read the pack.
- Salt tablets do not prevent cramps.

## When should you use caffeine?

ISSN supports 3 to 6 mg/kg. Take it **late**, not at the start: for a 70 kg runner, around 100 mg at hour five and again at hour eight (Maurten Gel 100 CAF 100 has 100 mg, R80 to R85). Avoid piling on pre-workouts or energy drinks. See [caffeine gels](/answers/caffeine-gels-for-endurance-do-they-work/).

## A sample hourly plan (70 kg runner)

| Per hour | Target |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | about 60 g: for example one gel (25 g), a 500 ml bottle of carb drink (30 g) and a few bites of banana or sweets |
| Fluid | sip to thirst, roughly a cup at most tables |
| Salt | a salty snack every 1 to 2 hours; electrolyte drink if you are a salty sweater |
| Caffeine | optional, late in the race only |

## What does the race provide?

The Comrades site allows stationary seconds to hand over refreshments, so you can carry your own favourites. 32Gi was named the official gel and energy-bar supplier for 2024; confirm what is on the tables in your year on the official race information, and test those products in training.

## What should you do before and after?

Carb load for 24 to 48 hours ([how to carb load](/answers/carb-loading-for-a-marathon-how-to/)). Afterwards, eat a carbohydrate and protein meal ([best recovery drinks](/answers/best-recovery-drink-after-a-run-south-africa/)).

## Safety

Avoid routine anti-inflammatory painkillers during the race; get medical help for confusion, vomiting, wheezing or collapse. People with diabetes, kidney, heart or blood pressure conditions, pregnant runners and anyone on regular medication need individual advice; Comrades is an adult event, and younger runners should fuel with normal food.

## Products mentioned

| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per serving | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32Gi High Intensity Sports Gel (27 g) | 27 g sachet | R25–R35 (Dis-Chem (energy and endurance), 2026-10) | 1 | R34.99 | None listed (rice syrup, flavouring, salt, preservatives) |
| 32Gi Race High Intensity Sports Drink (900 g) | 900 g | R470 (Dis-Chem Living Fit, 2026-10) | 12 | R39.17 | None listed |
| Biogen Elite Carb Energy Gel, unflavoured (60 g) | 60 g sachet | R44.99 (Dis-Chem Living Fit, 2026-10) | 1 | R44.99 | None listed |
| Maurten Gel 100 CAF 100 (40 g sachet) | 40 g sachet | R80–R85 (biket / goneoutdoor via PriceCheck, 2026-10) | 1 | R85.00 | None listed |
| Biogen Electrolyte (3 x 10 sachets, citrus) | 3 x 10 sachets | R139–R155 (Dis-Chem (electrolytes group), 2026-10) | 30 | R5.17 | Not published |

## Sources

- [Jeukendrup 2014, A step towards personalized sports nutrition: carbohydrate intake during exercise (Sports Med)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4008807/)
- [Comrades Marathon: 32Gi named official gel and energy-bar supplier for 2024](https://comrades.com/blogs/32gi-partners-with-the-comrades-marathon-as-the-official-sports-gel-energy-bar-supplier-in-2024)
- [Comrades Marathon race information](https://comrades.com/race-information)
- [Hew-Butler et al. 2015, Third International Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Statement (BJSM 49:1432)](https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/49/22/1432)
- [Guest et al. 2021, ISSN position stand: caffeine and exercise performance (JISSN)](https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4)