Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
What actually happens when you don't fuel enough on a run?
In this episode, we head to Loughborough University with Science in Sport to put fuelling to the test.
Sarah and Anna take on a carbohydrate oxidation test to find out what happens when you run with different amounts of carbs and, more importantly, what difference it makes to your performance.
We put 20g vs 80g of carbs per hour to the test to see exactly what happens when you fuel with more.
We'll look at how much carbohydrate you actually need when running, get some expert fuelling advice, and find out why getting your carbs right could make your run feel a whole lot easier.
And make sure you stick around until the end. The results might surprise you.
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What’s in this video?
00:00 - How many carbs do you need?
01:05 - How the experiment works
02:27 - Day 1 testing
03:21 - Carbohydrate oxidation testing
04:38 - The fuelling advice
06:08 - How fuelling works
07:14 - How fuelling for women works
09:24 - Day 1 recap
10:29 - Day 2 testing
13:10 - How carb intake feels
14:00 - Final time trial
14:29 - The results
15:19 - The stats
17:02 - How carbs helped our running
17:40 - The aftereffects of fuelling
MUSIC licensed by Artlist and Epidemic Sound
--------------------
Thank you to our partners:
Wearables Partner: Garmin - garmin.com
Training Partner: Runna - Want to give Runna a try? Click below for a 2-week FREE trial: web.runna.com/redeem?code=TRC26
Nutrition Partner: Science in Sport (SiS) - scienceinsport.com
Treadmill Partner: Wahoo - uk.wahoofitness.com
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Or get in touch with us by sending an email to hello@therunningchannel.com
Read this far? Thanks! Please like this video, SUBSCRIBE and share us with your running friends. We would really appreciate it!
Check out our Editorial Policy here: therunningchannel.com/editorial-policy
What actually happens when you don't fuel enough on a run?
In this episode, we head to Loughborough University with Science in Sport to put fuelling to the test.
Sarah and Anna take on a carbohydrate oxidation test to find out what happens when you run with different amounts of carbs and, more importantly, what difference it makes to your performance.
We put 20g vs 80g of carbs per hour to the test to see exactly what happens when you fuel with more.
We'll look at how much carbohydrate you actually need when running, get some expert fuelling advice, and find out why getting your carbs right could make your run feel a whole lot easier.
And make sure you stick around until the end. The results might surprise you.
If you love The Running Channel, why not check out our other channels, filled with more content which we think you’ll love:
* TRC Gear: Your one-stop shop for all things gear and tech: youtube.com/@TRCGear/?sub_confirmation=1
* TRC Podcast: The world’s biggest running podcast: youtube.com/@TRCpodcast/?sub_confirmation=1
* TRC Club: The social media app designed especially for runners: therunningchannelclub.com/join-us
What’s in this video?
00:00 - How many carbs do you need?
01:05 - How the experiment works
02:27 - Day 1 testing
03:21 - Carbohydrate oxidation testing
04:38 - The fuelling advice
06:08 - How fuelling works
07:14 - How fuelling for women works
09:24 - Day 1 recap
10:29 - Day 2 testing
13:10 - How carb intake feels
14:00 - Final time trial
14:29 - The results
15:19 - The stats
17:02 - How carbs helped our running
17:40 - The aftereffects of fuelling
MUSIC licensed by Artlist and Epidemic Sound
--------------------
Thank you to our partners:
Wearables Partner: Garmin - garmin.com
Training Partner: Runna - Want to give Runna a try? Click below for a 2-week FREE trial: web.runna.com/redeem?code=TRC26
Nutrition Partner: Science in Sport (SiS) - scienceinsport.com
Treadmill Partner: Wahoo - uk.wahoofitness.com
--------------------
Follow us on socials:
→ INSTAGRAM - instagram.com/runningchannel ←
→ TRC GEAR INSTAGRAM - instagram.com/trcgear
→ FACEBOOK - facebook.com/OfficialRunningChannel ←
→ STRAVA - strava.com/clubs/runningchannel ←
Or get in touch with us by sending an email to hello@therunningchannel.com
Read this far? Thanks! Please like this video, SUBSCRIBE and share us with your running friends. We would really appreciate it!
Check out our Editorial Policy here: therunningchannel.com/editorial-policy
