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The Pre-Load Protocol
RealFUEL+ Fuel Tools
The Pre-Load Protocol
Train Hard. Fuel Smart.
The fuel you take before the start line is the only fuel you take with no clock running. This is how to get it right — for marathon, HYROX, cycling, triathlon, ultra, or trail.
Every endurance sport shares one thing: what you do before the start. The pre-load window is the same whether you're racing 8 km of HYROX or 42 km of road. What happens during your event is a different question — and it depends entirely on how long you'll be out there. That's in the annex at the bottom.
Why pre-loading is the highest-leverage thing you'll do
Your body stores a limited amount of carbohydrate as muscle and liver glycogen. Research consistently suggests that beginning an endurance effort with those stores well-topped-up is associated with better performance and a later onset of fatigue than starting depleted.
But here's what makes the pre-load window genuinely special: there is no clock running. No shaky hands. No sticky sachet at threshold heart rate. No gut sloshing at 170 bpm. You are calm, seated, and in control.
Everything you take after the gun is a compromise.
Everything you take before it is a choice.
The protocol — work backwards from your start time
| Clock | What | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Night before | A normal, carbohydrate-containing dinner. Familiar food. | Tops up glycogen. This is not a carb-load — the classic multi-day loading protocols were designed for very long events and are unnecessary for most. Do not experiment. |
| T-3h to T-2h | Carbohydrate-based meal. Low fat, low fibre. Toast, rice, porridge, oats. | Fat and fibre slow gastric emptying. This meal needs to be gone before you start. |
| T-45m to T-30m | One honey gel. At home with your toast, or on the way to the venue. | The top-up. Carbohydrate available in circulation as you start, so you aren't drawing down stores from minute one. |
| Warm-up | Water to thirst. Nothing new. | Whatever you take now, you have already taken in training. Race day is not a test kitchen. |
Which gel for the pre-load window
- Nomad Beetroot Gel — 35 g. Honey with 30 mg caffeine from organic guarana. A modest dose, for athletes who already use caffeine in training.
- Nomad Cocoa Gel — 40 g. Honey with 25 mg added caffeine, declared on pack.
- Nomad Fir Honey — 40 g. 100% organic fir honey. One ingredient. Nothing else in the pack.
- Nomad Pollen Gel — 35 g. Honey with organic bee pollen.
- Nomad Peanut Gel — 35 g. Honey with peanut butter. Contains peanuts.
One gel. Not two. Carbohydrate absorption is rate-limited — taking more does not move more fuel into your muscles. It leaves the excess sitting in your gut while you race on top of it.
The rule nobody tells you: rehearse it
The most common fuelling mistake is testing a gel on the wrong session.
An easy 20-minute jog tells you nothing about how your gut behaves under race intensity. Gut tolerance is stressed by intensity and load, not by distance. Blood flow is diverted away from the digestive system when you work hard — which is precisely when a gel has to be absorbed.
That's what the Bear DUO is for
Two gels — enough to run the test twice. Once to find out whether honey fuel agrees with you. Once to confirm it wasn't a fluke. Before you commit to a race with it.
The Duration Annex — what happens after the gun
Pre-loading is the foundation. It is not the whole plan. How much you need during your event depends on one thing: how long you'll be moving.
| Duration | Typical events | In-event fuelling |
|---|---|---|
| Under ~60 min | 5K–10K, parkrun, HYROX Relay leg, most gym sessions | Pre-load only. Well-stocked glycogen is generally sufficient. You don't need to carry a gel. |
| ~60–150 min | Half marathon, HYROX (average finisher ≈ 90 min), Olympic triathlon, hard group ride | Pre-load + one dose, taken early. Not when you feel flat — before. |
| 2.5 hours and beyond | Marathon, long ride, 70.3, ultra, full-distance triathlon | Pre-load alone cannot carry this. Structured, repeated carbohydrate intake across the event is essential. |
How much, and how often?
The Race-Day Fuelling Calculator gives you the numbers for your duration — and it's the only place we publish them, so there's one source of truth.
One HYROX-specific note
If you're racing HYROX, the official rulebook affects your fuel plan directly. Water and energy gels are only permitted if they are on your person from the start — nobody can hand you anything mid-race except at aid stations. And used gel packaging must go in the bins provided: littering on the Roxzone floor or run course can carry a 2-minute time penalty.
Practically: carry a gel you'll finish in one go, take it in a Roxzone where the bins and water are, and stash the wrapper. A 2-minute penalty costs more than any energy you'd save by rationing. Always confirm current rules against the official HYROX rulebook for your event — they are versioned by season.
Common questions
When should I take a gel before a race?
Around 30 to 45 minutes before your start. This can be taken at home alongside your pre-race meal, or on the way to the venue. The aim is to have carbohydrate available in circulation as you begin, rather than drawing down stored glycogen from the first minute.
Do I need to carry a gel for a 10K or a short session?
For most efforts under about 60 minutes, general sports nutrition guidance suggests that well-stocked glycogen is sufficient, and carrying fuel is usually unnecessary. Pre-load properly and race. The picture changes beyond roughly an hour.
Can I take two gels before the start instead of one?
Carbohydrate absorption is rate-limited, so taking more before the start does not move more fuel into your muscles. The excess is likely to remain in your gut while you race. One gel in the pre-load window is the sensible default.
Why did my gel upset my stomach on race day when it was fine in training?
Gut tolerance is stressed by intensity and load rather than by distance. Blood flow is diverted away from the digestive system when you work hard. A gel tested only on an easy jog has not really been tested — rehearse it on a session that resembles your event.
Is pre-loading enough on its own for a marathon?
No. Pre-loading is the foundation, not the whole plan. For events lasting roughly 2.5 hours or more, structured and repeated carbohydrate intake across the event is essential. Use the Race-Day Fuelling Calculator to work out your intake for your duration.
Can I carry energy gels during a HYROX race?
Yes, but only if they are on your person from the start of the race. Under the official HYROX rulebook, athletes cannot accept nutrition from anyone during the race except at aid stations, and used gel packaging must be placed in the bins provided — littering can carry a 2-minute time penalty. Always confirm the current rules against the official rulebook for your event and season.
