A Fueling Plan Built Specifically for the Marine Corps Marathon

Every aid station on the course, what it serves, and the exact minute you reach it based on your goal time. Then a fueling plan built on this exact course, so every gel is timed to avoid the hills and where there is water to wash it down so you never hit the wall in the last 6 miles.

Marine Corps Marathon
Sunday 25 October 2026 · 26.2 miles
Water only 2 Water + Nuun 12 Gel depot miles 13.2, 18.3 and 23.8
Map of the Marine Corps Marathon course with the 17 aid tables marked
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Elevation profile drag along the profile to scrub
26.2 miles 664 ft gain 622 ft loss +188 ft high -38 ft low
0 mi 5 10 15 20 26.2 mi +188 ft 0 mi 10 20 26.2 mi +188 ft

Aid tables from the race's own GIS, the service behind its official runner map, checked 12 Sep 2026. Marine Corps publishes street corners, not miles; kilometres are converted. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Why the course changes the plan

Why you need to adapt your fueling plan to the specifics of the course

Most fueling plans are generic: take a gel every 30 minutes, wash it down with water and drink your carb beverage in between.

But, what if your planned time to take a gel comes right in the middle of a hill? What if there’s no aid station close by to grab water from?

Often, where each gel goes on the course matters as much as how many you take

It’s these small, often ignored parts of executing a fueling plan that trip runners up and have them hitting the wall or slowing down because of an upset stomach, despite having a well-rehearsed fueling plan heading into the race.

4

things go wrong when you don’t account for the course in your fueling plan

1A planned gel with no water

You plan a gel at 60 minutes, but the next water station isn’t for another 15. That means you either have to wait, take it without water and have it sit, or take it with your carb beverage and take in too much sugar for your stomach to process.

2You miss a table

Marine Corps does not publish how many run it, only that it is the third largest marathon in the United States. Tables that busy are easy to misjudge and not get the fuel you need. Without a plan for the next one you either double up later and pay for it, or run the rest of the race short.

3Your plan calls for a gel in the middle of a hill

As intensity increases, your stomach’s ability to process carbohydrates slows down. Couple that with breathing harder up a hill and you’ve got the perfect storm for a gel that can’t be digested fast enough.

4Miscalculating the fluid on the course

The distance between aid stations, the concentration of the carbohydrate drink, and how much you’re actually able to swallow all change how much glycogen you’re actually replacing every hour. Your plan calls for 60 g per hour, but if you only hit 40 g you’ll run out of glycogen before you finish.

So your fueling plan needs to start with one question, and everything after it follows.

Option 1

If you are going to use what the course hands you

Marine Corps takes more care than most courses to do this on. 3 of the 17 tables have no water, so a gel taken at the wrong one goes down dry. Below is where you’ll find each station, and what is at it.

Marine Corps Marathon course strip Elevation relative to the start across 26.2 miles, the 17 aid tables marked by mile with what is at each, and the 12 feeds of the reference plan as numbered dots. +188 ft -38 ft 2.3 4.7 6.6 8.2 10.7 13.2 13.6 15.6 16.9 18.3 18.5 20 21.8 22.3 23.8 23.9 24.9 mi 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Water only Water + Nuun No water Gel depot Feed in the 3:45 plan, on a table Feed with no table, water carried

Elevation is stretched to emphasis location. The numbered dots are your recommended fueling options for your 3:45 goal.

Source: the official Marine Corps Marathon, checked 12 Sep 2026

1What is on the course

What is provided at Marine Corps, and where

Water is provided at 14 of the 17 tables, from mile 2.3 to mile 24.9. The other 3, miles 13.2, 18.3 and 23.8, have none.

Nuun Endurance at 12 of the 17 stations, but there is very little carbohydrate in it: half a litre an hour of it is about 17 g. Gels at miles 13.2, 18.3 and 23.8, UnTapped maple syrup, 26 g each. Two more stations are cup-free — the 14th Street Bridge at mile 20 and Crystal Drive at mile 22.3 — where you refill your own bottle and nothing is poured for you.

The course climbs 664 ft in total, and 3 climbs are steeper than 3%: the hill up Lee Highway out of Rosslyn from mile 1.25 to 2, the climb onto Key Bridge from mile 4 to 4.3 and the climb to the Marine Corps War Memorial at mile 26. CarbRate keeps your feeds off those climbs and on the water tables either side.

The Marine Corps course, table by table
Water stations
14

14 of 17 tables, mile 2.3 to mile 24.9

Nuun
12

miles 2.3, 4.7, 6.6, 8.2, 10.7, 13.6, 15.6, 16.9, 18.5, 21.8, 23.9 and 24.9

UnTapped gels
3

miles 13.2, 18.3 and 23.8, water at each

2Your goal time

Every table, and the minute you reach it

Put your goal time in and when you arrive at every aid station on the course recalculates. This is the list to put in your pocket, and the one CarbRate builds your feeds on.

Arrival times assume even pace, which is a rough guide on a course with this much climbing. At 3:45 you reach the first gel station at 1:53.
All 17 tables at 3:45
mikmTableWhat’s at the tableYou arrive
2.33.7WP1 - Eastbound Lee Highway between Wayne and Adams StreetswaterNuun0:20
4.77.5WP2 - M and 33rd Streets NW, GeorgetownwaterNuun0:40
6.610.6WP3 - Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway median, northboundwaterNuun0:57
8.213.3WP4 - Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway median, southboundwaterNuun1:11
10.717.1WP5 - Independence Avenue and Ohio Drive SW, West Potomac ParkwaterNuun1:31
13.221.3Hains Point food stationUnTapped gels1:53
13.621.9WP6 - Ohio Drive SW parking area near the end of Hains PointwaterNuun1:57
15.625.1WP7 - Raoul Wallenberg Place SW and Independence Avenue SWwaterNuun2:14
16.927.2WP8 - Madison Drive NW and 12th Street NW, National MallwaterNuun2:25
18.329.4National Mall food stationUnTapped gels2:37
18.529.8WP9 - Jefferson Drive SW and 7th Street SW, National MallwaterNuun2:39
2032.214th Street Bridge self-serve water (own bottle)water2:52
21.835.1WP10 - Army-Navy Drive at Eads StreetwaterNuun3:07
22.336.0Crystal City self-serve water, Water Monster (own bottle)water3:12
23.838.2Crystal City food station, Long Bridge ParkUnTapped gels3:24
23.938.5WP11 - Long Bridge Drive, soccer complex parking lotwaterNuun3:25
24.940.1WP12 - Lady Bird Johnson parking area, Boundary Channel Drive, North PentagonwaterNuun3:34
3The course drink

How much glycogen does the Nuun on the course provide

Nuun Endurance is 3.4 g of carbohydrate per 100 mL. A typical cup contains about 200 mL.

But, you likely won’t actually drink that much. Volunteers typically fill cups about half way to prevent water from splashing and you’ll lose a good amount as you run with the cup and what spills as you drink.

On average, you can expect a net intake of about 60 to 90 mL per cup

This is the part most runners don’t account for in their fueling plan, so CarbRate builds it directly in your plan.

We’ll tell you exactly how many cups at each aid station to drink based on how much glycogen you need and how much you’ll be able to supplement with gels.

What the drink is worth per hour
Glycogen left
200 → 60–90 mL

A cup holds about 200 mL. Half-filled, spilled and sipped on the run, 60 to 90 mL of it actually goes down.

AAAWgmp1bWIAAAAeanVtZGMycGEAEQAQgAAAqgA4m3EDYzJwYQAAABZcanVtYgAAAEdqdW1kYzJtYQARABCAAACqADibcQN1cm46YzJwYTpkZGM4YTZiYS0zYzkwLTRiODgtOTIyMi0wNjkxZGUzNTllN2QAAAADl2p1bWIAAAApanVtZGMyYXMAEQAQgAAAqgA4m3EDYzJwYS5hc3NlcnRpb25zAAAAALxqdW1iAAAARGp1bWRjYm9yABEAEIAAAKoAOJtxE2MycGEuaW5ncmVkaWVudC52MwAAAAAYYzJzaL53bxc6KRiob3VlkxjBC7sAAABwY2JvcqNpZGM6Zm9ybWF0bWltYWdlL3N2Zyt4bWxqaW5zdGFuY2VJRHgseG1wOmlpZDoyNTI3Nzg4Ni1kM2U2LTRhY2EtOGY3My1hMDAyMmU1MmY0YWFscmVsYXRpb25zaGlwaHBhcmVudE9mAAAB4mp1bWIAAABBanVtZGNib3IAEQAQgAAAqgA4m3ETYzJwYS5hY3Rpb25zLnYyAAAAABhjMnNolJbm4i9Eovk3bn7Ah1boZwAAAZljYm9yomdhY3Rpb25zgqJmYWN0aW9ua2MycGEub3BlbmVkanBhcmFtZXRlcnOha2luZ3JlZGllbnRzgaJjdXJseC1zZWxmI2p1bWJmPWMycGEuYXNzZXJ0aW9ucy9jMnBhLmluZ3JlZGllbnQudjNkaGFzaFggRm/SJXPeqXID1lxEeahNjREaIK8o9hDL0IDU3b9hCi+kZmFjdGlvbngdY29tLmFudGhyb3BpYy5jbGF1ZGUucHJvdmlkZWRqcGFyYW1ldGVyc6F4H2NvbS5hbnRocm9waWMub3JpZ2luLWNvbmZpZGVuY2VndW5rbm93bmtkZXNjcmlwdGlvbnhmQ2xhdWRlIHByb3ZpZGVkIHRoaXMgZmlsZSBhdCB0aGUgcmVxdWVzdCBvZiBhIHVzZXIgYW5kIG1heSBoYXZlIGNyZWF0ZWQgb3IgbW9kaWZpZWQgdGhlIGZpbGUgY29udGVudHMubXNvZnR3YXJlQWdlbnShZG5hbWVmQ2xhdWRlcmFsbEFjdGlvbnNJbmNsdWRlZPUAAADIanVtYgAAAEBqdW1kY2JvcgARABCAAACqADibcRNjMnBhLmhhc2guZGF0YQAAAAAYYzJzaMvAFclYY2jWDetsmTOaMioAAACAY2JvcqVjYWxnZnNoYTI1NmNwYWRNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGRoYXNoWCAPD1aaj9CKIsjRv9ITu/IY4qWOZ8JaJHDGYaXxiO6MCWRuYW1lbmp1bWJmIG1hbmlmZXN0amV4Y2x1c2lvbnOBomVzdGFydBj1Zmxlbmd0aBkeBAAAAj5qdW1iAAAAJ2p1bWRjMmNsABEAEIAAAKoAOJtxA2MycGEuY2xhaW0udjIAAAACD2Nib3KlY2FsZ2ZzaGEyNTZpc2lnbmF0dXJleE1zZWxmI2p1bWJmPS9jMnBhL3VybjpjMnBhOmRkYzhhNmJhLTNjOTAtNGI4OC05MjIyLTA2OTFkZTM1OWU3ZC9jMnBhLnNpZ25hdHVyZWppbnN0YW5jZUlEeCx4bXA6aWlkOjdkMDVlZjhhLTZhNmMtNGJmZS1hOTFlLTIwZWE0MDE1N2NhMnJjcmVhdGVkX2Fzc2VydGlvbnODomN1cmx4LXNlbGYjanVtYmY9YzJwYS5hc3NlcnRpb25zL2MycGEuaW5ncmVkaWVudC52M2RoYXNoWCBGb9Ilc96pcgPWXER5qE2NERogryj2EMvQgNTdv2EKL6JjdXJseCpzZWxmI2p1bWJmPWMycGEuYXNzZXJ0aW9ucy9jMnBhLmFjdGlvbnMudjJkaGFzaFggMlyiNsxf4+7hd/SEkO/OHltLiBnE3wZnDpLFlG/4fm+iY3VybHgpc2VsZiNqdW1iZj1jMnBhLmFzc2VydGlvbnMvYzJwYS5oYXNoLmRhdGFkaGFzaFggKJOUbORtWUx2moyIzoU1/yrSTS5k2pTYoPSxaCcCR350Y2xhaW1fZ2VuZXJhdG9yX2luZm+jZG5hbWVvQW50aHJvcGljIEZpbGVzZ3ZlcnNpb25lMS4wLjBrc3BlY1ZlcnNpb25lMi40LjAAABA4anVtYgAAAChqdW1kYzJjcwARABCAAACqADibcQNjMnBhLnNpZ25hdHVyZQAAABAIY2JvctKEWQISogEmGCFZAgowggIGMIIBjaADAgECAhRA5aAK7sI50L64g/oGQgU9Z1UTADAKBggqhkjOPQQDAzBJMRcwFQYDVQQKEw5BbnRocm9waWMsIFBCQzEuMCwGA1UEAxMlQW50aHJvcGljIENvbnRlbnQgQ3JlZGVudGlhbHMgUm9vdCBDQTAeFw0yNjA4MDcxODQzNTZaFw0yODA4MDYxOTQzNTZaMEQxFzAVBgNVBAoTDkFudGhyb3BpYywgUEJDMSkwJwYDVQQDEyBBbnRocm9waWMgQ2xhdWRlIENvbnRlbnQgU2lnbmluZzBZMBMGByqGSM49AgEGCCqGSM49AwEHA0IABJh6CmvLUBgFFNU0vUKlOVtE6djd17L5SuwX0LemFisBM3dkd/3cyjxFA3Qo5S46fX0/ihY0VZ7mfb9KF703t5OjWDBWMA4GA1UdDwEB/wQEAwIHgDAVBgNVHSUEDjAMBgorBgEEAYPoXgIBMAwGA1UdEwEB/wQCMAAwHwYDVR0jBBgwFoAUzlHiBIFOZFsj+OPEz5o+nMHXXMIwCgYIKoZIzj0EAwMDZwAwZAIwMXMdFJ4BetLLVY7ORuE9noqbbAZOZn/aArXyTwFAZfKrPzxF2vPoJNf1+UCdg1XGAjBwX1zd9WGqYkqmL5SFqw1QySjr1zJfpJM9+1rdDwSPLMOPOjKuiXjoU/pUUeG9RwmhY3BhZFkNngAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPZYQOeYdt5tlqUWum9Kva1DK6bhfLDhmwH7OJVZRLVaNFSionXNLxg0ROZJno70Xqznsa1Ipd2fqbsQBTlTKSgguv8= you run out here Planned full cups Real 60–90 mL a cup full empty start finish
Glycogen left across the race, a plan built on full cups against what a cup actually delivers. Illustrative, not your plan.
4What you carry

How many gels you still carry

After you’ve calculated how much of the course drink you’ll likely take at each aid station, you’ll need to fill in your glycogen needs with gels along the course.

A typical gel contains about 25 g of carbohydrate, so use the chart here to calculate how many you’ll need.

If you’ve practiced fueling in training, you can target 75 to 90 g per hour. If you haven’t trained your stomach, err closer to 60 g per hour.

Here’s more on how to practice your fueling schedule to maximize your gut tolerance.

25 g gels to carry, after the course
Finish60 g/h75 g/h90 g/h
3:45 your goal
3:003to34to56to7
3:304to56to78to9
4:004to57to79to9
4:305to68to911to11
5:006to79to1012to13
5The products

The 2 products Marine Corps hands you

The gel is maple syrup in a packet, which is mostly sucrose rather than the glucose-fructose blend most race gels are built on, and it carries 5 mg of sodium. The drink is Nuun's tablet, made to replace salt rather than to fuel you. Practise with the gel before race day so mile 13.2 is not the first time your stomach meets it.

If UnTapped does not sit well with you, the closest matches are Maurten Gel 100, Precision Fuel PF 30 Gel and SiS Beta Fuel Gel. Pick one before race week and train on it.

On the Marine Corps course
Sodium
5 mg
Caffeine
0 mg (Coffee: 27 mg)
Glucose : fructose
pure maple syrup, not a glucose-fructose blend
Science score74/100
Full write-up, who it suits →
Sodium
380 mg / serving
Caffeine
0 mg
Glucose : fructose
not published
Science score61/100

Get a Fueling Plan Built for Marine Corps

CarbRate builds you a personalized race fueling plan from your own sweat rate, how your stomach handles gels, and then it coaches you through every feed, live, while you run.

It also customizes every gel and every drink placement to align with the actual elevation profile and aid station on your course.

Build my Marine Corps plan
Option 2

If you are going to carry all of your own fuel

Even carrying your own fuel, the Marine Corps course influences 4 things about your fueling plan: the timing of your gels, fluid intake, the hills, and caffeine.

1Timing

Set your feed times to Marine Corps’ tables, unless you carry water

The common advice is to take your gels every 30 to 45 minutes, but that might not coincide with when you hit an aid station.

If you’re not carrying your own water with you, you’ll need those aid stations to wash down your gel.

For a 3:45 finisher, Marine Corps’ tables arrive 20, 40, 57, 71 and 91 minutes in, then every 5 to 17 minutes.

So, you need to factor this into your fueling plan.

Enter your goal time in the input box below and we’ll show you when each aid station will arrive for your given pace.

If you want a fueling plan with all of these built in, CarbRate does this for you. Start building your plan here.

Feed times assume even pace, which is a rough guide on a course with this much climbing. Everything below recalculates from 3:45.
Your watch against Marine Corps’ tables
Gel alarms with water
3 of 11 alarms

For a 3:45 finisher, 3 of 11 twenty-minute alarms land within 2 minutes of a table. Highlighted tables take a gel in a 75 g an hour plan; the first goes down before mile 2.3 from a bottle you carry.

Gel alarm every 20 min Marine Corps tables, 3:45 pace 6.6 10.7 13.6 16.9 18.5 21.8 24.9 start 1:00 2:00 3:00 finish
alarm within 2 min of wateralarm with no watertable taking a gelwater-only table
How many 25 g gels that is, carrying everything
Finish60 g/h75 g/h90 g/h
3:45 your goal91214
3:008911
3:3091113
4:00101215
4:30111417
5:00121518
2Water

A gel needs more water than a cup holds

Research has shown that the optimal carbohydrate concentration is 6 to 8 percent carbohydrate to water.

That means you’ll want about 100 mL (3.5 oz) of water for every 8 grams of carbohydrate you take in. A typical gel contains 25 g of carbohydrate, so you’ll want to aim for about 300 mL (10 oz) of water with each gel.

A good estimate is that each cup of water will provide you 100 mL (3.5 oz) of water. That’s because volunteers typically fill cups about half way to prevent water from splashing and you’ll lose a good amount as you run with the cup and what spills as you drink.

So, if you’re not carrying your own water, have your gel open and prepared to take at the start of the aid station so you can take it early with a cup of water and still have time to grab another cup or two.

What a gel needs and what a cup delivers
One 25 g gel needs
300 mL
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+3 cupsempties fast, no sloshing8%concentration300 mL+2 cupsstill too thick to empty13%concentration200 mL+1 cupsits in your stomach25%concentration100 mL
3Hills

The hills change where your fuel goes, not how much

The carbohydrate you need per hour is the same on a hilly course as on a flat one. What changes is which aid stations you can take it at, when you reach them, and where your caffeine goes.

Keep your gels off the climbs

Your stomach slows down digestion as your effort increases running uphill. This happens because blood moves from your gut to your legs, so a gel taken on a hard climb sits there instead of being absorbed.

So, keep your gels off any climb steeper than about 3 percent, and take them on the flat before it or the flat after it.

Marine Corps has 3 climbs like that: the hill up Lee Highway out of Rosslyn from mile 1.25 to 2, the climb onto Key Bridge from mile 4 to 4.3 and the climb to the Marine Corps War Memorial at mile 26.

Long, steep descents are no better. Below about 7 percent your quads are doing the braking and everything in your stomach is bouncing, so wait for the grade to ease before you take anything.

If you want a fueling plan with your gel and drink timing customized to the course, CarbRate does this for you. Start building your plan here.

Where the climbs are
Climbs steeper than 3%
3 on the course

The climb to the Marine Corps War Memorial at mile 26 is the climb that decides your race, so your caffeine goes in about an hour before it.

Marine Corps Marathon course strip Elevation relative to the start across 26.2 miles, the 17 aid tables marked by mile with what is at each, and the 12 feeds of the reference plan as numbered dots. +188 ft -38 ft 2.3 4.7 6.6 8.2 10.7 13.2 13.6 15.6 16.9 18.3 18.5 20 21.8 22.3 23.8 23.9 24.9 mi
climb steeper than 3%, no gel heretable with water, a gel lands here
4Caffeine

Time your caffeine so it helps you when you need it the most

If you plan to use caffeine, it’s best to time it so the benefits kick in on the climb that decides your race rather than at the start.

Caffeine peaks in your blood about an hour after you swallow it, then it slowly falls.

With a goal finish time of 3:45 that would place your caffeine at mile 18.5 (30 km), about an hour before the climb to the Marine Corps War Memorial at mile 26.

This should provide you with peak benefits from the caffeine right when you need it the most.

When the caffeine is working
Caffeine table, before the climb
mile 18.5
2 hours 39 minutes into a 3:45

Blood caffeine peaks about an hour after the dose, so a mile 18.5 gel peaks near mile 26 for a 3:45 finisher, on the climb to the Marine Corps War Memorial.

the climb starts the climb to the Marine Corps War Memorial, at mile 26 dose at the start mile 18.5 table · 2:39 peak ≈ mile 26 0 mi 5 10 15 20 26.2 mi peaknone
dose at the mile 18.5 tabledose at the startwhere the decisive climb startscurve shape illustrative, timings from your goal time

Get a Fueling Plan Built for Marine Corps

CarbRate builds you a personalized race fueling plan from your own sweat rate, how your stomach handles gels, and then it coaches you through every feed, live, while you run.

It also customizes every gel and every drink placement to align with the actual elevation profile and aid station on your course.

Build my Marine Corps plan
Built for your exact course

What a finished Marine Corps plan looks like

This is a real CarbRate plan rather than an example we wrote out: a 68 kg runner, 3:45 goal, trained stomach, drinking the Nuun and taking the course gel, 14 °C at the start. Adjusted finish 3:48. Target 81 g an hour, 307 g in total, as 12 feeds of 25 g.

8 of the 12 feeds land on a real Marine Corps aid table, so there is water in your hand for every one of them.

#ClockmiWhereWhat
10:091.1No table here · mile 1.1 (water in hand)One 25 g gel, your own
20:303.5No table here · mile 3.5 (water in hand)One 25 g gel, your own
30:475.5No table here · mile 5.5 (water in hand)One 25 g gel, your own
40:586.7WP3 - Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway median, northbound · mile 6.6One 25 g gel, your own
51:3210.6WP5 - Independence Avenue and Ohio Drive SW, West Potomac Park · mile 10.7One 25 g gel, your own
61:4412.0No table here · mile 12 (water in hand)One 25 g gel, your own
71:5913.7WP6 - Ohio Drive SW parking area near the end of Hains Point · mile 13.6One 25 g gel, your own
82:2616.8WP8 - Madison Drive NW and 12th Street NW, National Mall · mile 16.9One 25 g gel, your own
92:4118.6WP9 - Jefferson Drive SW and 7th Street SW, National Mall · mile 18.5One 25 g gel, your own
103:0821.7WP10 - Army-Navy Drive at Eads Street · mile 21.8One 25 g gel, your own
113:1322.2Crystal City self-serve water, Water Monster (own bottle) · mile 22.3One 25 g gel, your own
123:3725.0WP12 - Lady Bird Johnson parking area, Boundary Channel Drive, North Pentagon · mile 24.9One 25 g gel, your own

The first feed comes before the first table on purpose: CarbRate starts you early, with the water you carry from the start line. Say you are carrying your own instead and it rebuilds this same timeline with your products and more feeds, on the same tables. On race day the app calls each feed by voice as you reach it.

This is one runner. Yours will look different.

CarbRate builds yours from your weight, your sweat rate, your goal time, the gels you already train with, and the race-day forecast. Answer a few quick questions and it is built, with the Marine Corps course already loaded.

Build my Marine Corps plan
What CarbRate says about Marine Corps

What CarbRate flags on a Marine Corps plan

These are the warnings CarbRate attaches to a Marine Corps plan, word for word, for the 3:45 runner above.

Plan to carry

Marine Corps hands out UnTapped gels at 3 points. You need about 12 feeds, so that covers roughly 24% of your carbohydrate. Take them if you want them, and carry the other 9.

Plan to carry

Marine Corps has Nuun Endurance, Lemon Lime, which carries 3.4 g of carbohydrate per 100 ml. Drinking 500 ml an hour that comes to about 17 g/h against your target of 81. Drink it for the fluid and the sodium. It is not going to replace a gel.

Not every table has water

3 of Marine Corps's 17 stations have no water — they pour sports drink or hand out gels only. Your plan already skips them for anything you need to wash down.

Only at 5:00 pace

The longest stretch without water on Marine Corps runs 2.9 miles, from mile 10.7 to mile 13.6. At your pace that is about 34 minutes. Carry fluid through it rather than waiting for the next table. Under 5 hours that stretch takes less than 27 minutes, and CarbRate stays quiet.

Quiet on purpose

The first table is at mile 2.3. CarbRate allows 45 minutes for the opening stretch instead of the usual 27, because you start hydrated and fed. So Marine Corps’ first 2.3 miles never trigger a warning.

Sodium: on the course

Nuun Endurance carries about 800 mg of sodium per litre as mixed, above the 600 mg per litre target. The race does not publish its own dilution, so that figure is the maker’s standard mix.

Drink it at the tables and your sodium is covered. Carry your own water instead and CarbRate works out how much you need from your sweat rate and the forecast, and puts it on the same schedule as your gels.

Shows inside 10 days
43 days to go

From 15 October the start-line forecast appears here, with what it changes in your plan. On a warm day: more fluid and more sodium.

The short answers

Marine Corps Marathon fueling at a glance

Every fact on this page in one block, for the runner who wants the answer and nothing else.

Race
Marine Corps Marathon, 25 October 2026
Distance
42.195 km / 26.2 mi
Aid tables on the course
17
First table
mile 2.3 (km 3.7)
Spacing after the first table
every 0.2 to 2.6 miles
Water
at 14 of the 17 tables
Sports drink
Nuun Endurance, Lemon Lime, at mile 2.3, mile 4.7, mile 6.6, mile 8.2, mile 10.7, mile 13.6, mile 15.6, mile 16.9, mile 18.5, mile 21.8, mile 23.9, mile 24.9
Drink strength
3.4 g carbohydrate per 100 ml
Gel handout
UnTapped gels, mile 13.2 (km 21.3), mile 18.3 (km 29.4) and mile 23.8 (km 38.2), 3 points
Food on course
none published
Personal refreshment
not accepted for the mass field
Published sodium
800 mg per litre in the course drink, maker’s mix
Total climb
664 ft, steepest grade 7.1%
Typical carbohydrate target
60 to 90 g an hour
Gels to carry, 3:45 at 75 g/h
6 to 6 using the course drink, 12 carrying everything

Marine Corps fueling questions, answered

Is there Nuun on the Marine Corps Marathon course?

Yes. Nuun Endurance, Lemon Lime is at miles 2.3, 4.7, 6.6, 8.2, 10.7, 13.6, 15.6, 16.9, 18.5, 21.8, 23.9 and 24.9, alongside water. UnTapped gels is handed out at miles 13.2, 18.3 and 23.8.

Where are the gel stations at the Marine Corps Marathon?

Miles 13.2, 18.3 and 23.8, which is km 21.3, km 29.4 and km 38.2. There is water at each of them. Plan to carry the rest of your own.

How many gels do I need for the Marine Corps Marathon?

It depends on your carbohydrate target and how much of the course drink you take. At 75 g an hour a 3:45 finish needs about 280 g. Drinking one cup of Nuun at each drink table covers roughly 60 g of that, which leaves about 9 gels of 25 g, 3 of them handed out on the course, so carry 6. Drinking half a litre of Nuun an hour, carry 6. The grid above works this out for any finish time.

Is the Marine Corps Marathon hilly?

Yes. Our course profile shows 664 ft of climbing across 26.2 miles with 3 climbs steeper than 3%: the hill up Lee Highway out of Rosslyn from mile 1.25 to 2, the climb onto Key Bridge from mile 4 to 4.3 and the climb to the Marine Corps War Memorial at mile 26. CarbRate keeps your gels off those climbs and on the tables either side of them, and arrival times assume even pace only as a rough guide.

Does Marine Corps have electrolytes or sodium on the course?

Yes. Nuun Endurance carries about 800 mg of sodium per litre as the maker mixes it, which is above the 600 mg per litre target. The race does not publish its own dilution. If you carry your own water instead, bring your own sodium plan.

Is there food on the Marine Corps Marathon course?

Marine Corps publishes none. The tables carry water and Nuun and nothing else.

How far apart are the water stations at Marine Corps?

The first table is at mile 2.3. After that they come every 0.2 to 2.6 miles. The longest gap after the start is mile 10.7 to mile 13.2, about 4.1 km, which is 24 minutes at 4:00 pace and 30 minutes at 5:00 pace.

When will I reach the gel station at mile 13.2?

At even pace: 1:46 into a 3:30 race, 1:53 into a 3:45, 2:01 into a 4:00, and 2:31 into a 5:00. Enter your own goal time in the station table above to see every table.

Where are the aid stations at the Marine Corps Marathon?

There are 17, at miles 2.3, 4.7, 6.6, 8.2, 10.7, 13.2, 13.6, 15.6, 16.9, 18.3, 18.5, 20, 21.8, 22.3, 23.8, 23.9 and 24.9. 14 of them have water; miles 13.2, 18.3 and 23.8 do not. 12 of them, miles 2.3, 4.7, 6.6, 8.2, 10.7, 13.6, 15.6, 16.9, 18.5, 21.8, 23.9 and 24.9, also have Nuun Endurance, Lemon Lime.

Can I carry all of my own fuel at the Marine Corps Marathon?

Yes. Marine Corps does not take personal bottles from the mass field, so everything you carry starts on you at the gun. Carrying everything at 75 g an hour is 12 gels of 25 g for a 3:45 finish, or 9 if you take the course gels.

How much carbohydrate should I take during the Marine Corps Marathon?

60 to 90 grams an hour, set by your body size and by how much your stomach has practised absorbing. Start at the rate you have already trained at rather than the rate you want: 90 g an hour is a target to build toward over a training cycle before you race on it.

Do I need to carry water at the Marine Corps Marathon?

Only for the opening 2.3 miles. The first table is at mile 2.3, about 20 minutes into a 3:45 race, and after that tables come every 0.2 to 2.6 miles. If your first feed comes before mile 2.3, carry the fluid for it from the start line.

What should I eat before the Marine Corps Marathon?

1 to 4 g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight in the 1 to 4 hours before the start, from food you have already eaten before long runs. A 68 kg runner eating 3 hours before the start needs roughly 130 to 200 g of carbohydrate.

Your Marine Corps plan

Build your Marine Corps plan with the course already loaded

The tables, the Nuun and the course profile above are already in. Add your weight, goal time, sweat rate and the gels you like, and CarbRate builds your feed-by-feed plan for Marine Corps, then calls each feed by voice on race day.

The plan is free. Live race-day guidance and the practice schedule are in the app, $9.95 a month or a one-time $49.95 Race Pass that expires after your race.

Fueling guides for the other courses