Whether you're training for a marathon, gearing up for a Gran Fondo, or planning a long brick session, you should be fueling on any workout over 75 minutes. You can’t control the weather, a delayed start, or how long the porta-potty line is—but you can control your nutrition and supplement timing, which can have a major impact on your performance, recovery, and how you feel on the start line (and at the finish!).

In this quick guide, we’ll break down how to use three key Beet It products—Nitrate 400 Shots, Top Up 100 energy gels, and Regen Cherry+ shots—to support endurance performance before, during, and after training or racing. We’ll also show you how Blonyx supplements like Beta Alanine, HMB Sport, Egg White Protein Isolate, and Hydra+ fit into your training plan—whether you’re trying to train longer, recover faster, or chasing speed.

Use Nitrates to Build a Performance Base

Beet It Sport Nitrate 400 is best taken daily for 5–6 days leading into a race or key workout, then again 2–3 hours before go time. It helps widen blood vessels and boost oxygen delivery to muscles, so you can go longer at a given intensity without fatiguing as quickly.

“Nitrate 400 provides a reliable 400mg dose of nitrates, is easily digestible, and ideal for consistent performance during training and races.”
— Coach Rob Watson, 2:13 Marathoner and Cyclist

If you're not racing but doing a hard session—like a tempo, intervals, or a brick workout—this same approach applies. Nitrates are one of the most-researched ways to improve energy efficiency for endurance athletes.

Fuel Early and Often to Stay Strong Mid-Session

Beet It Top Up 100 Gel is the only energy gel with 30g of carbs plus 100mg of dietary nitrates. That makes it ideal for long runs, bike rides, and races over 90 minutes. Use it every 30–60 minutes to maintain energy and nitrate levels throughout.

Research has found that nitrate levels drop over time during prolonged exercise, reducing their impact on oxygen efficiency. But taking an extra dose around the 60-minute mark helps sustain the benefits of nitrate supplementation—including better oxygen efficiency, lower energy cost of movement, improved mitochondrial function, and slower muscle glycogen depletion.

“It’s a fast-acting gel with 30g of carbs that’s surprisingly tasty and is a great source of carbs to fuel your tempos, long runs, and races.”
— Coach Rob Watson

This is also where Blonyx Hydra+ fits in. We recommend mixing 1 scoop with 16oz of water per hour and sipping small amounts throughout longer sessions, especially in the heat. Unlike most sports drinks, Hydra+ focuses on water absorption—not dumping in more sodium than your body needs.

“If you’re training or racing in a particularly hot climate or doing runs lasting over 1 hour, consider bringing a handheld bottle of Blonyx Hydra+ with you.”
 — Coach Thomas Nobbs, 2:15 Marathoner

Use Recovery to Get More Out of Your Next Session

Recovery isn’t just about how you feel the next day—it determines how often you can train hard, stay injury-free, and keep making progress.

Start with Beet It Regen Cherry+. It combines tart cherry juice with beet juice to reduce inflammation, support muscle recovery, and even improve sleep. Take it right after your session, or daily during peak training blocks.

“I throw Regen Cherry+ into my post-run smoothies. It helps me feel fresher and bounce back quicker between sessions.”
— Coach Rob Watson, 2:13 Marathoner

Add in Blonyx Egg White Protein Isolate within 30–60 minutes post-session to rebuild muscle and connective tissue. It’s a clean, source of real-food protein—with nothing your body doesn't need.

“I've been using Blonyx Egg White Protein Isolate since the 2024 Icebreaker 8k and it's become a staple in my routine. It has clean, real-food ingredients, digests easily, and has lots of versatility. It’s my go-to for recovery after long runs and during builds.”
— Coach Thomas Nobbs, 2:15 Marathoner

For more structured recovery, HMB Sport or HMB+ Creatine can help reduce muscle breakdown and speed up repair, especially during high-volume or high-intensity blocks. Take it daily, morning and evening for best results.

“HMB Sport aids in faster recovery, especially after intense sessions, but you have to be consistent with this and use it daily!”
— Coach Rob Watson, 2:13 Marathoner

Build Strength and Speed With the Right Long-Term Tools

While Beet It products support energy and recovery, Beta Alanine helps build your tolerance to high-intensity efforts by buffering lactic acid buildup. It’s best taken daily, morning and evening, for at least 8–12 weeks before your key race.

“[Beta Alanine]’s a great tool for interval sessions and harder blocks. I’ve noticed a big difference in how long I can hold harder efforts.”
— Coach Rob Watson, 2:13 Marathoner

Pair it with HMB+ Creatine for additional strength and power benefits—especially if you’re doing strength training, CrossFit-style endurance, or hybrid racing like HYROX.

Key Takeaways

Fueling right starts well before race day. When timed correctly, The Beet It Bundle will help you to perform and recover better during hard training sessions and races—and when you combine them with daily-use supplements like Beta Alanine, HMB, Hydra+, and Egg White Protein, you’re giving your body every tool it needs to perform and adapt.

Check out our Product User Guides for more information on how these products work, or, if you’re training for one of the following events, learn more by downloading our sports nutrition guide for Marathon, 5K to Half Marathon, Triathlon, or Gran Fondo.  

If you learned something new from this article and are curious to know more, head to the Blonyx Blog or our growing list of weekly research summaries where we help you further improve your athletic performance by keeping you up to date on the latest findings from the world of sports nutrition.

– That’s all for now, train hard and fuel intentionally!

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