Aid stations first sprang up in the 1970s as simple safety checkpoints offering water and electrolyte drinks. Today, they’ve become a staple in endurance events—some are still minimal, with just water and bananas, while others are fully-stocked hubs with everything from fueling gels to hot meals.
Usually staffed by volunteers, aid stations make race planning easier—especially in uncrewed races or where drop bag access is limited.
But relying on aid station nutrition can backfire.
Let’s break down why—and what to grab (and avoid) if you absolutely must eat from the aid station table.
How Aid Station Nutrition Can Sabotage Your Race
1. GI Issues Ruin Races
Bloating. Nausea. Emergency bathroom breaks. GI issues like these are common reasons endurance athletes drop out of races.
The culprit? Often, it's unfamiliar foods.
During intense exercise, the body redirects blood from digestion to your muscles. Gastric emptying slows and digestion is harder. Even "safe" foods might give you trouble.
To avoid this, only use nutrition you’ve tested in training. You will know how your body will react, so you can avoid surprises on race day.
Also read our Guide to Gut Training
2. Aid Station Food Isn’t Chosen for Performance
Traditional aid station foods—bananas, cookies, granola bars, pizza—are often chosen based on tradition or convenience.
That doesn’t mean they’re good for performance.
Most endurance athletes need 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour. To hit this target, it’s important to fuel with glucose and fructose, ideally in a 1:0.8 ratio for best absorption.
Aid station foods lack this balance. Foods often contain fats and fiber, which slow down absorption more—meaning slower energy delivery.
Want the science? Read our Carbohydrate Guide.
3. Fuel Isn’t Measured
That slice of banana bread? It could have 20 grams of carbohydrates… or 50. There’s no label, no breakdown, no way to track intake.
At the elite level, athletes carefully plan their fuel intake for each stage, using energy drinks and gels so meet precise fueling amounts. But without carbohydrate counts on aid station nutrition, it is impossible to stick to a plan.
4. Hygiene Is Hit or Miss
Race volunteers are amazing, and many races wouldn’t be possible without their support. But aid stations aren’t set up like restaurant kitchens. Handwashing is often a squeeze of hand gel (and remember volunteers are using the same port-a-loos you are!).
That big bowl of pretzels on the table?
It’s probably been touched by dozens of people, including the racer who grabbed a handful… right after slathering chamois cream on their crotch.
Some races are great at upholding hygiene standards. But still be cautious of perishable food. Fruit slices, pancakes, cooked meals… they are breeding grounds for bacteria—especially if left sitting out for hours in hot conditions.
A sign of good hygiene: These volunteers are serving food with gloves.
5. Mistakes Happen
Again, volunteers are amazing! But that doesn’t mean they understand endurance nutrition.
For example, one triathlete recalled an Ironman 70.3 aid station which was stocked with Diet Coke.
The well-meaning volunteers thought that triathletes surely wouldn’t want regular "unhealthy" Coke. Not surprisingly, the athletes who drank the Diet Coke found their paces falling: Aspartame doesn’t restore glycogen.
The Takeaway?
After all the work you’ve done, don't put your nutrition in the hands of complete strangers.
“It’s not worth the risk. Just bring your own fuel instead, even if it means starting with a very heavy pack." – Ultra trail runner Kris Jones - Read his full interview
How to Carry Your Own Fuel (Without Weighing Yourself Down)
Yes, it’s possible to bring all your own nutrition to uncrewed races. The key is to choose concentrated nutrition that delivers high amounts of carbohydrates with minimal weight.
- Nrgy Gels are a great choice for portability. All you need is plain water from aid stations to wash them down.
- Nrgy Drinks allow you to fuel and hydrate simultaneously. Just mix with water from aid stations.
Tip: Pre-portion Nrgy Drink 90 mix into small zip bags or tubes. When you reach an aid station, signal for water, dump it and the powder into your bottle, shake, and roll out.
Here’s what it looks like in practice:
- 5 x Nrgy Gels 45 = 225 g carbohydrates (375 g total weight)
- 2 x Nrgy Drink 90 = 180 g carbohydrates (you’re only carrying the 200 g of powder until you add water)
That’s 405 grams of carbohydrates, or enough for 4.5 hours of fueling at 90 g/h. The 1:0.8 glucose-to-fructose ratio means your body will absorb it efficiently. Electrolytes included.
Best Aid Station Foods
If you’re in a pinch and need to grab something at the aid station, choose simple carbohydrates that are low in fat and fiber. Play it safe and only take foods served with tongs, gloves, or individual packages.
Best Options:
- Gummy Candies: These are high in simple carbohydrates, so great for restoring glycogen. Other sugary candies are also good options.
- White bread + jam sandwiches: This combination contains both glucose and fructose, so is great for restoring glycogen.
- Pretzels: Especially later in the race, salty snacks like pretzels are great for replenishing lost sodium.
- Bowls of instant ramen: This is a great pick-me-up during cold races, made from simple carbohydrates and loaded with sodium, and the individual portions make it a hygienic option.
- Bananas: While not the ideal fuel because they contain some fiber, bananas are safer than other fruits because their peel helps them last longer.
Tip: Aid stations—especially in cycling races—can be chaos. People slow, swerve, and stop suddenly. Be extra alert when passing through. Get what you need safely, and roll out.
Worst Aid Station Foods
Avoid any foods or drinks that are hard to digest, such as carbonated beverages, or foods high in fat or fiber. Also avoid food safety red flags, like perishables sitting out, snacks served in communal bowls or without gloves. When in doubt, skip it. Your gut—and finish time—will thank you.
Worst Options:
- Granola Bars: Fiber slows down digestion, so is a major cause of gut distress during exercise. Yes, this means you should avoid granola bars!
- Pizza: Fat also slows digestion, so can cause serious gut distress. Also avoid peanut butter, potato chips, trail mix, cookies, cheese cubes, jerky, and (yes) bacon.
- Orange Slices: Not only are these high-fiber, but they can go bad quickly when left sitting out. Fermenting sugar and bacteria colonization are not good on the stomach! Also avoid other cut fruits, such as watermelon chunks.
- Cola and Soft Drinks: The caffeine and sugar might help, but the carbonation can cause bloating. You won’t be able to de-carbonate the cola at the aid station.
Final Takeaways
If your race is uncrewed, don’t leave your fueling to chance.
- Train with your fuel. Race with your fuel.
- Avoid aid station foods that are high in fat or fiber.
- Bring fast, predictable carbohydrates in the 1:0.8 glucose-to-fructose ratio.
- Use concentrated fuels like Nrgy Gels and Nrgy Drink to keep weight down.
- Use aid station water for hydration—but not their mystery snacks.
Want more guidance? Check out our Fueling Guide.