When a Can of Coke Makes Sense After a Long Run

This weekend I finished a 15-mile run feeling completely depleted.

Not “that was hard” tired, but the kind of deep fatigue where your legs feel hollow, your energy is gone, and your body is clearly asking for fuel now. That moment brought up a recovery strategy I’ve used for years and still get questions about.

Yes — a can of Coke.

I don’t regularly drink soda. But I do keep Coke around for situations like this. When you’ve gone deep into depletion after a long endurance session, Coke can be a surprisingly effective immediate recovery tool.

Why Coke Works When You’re Depleted

After long runs, rides, or races, your body can be in a state where:

• Muscle glycogen is low

• Liver glycogen is depleted

• The gut is stressed

• Chewing solid food sounds terrible

In that moment, your body wants simple carbohydrates that absorb fast.

Coke is essentially:

• Glucose + fructose

• No fiber

• No fat

• No protein

• ~170 calories

That combination means it empties from the stomach quickly and hits the bloodstream fast, exactly what you want right after a long endurance session.

There’s also a key physiological benefit many athletes don’t realize.

Two Carb Pathways, One Drink

Coke uses two carbohydrate pathways:

• Glucose → primarily refills muscle glycogen

• Fructose → primarily refills liver glycogen

Together, they help restore overall energy faster than glucose alone. Add a little caffeine, and you often feel human again within minutes.

Important: This Is a Bridge, Not the Meal

A can of Coke is not your recovery meal.

Think of it as a bridge, a fast first step when your body is screaming for fuel. It should always be followed by a real recovery meal that includes:

• Protein

• Carbohydrates

• Fluids

• Micronutrients

After my run, that meant getting protein and carbs in shortly after to fully support recovery.

The Bigger Question You Should Ask

If you find yourself regularly finishing workouts completely depleted, that’s not just about recovery, it’s a fueling signal.

It often means:

• You didn’t eat enough before the workout

• You under-fueled during the session

That’s where the real fix lives.

Good endurance nutrition isn’t about perfection. It’s about listening to your body, noticing patterns, and making small adjustments so your workouts feel better and you recover faster.

Sometimes fueling smart looks like a perfectly planned meal.
Sometimes it looks like a can of Coke.

Both have their place.

Coach Joe Beckerley
Fuel The Finish