A milkshake is optional around a 5k: the UK Sports Institute says runners who have eaten a carbohydrate-based breakfast probably do not need an additional sports drink. If you have missed breakfast, a familiar carbohydrate-containing drink may be convenient, provided you tolerate it before running. After the run, consider whether a milkshake fits the gap until your next meal; the NHS identifies water as the way to replace fluid lost through sweating.
A drink containing carbohydrate may be more appealing than solid food before a run. The UK Sports Institute advises allowing for individual differences in eating time and tolerance, so stick to a drink and serving you already know.
A milk-based drink containing carbohydrate and protein is one option after a 5k when food is not immediately convenient. Compare the amount in the whole bottle with what you intend to have before your next meal.
Flavoured milk drinks differ in bottle size, carbohydrate and ingredients. Read the current nutrition panel and allergen declaration for the exact flavour and pack you plan to buy.
Decide whether the drink is for before or after the run, then compare the whole serving rather than judging by bottle size alone.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-run comfort | Consider when you last ate, the serving volume and whether you have tolerated that drink before running. The UK Sports Institute notes that eating times vary between runners. | If I am running soon, I would rather use a familiar serving than try a new dairy drink just before setting off. |
| Carbohydrate | Compare carbohydrate per 100ml and the amount in the whole bottle. The UK Sports Institute says runners who have had a carbohydrate-based breakfast probably do not need an additional sports drink for a short run. | After breakfast, I may not want another drink for fuel; if I missed it, the carbohydrate in the bottle matters more to me than the bottle size alone. |
| After-run use | Read both carbohydrate and protein figures for the serving you would actually drink. Consider when you expect to eat your next meal. | When a meal will be delayed, I want to know what a single bottle contains rather than assume every milkshake has the same composition. |
| Fluids and ingredients | Keep water in your hydration plans; the NHS identifies it as the way to replace fluid lost through sweating. Check sugars and the current allergen declaration on the exact pack. | I need to check milk or cereal ingredients where they matter to me, and I do not want to mistake a flavoured milk drink for water. |
A larger serving may not suit you shortly before running, and an extra drink may be unnecessary after a carbohydrate-based breakfast.
Use a serving you have tried before and compare carbohydrate per whole bottle, not just pack size.
A milkshake contributes fluid, but the NHS identifies water as the way to replace fluid lost through sweating.
Plan for water separately and choose a milkshake for its food and drink contents, not as a substitute for water.
The Mars 400ml drink is labelled “no added sugar”, but that wording does not mean a drink contains no sugars.
Check both sugars and total carbohydrate on the current nutrition panel.
The ASDA listings declare milk for Yazoo Chocolate and milk and barley for the Mars drink. They are not interchangeable for someone avoiding those ingredients.
Check the allergen statement on the current pack of the exact product before buying it.
The Fudge Brownie Flavour Milkshake is listed by Sainsbury's as a 330ml bottle.
ASDA lists its Chocolate Milk Drink in a 400ml bottle.
ASDA lists a 400ml Chocolate Milk Shake Drink labelled “no added sugar”.
These milk-based drinks and protein shakes are options to compare if you want a ready-to-drink serving around a 5k, particularly when your next meal is delayed. Check the current pack for nutrition and ingredients before deciding how each fits your plans.
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For a drink when a meal is delayed after a 5k, compare the current pack's carbohydrate and protein figures for the amount you plan to have. This is a 400G milk drink; check the milk allergen declaration and try it before relying on it ahead of a run.
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Each bottle in this eight-pack is 330ml. If you plan to have one after a run, compare its current per-bottle carbohydrate and protein figures with your next meal; check the milk allergen declaration and do not assume it will suit you before running.
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This eight-pack contains 500ml bottles, a larger individual serving than the 330ml Applied Nutrition variant above. Consider whether that volume suits your intended use, read the current carbohydrate and protein figures per bottle, and check the milk allergen declaration.
Not necessarily. The UK Sports Institute says runners who have eaten a carbohydrate-based breakfast probably will not need an additional sports drink for a short run. A milkshake is a convenience option, not a requirement.
Use timing and a serving that you already know suit you. The UK Sports Institute notes that many athletes eat one to three hours before running, but individual timing varies; try any pre-run milkshake during ordinary training rather than for the first time on an important run.
Yes, if you want a convenient drink while waiting for your next meal. Check how much carbohydrate and protein the whole serving contains, and keep water in mind for replacing fluid lost through sweating, as the NHS advises.
No. The Mars Chocolate Milk Shake Drink is labelled “no added sugar”, which is not the same as saying it contains no sugars. Read the sugars and carbohydrate figures on the current pack.
Check the current pack of the exact drink. ASDA's listings declare milk for Yazoo Chocolate and milk and barley for the Mars drink; Sainsbury's lists milk-based ingredients for FRijj Fudge Brownie.