About FuelCenter

Who's behind FuelCenter

I'm Cody McCauley, and I've been an athlete my whole life. I didn't start running until early 2023, but once I caught the bug, I haven't been able to stop.

I've run 5 marathons over the past two years, and have jumped from a 3:27 to my current PR of 3:04 at the 2025 NYC Marathon, where I fueled at roughly 90g carbs per hour using the same tools on this site. I'm currently training for my first sub-3 attempt at the Copenhagen Marathon in May 2026, targeting 100-105g/hr in my long runs and workouts. Consistency is the name of the game for me, and has been the backbone of my progression as a runner.

FuelCenter exists because I spent ~15 minutes before every workout and long run calculating how many carbs I needed and when to take them throughout the workout. After getting tired of mental math and the iPhone calculator, I built the tool I wanted: one that accounts for your carb intake, gel brand, your estimated workout time, and whether you're supplementing gels with drink mix. This then expanded into crafting full race strategies that account for course-specific pacing and fueling strategies.

The high-carb approach

FuelCenter is built on the science of high-carb fueling. Not the outdated 45-60g of carbs per hour recommendation, but the modern protocol where serious athletes are pushing 75-120g of carbs per hour on race day.

The methodology comes from David and Megan Roche's 8-guideline framework, the same zone-based, duration-tiered system elite athletes use.

Every tool and every piece of content on this site orients toward fueling more, not less. The understanding is that you need to train your gut to get there.

What you'll find here

  • Fueling Calculator — Build a personalized, minute-by-minute race-day fueling plan with your exact gel brand
  • Running Tools — Pace calculator, race time predictor, heat adjustment, and hydration calculator
  • Race Sheets — Course-specific pace and fueling plans for popular marathons and ultras
  • Blog — Gel comparisons, fueling strategies, and the data behind what actually works on race day

Surging

FuelCenter pairs with a running newsletter called Surging, which covers training, performance, and how progress compounds.