To the runners: What to eat before a run

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  • Philllbis
    Philllbis Posts: 801 Member
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    I run in the evenings after work and before dinner. I eat a Quest Protein bar about 45-minutes to an hour before I run.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    I normally run first thing in the morning. I'll have a cup of cold coffee or a glass of water and a small 100 calorie snack. This morning it was a chewy Quaker granola bar. Some days it's a couple fig newton cookies. Some days (like yesterday) I go out for a run without eating anything. Typically I do 6-8 miles with this strategy.

    For longer runs over 10 miles I have something around the 200 - 300 calorie range and an energy shot at mile 5 and mile 10 if I'm doing 13+ miles.

    EDIT: I eat this food as I'm headed out the door. I don't wait any period of time to run since it's just a small amount.
  • abigailkorver
    abigailkorver Posts: 11
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    I typically run 4-5 miles early in the a.m., so I don't eat anything before I go. If I know I'm going to run the next morning I try to eat a carb of some sort about an hour before bed. I have found that it gives me a little more energy for the morning, but its not too much to make me nauseated.
  • photosarah
    photosarah Posts: 32 Member
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    I run early in the morning, so for my shorter runs (2-4 miles), I go on empty. For longer runs (5-10 miles), I have a banana with some peanut/almond butter and some coffee (coffee makes a HUGE difference) 30-45 minutes beforehand.
  • pobalita
    pobalita Posts: 741 Member
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    During the week, I run 6 or 7 miles at lunch. By that time of the day, I've usually had some oatmeal (200 cal) and a couple cups of coffee, I have a Luna bar after the run.

    For weekend runs:
    up to six miles: just coffee and breakfast after
    six to ten miles: one energy gel or one slice of dry toast (100 cal) and coffee about 30 min before
    ten or more miles: pasta or a carby meal the night before, coffee and an energy gel about 30 minutes before, and energy gels at 6 miles and every four miles after. I eat a good meal after the run.
  • msmichydo
    msmichydo Posts: 55 Member
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    bump
  • Mamafood
    Mamafood Posts: 55 Member
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    For 6+ miles, a cup of blueberries & some cashews is my fave & I prefer to run in the evening as before the kids need getting up & organised is too damn early!

    For 10 + I'd carry a banana

    Couldn't run on a heavy meal

    I neeeed lots of water or my legs turn to lead ;-)

    I discovered the other day that eating half a friends packet of biscuits causes me to SLUMP mid run ;-)
  • msmichydo
    msmichydo Posts: 55 Member
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    It's interesting because yesterday before my run I had 1 1/2 cups of organic cereal, and I had this amazing rush of energy at the beginning of my run. Half way through I began to fall behind, my energy dwindled. But those times when I could run faster than ever, I ate stuff like spinach and a bit of chicken, and I waited an hour. Normally I'll wait 2 hours before heading out.

    I think if you have bigger(ish) meals before a run you should wait an hour at least... this is what I'm discovering for me, anyway! :p

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