Meal timing and content when running

blueboxgeek · December 2013

I’ve tried a couple of times before to run and normally get half way in to C25K before giving in. I think a lot of it is that I probably aren’t giving myself the correct nutrition and with my jobs and kids find it hard to fit it in right. I’ve tried running in the evening when the kids are in bed but it’s only an hour or so after my main evening meal and it lays heavy on my stomach. Or if I try and put dinner off I find I don’t have enough energy (oh and did try running first thing at 5am without anything to eat but that didn’t work out well either!).

So I am thinking I can split my calories of my dinner and have a smaller meal before and after. I can still sit down and eat with my family a small something and then have something else after the run when the kids are in bed (and my husband snacks on junk food and hopefully I won’t be tempted lol).

So tonight I have planned to have a porridge based light meal which works out at 215cals (32g carbs, 5g fat, 9 protein). This will be around 2 hours before my run (well walk / jog). And then have a meal that is 519 cals about an hour after (68g carbs, 12g fat, 28g protein).

Does this sound ok to you more seasoned runners out there? What changes would you make? I realise that at just 5k of jogging and walking I can kind of push myself through whatever happens, but I really want to try and set some good routines up now so that as I start working harder and jogging further I am already in a good nutritional routine that I can carry on. Would love to hear your tips and advice please.

Mokey41 · December 2013

I love running fasted. If I lived in my ideal world I would get up every morning and run before breakfast but that isn't happening so I usually go right after work. I don't like running with food in my stomach at all so having lunch around 12:30 then running about 4:30 works out great. Doing C25K really doesn't require fueling up before or after.

runnergrlfl · December 2013

I prefer to run mostly fasted. I run for about an hour after work at 6PM, and my last food intake prior is at about 3-4pm and is just a routine snack - usually popcorn or some fruit/veggies.

On long runs where I anticipate being out 90+ minutes, I have toast or an English muffin with peanut butter 30-60 minutes prior.

If you're eating and resting "right" normally, you should have more than enough energy to do a regular work out.

ansonrinesmith · December 2013

Can you explain what causes you to "give in"? Does it make you feel ill, out of breath, hurt joints? Knowing why you stop, should help get you specific advice.

blueboxgeek · December 2013

Can you explain what causes you to "give in"? Does it make you feel ill, out of breath, hurt joints? Knowing why you stop, should help get you specific advice.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I think it's just a general feeling of shattered / exhausted. Iike I am just ready to give in and sit down. I'll have aches but nothing that I can't ignore for a little longer, and although I get out of breath I can usually walk for 3-4 minutes and get my breath back. But then I get to a point where I just feel like I have NO energy to start jogging again. My lungs can carry on, my legs can carry on but I just feel so tired I have to walk home rather than jog / walk.

Is this just a beginner problem that will get better on it's own?

Thanks.

niricava · December 2013

I like to have a small snack of nuts (100-120 calories) about 30-60 minutes before my workout and then have a regular meal afterward. It gives me enough energy to make it through the run but not weigh me down. Good luck to you! :flowerforyou:

action_figure · December 2013

I like to have something small an hour before my run and then a larger recovery meal right after. So, your plan sounds like what works well for me.

ansonrinesmith · December 2013

So, I'll give you my experience from someone who couldn't even do the W1D1 of C25K when I started.

I found it to be a very mentally tough challenge. I would use any excuse to cut the jogging portions short. "Oh my legs hurt a little, i'm out of breath, my feet hurt...." I then found myself very frustrated. I went and got new shoes (ok this helped A LOT), new shorts, shirt, different food... Any thing I thought was an excuse and was still not progressing.

LOOOONG story short, a friend kept encouraging me and the one thing he kept saying OVER and OVER was that running is in your head. I started the C25K and finished it! When I thought I wanted to stop the jogging portions, I would just tell myself, that I am stronger than this and keep pushing. 9 months later, I did my first half marathon. I'm hoping to train again and do another one. Maybe push for a full marathon after that.

YOU can do it!
YMMV

I do want to caveat this with, if you are in pain, light headed, seeing stars, tunnel vision or other signs of injury, fatigue or dehydration PLEASE do not push yourself beyond.

Mokey41 · December 2013

You're hitting the mental block around week 5 where you have to do a 20 minute run? You just have to push through. I know it's not politically correct and you have to take mind of your health but I like Jillian Michaels idea of if you aren't going to faint, puke or die, then keep going. Your brain will tell you all kinds of things to get you to stop doing something it doesn't want to do.

rduhlir · December 2013

The food thing is going to take time to figure out. Everyone is different, and from someone who has gotten bad case of runner's trots before....I am very careful with what I eat on certain runs. With the lower distance, you will do fine some what fasted. That is how I run sometimes, eating only some carbs shot gummies before I head out for the run. Some runs I wait until I have gone to the bathroom before heading out, but that depends on distance.

As for what you described in your last post, sounds like you need to slow down as well. Sometimes, all a beginning runner needs to do is slow down.

CorlissaEats · December 2013

I either do mine at 5am or when I get home from work.

In the morning, I eat a frozen mini snickers bar- the halloween size. It gives me carbs I need to wake up and run. I do find though that I need to eat within 30 minutes of finishing my workout.

In the evening, if I know I am going to do it, I make sure I have a snack around 3 or 4 pm. I run before dinner. Your split idea sounds okay, but I might contain the pre-workout meal to 1/3 of the total. I have a hard time running on a full stomache.

blueboxgeek · December 2013

Thanks for sharing your view, tips and advice everyone. I really appreciate it all

I will get there! I'm determined to see it right through to the end this time and just keep going, and just repeat weeks again if I feel I need to rather than giving up.

ansonrinesmith · December 2013

You're hitting the mental block around week 5 where you have to do a 20 minute run? You just have to push through. I know it's not politically correct and you have to take mind of your health but I like Jillian Michaels idea of if you aren't going to faint, puke or die, then keep going. Your brain will tell you all kinds of things to get you to stop doing something it doesn't want to do.

THIS! That 20 minute run looks HUGE.

lovemuffin6 · December 2013

If you're not eating enough it could be to do with that, in terms of nutrition runners are recommended to eat about 50% carbs which is more than a normal person would need really, but in c25k specific nutrition isn't such a big factor. This nutrition guide from runners world has a calculation for an estimate of how little you can eat before running performance is less than optimum :

http://www.runnersworld.com/sites/default/files/NutritionGuide_0.pdf

It could just be you are pushing yourself too hard, in which case maybe try repeating a day or week you know you can do until you feel a little more confident, the c25k program is too hard for a lot of beginners (I'm young and in theory not too out of shape but it took me 10 weeks to finish).

Meal timing and content when running

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