Morning Runners
SingRunTing
Posts: 2,604 Member
Hi,
I'm a beginner runner (~6 months). I usually run after work (before dinner), but on Thursdays I do two workouts and am running in the morning so that I can do my other workout (30DS) after work. I can't do them back to back, so I have to split them up.
Do you run before or after breakfast. If before, do you eat or drink anything before you go? I have a hard time running with a lot of food in my stomach, so I've been going before breakfast. This morning I drank some milk before my run and that seemed ok. I'm only running about 2.5 - 3 miles right now, but I'm worried about running out of fuel when my mileage increases.
Any advice?
I'm a beginner runner (~6 months). I usually run after work (before dinner), but on Thursdays I do two workouts and am running in the morning so that I can do my other workout (30DS) after work. I can't do them back to back, so I have to split them up.
Do you run before or after breakfast. If before, do you eat or drink anything before you go? I have a hard time running with a lot of food in my stomach, so I've been going before breakfast. This morning I drank some milk before my run and that seemed ok. I'm only running about 2.5 - 3 miles right now, but I'm worried about running out of fuel when my mileage increases.
Any advice?
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Replies
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Maybe water, that is about it.Hi,
I'm a beginner runner (~6 months). I usually run after work (before dinner), but on Thursdays I do two workouts and am running in the morning so that I can do my other workout (30DS) after work. I can't do them back to back, so I have to split them up.
Do you run before or after breakfast. If before, do you eat or drink anything before you go? I have a hard time running with a lot of food in my stomach, so I've been going before breakfast. This morning I drank some milk before my run and that seemed ok. I'm only running about 2.5 - 3 miles right now, but I'm worried about running out of fuel when my mileage increases.
Any advice?
In the Army we would always do our morning PT before breakfast including some very long runs. What you ate the evening before should still be sustaining for the morning run.
The only time I would eat anything before a morning run was when I would be doing a 5k, 10k or a half marathon, and when that would happen I would wake a couple of hours earlier to get a PB sandwich with honey into my system about 3 hours before racetime so it could help me sustain during the latter stages or fhe race0 -
I eat a small meal before (for example, half cup of oatmeal or 1/3 cup granola with milk) and then refeul with a good breakfast after. I find my performance is improved when I get that snack in and don't run on a 9 hour fast or whatever. This is especially true when doing long runs and speed workouts.0
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Maybe water, that is about it.
In the Army we would always do our morning PT before breakfast including some very long runs. What you ate the evening before should still be sustaining for the morning run.
The only time I would eat anything before a morning run was when I would be doing a 5k, 10k or a half marathon, and when that would happen I would wake a couple of hours earlier to get a PB sandwich with honey into my system about 3 hours before racetime so it could help me sustain during the latter stages or fhe race
Thank you! That's kind of what I figured, but it's nice to hear it from someone else. I've had a few people who are telling me I shouldn't run without eating anything first.0 -
It took some trial and error for me. I always run around 5:30am. When I first started running I needed something in my stomach or I'd be sick - slice of PB toast or half a banana.
Then a few months later things changed... I ate that and I'd feel sick on my runs so I stopped. So now I don't have anything other than a little bit of water - and this has been my case for about 6 years.
The only exception is on race days where I've been up for a few hours before the start - I'll typically have a little something PB toast or the banana.0 -
A cup of coffee and I'm good for up to 22 miles.0
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It took some trial and error for me. I always run around 5:30am. When I first started running I needed something in my stomach or I'd be sick - slice of PB toast or half a banana.
Then a few months later things changed... I ate that and I'd feel sick on my runs so I stopped. So now I don't have anything other than a little bit of water - and this has been my case for about 6 years.
The only exception is on race days where I've been up for a few hours before the start - I'll typically have a little something PB toast or the banana.
That makes a lot of sense. I'm pretty much climbing out of bed and heading out. If I had a few hours to digest some food, I feel like eating something would be ok (and definitely in a race situation).0 -
I do wake up at least an hour before running ; if I was falling outta bed into my shoes I'd probably just do a half cup coffee and skip the food.0
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and that is why eating something before you head out wont do you a whole lot of good for energy but if you are having hunger pains in the AM it may take them away. Other than something that gives you the sugar rush so to speak, most food is going to take some time before it is going to give you sustainable energy and you seem to be like myself and many.....it is pretty much up and outta bed to run most mornings!It took some trial and error for me. I always run around 5:30am. When I first started running I needed something in my stomach or I'd be sick - slice of PB toast or half a banana.
Then a few months later things changed... I ate that and I'd feel sick on my runs so I stopped. So now I don't have anything other than a little bit of water - and this has been my case for about 6 years.
The only exception is on race days where I've been up for a few hours before the start - I'll typically have a little something PB toast or the banana.
That makes a lot of sense. I'm pretty much climbing out of bed and heading out. If I had a few hours to digest some food, I feel like eating something would be ok (and definitely in a race situation).0 -
A cup of coffee and I'm good for up to 22 miles.
Same here but only done 16 miles as my longest so far. With the weather getting hotter, I take a bottle of water with me while running for anything over 10 miles.0 -
A cup of coffee and I'm good for up to 22 miles.
This. I take water for over a half marathon distance. (I also live in one of the hottest cities in America)0 -
and that is why eating something before you head out wont do you a whole lot of good for energy but if you are having hunger pains in the AM it may take them away. Other than something that gives you the sugar rush so to speak, most food is going to take some time before it is going to give you sustainable energy and you seem to be like myself and many.....it is pretty much up and outta bed to run most mornings!It took some trial and error for me. I always run around 5:30am. When I first started running I needed something in my stomach or I'd be sick - slice of PB toast or half a banana.
Then a few months later things changed... I ate that and I'd feel sick on my runs so I stopped. So now I don't have anything other than a little bit of water - and this has been my case for about 6 years.
The only exception is on race days where I've been up for a few hours before the start - I'll typically have a little something PB toast or the banana.
That makes a lot of sense. I'm pretty much climbing out of bed and heading out. If I had a few hours to digest some food, I feel like eating something would be ok (and definitely in a race situation).
It is good during training to run fasted. Teaches your body to make use of your fat stores and it stimulates growth of your glygogen stores.
Race day is different. You want to top your body off before hand to give you every advantage to perform your best. Runner's World Big Book of Marathon and Half Marathon Training explains that just before a race that your body can only process 600 calories 3 hours before your race, or 200 calories an hour prior to your race. During the race, only 100 calories every 45 minutes.0 -
I can't run on a empty stomach. I'm hungry as soon as I wake up, so I need to eat. I used to barely eat and after 10 miles I felt MISERABLE. With food, I'm ok!
I usually do a bagel and banana or yogurt and fruit and granola at least 1 hour before I go out. But that took some trial and errors.0 -
I usually don't; I'm generally not hungry in the mornings. I do make sure to eat afterwards, though! I would probably upchuck if I tried to run after eating something, haha.0
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I don't have anything before a morning run. Nearly all of my workouts are done better when my stomach is empty or at least mostly digested. I run so much better on an empty stomach. Also, it's suggested that there are some benefits to fasted cardio, but I won't get into that.0
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Some easily digestible carbs (like a 1/4 cup of raisins) and a bit of water about 1/2 hour before should do the trick. Make sure you're properly hydrated from the day before though.0
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I generally run before eating anything or I'll end up having to go to the bathroom if you know what I mean. If I have an hour or more before I run I'll eat some oatmeal or a banana or pb toast.0
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A cup of coffee and I'm good for up to 22 miles.
I've tried coffee before a run and it's not pretty.
It really is trial and error with what works/doesn't work for you.0 -
+1 on the water, but I usually add flavorant with caffeine and electrolytes, because my morning runs are an hour. If I have two or more hours before a half or full marathon, I will eat a meal (two egg omelette with cheese, or a protein bar) plus water.0
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If I'm running just a mile or 2, I'll just have water beforehand.
Anything more than that though & I tend to start burning muscle (smell strongly of ammonia) even if I add BCAA's to the water bottle I carry with me, so will have 1/2 a scoop of whey & a big spoonful of peanut butter. I have to give it a little time to settle before I run though (typically will walk the dogs for a mile or so before running, which gives my stomach some time with the protein/PB)0 -
It really just depends on how quick I get up and get out to run in the mornings. Sometimes I am ok with some water and a cup of coffee. This morning I was hungry all ready, so I just had a couple bites of banana with my coffee. That was enough to get me through my run/workout.0
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Coffee and a banana and a couple puffs of my inhaler :-)0
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I run early in the morning. 5am usually. The only thing I have before the run is some water. I average between 4-6 miles per run0
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I don't function unless I have coffee in the morning. So, no matter what, I have coffee. I always run before I eat. If I am doing more than 7 or 8 miles, I have something small like a banana or granola bar or I will literally run out of energy before I am finished with my run.0
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I'm a morning runner. Straight out of the bed into my sneaks onto the pavement. I love working up an appetite while running and enjoying the California morning air. I'm always hydrated (drinks water only).
It's an old habit from the marine corp to run/pt before breakfast.0 -
I'm a morning runner also (head out around 5:30 am) and usually just have water prior to my run on weekdays (usually 3.5-5 miles). If I'm going longer I have some toast or a bar before, but it took me some time to figure out what my stomach could handle prior to runs.
Most important - listen to your body and figure out what you need. And stick with it! :-)0 -
I run Tues/Thurs in the evenings and Saturday in the morning. On Saturday I run before I eat or drink anything. I feel lighter and more comfortable running with less on my tummy.0
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IF I eat before a morning training run, I feel sick and my run suffers. I wake up before races in *plenty* of time to eat. I'll have half an english muffin before short races, and a small plain bagel with peanut butter for half marathons. I ate a big bagel, peanut butter and a banana before my marathon....it was a bit too much! I've run up to 12 miles training on no breakfast at all. And I don't drink coffee....plus too much caffeine pre-run gives me the trots!!!0
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If I run in the morning, I just have 2 cups of coffee, 2 cups of water, use the bathroom and head out. If it's a little later in the day, I eat a banana or a mini bagel with a some peanut butter.0
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I usually eat a piece of toast with peanut butter before my races or weekend races. I probably drink about 2-3 cups before I actually set out and run (1-1.5 hours from the time I wake up to running time).0
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I don't like exercising on an empty stomach so I always make sure I have something before I exercise in a morning. Usually it'll be a few pieces of fruit and then I have my larger breakfast when I get back, although if I'm especially hungry I'll have a Weetabix.0
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