Well I don't know if I can really comment on what you should eat but I can tell you what NOT to eat. Do not eat anything greasy or that typically gives you heartburn. It's just not good. For what it's worth, when I run in the morning I eat my am raisins about 1 hour before I go. Seems to work fine. In the past I've also used skim milk - but that ones been a while (say before a long distance run).
Carbs = energy.
Want to have energy? Eat carbs.
Want to run faster? You need to train. To train you need energy. For energy you need carbs.
:)
Your blood glucose starts to rise shortly after eating. This triggers your body to produce more insulin to help store the excess glucose. So if you wait too long to exercise, you'll feel sluggish because your body is in "energy storage" mode. I personally find that exercise starting 1-2 hrs after eating is a lot harder than exercise in a fasted state.
If you feel you need to eat before running, aim to eat no more than 30 minutes before starting your run. You can even eat right before hitting the pavement. Try a banana, PB&J, or Gu pack. Nothing crazy, 200-300 kcal, just enough to get you through the run.
Also, try running first thing in the morning without eating anything. You might be surprised.
I know, I know.. I'm getting there. Slowly, but I'm getting there. I'm thinking a banana and some kind of protien about an hour before a run??
Do you limit your carbs or are you calories in calories out? It's ironic that I would subscribe to the low carb lifestyle when potatoes and sourdough bread are my two favorite foods in the world.
Thank you! That helps a lot!
might want to try a handful of mixed nuts with your banana. as long as you chew everything well and drink plenty of water it should be fine. good luck!
Original Post by tri-fun:
might want to try a handful of mixed nuts with your banana. as long as you chew everything well and drink plenty of water it should be fine. good luck!
Thank you very much. I'm going to try it today and see how it goes.
My 2 cents. I let intensity and duration should dictate my pre-run calorie intake.
I always drink at least 8oz of water before heading out the door.
Easy runs less than an 90 minutes, I run fasted.
Intervals or Tempo runs, I have a banana and a couple of figs right before running.
Long runs or steady state runs over 90 minutes, I have a balanced breakfast with coffee about an hour beforehand.
Over 2 hours, carb heavy breakfast (pancakes, toast, bagel, hashbrowns, etc) with eggs, coffee, and 32 oz of water about an hour beforehand.
Also, a good BM before anything over 90 minutes is a must!
Original Post by anthony_christianson:
My 2 cents. I let intensity and duration should dictate my pre-run calorie intake.
I always drink at least 8oz of water before heading out the door.
Easy runs less than an 90 minutes, I run fasted.
Intervals or Tempo runs, I have a banana and a couple of figs right before running.
Long runs or steady state runs over 90 minutes, I have a balanced breakfast with coffee about an hour beforehand.
Over 2 hours, carb heavy breakfast (pancakes, toast, bagel, hashbrowns, etc) with eggs, coffee, and 32 oz of water about an hour beforehand.
Also, a good BM before anything over 90 minutes is a must!
Thank you so much!
haha this is very true. The amt. of times I have to suspend my runs because I get the horrible urge to use the restroom is way too many. Something about running just makes my digestive system push everything out.
