A food question for all you early birds…🌅🏃‍♀️🏃🏽

[Sandraj39]

Do you eat before you run? A small snack or breakfast (and then wait…! ) Or do you run on empty?

Early runs are not something I do very often - usually preferring to run after work but I am wondering if I should get up earlier as we move in to summer to beat the heat a little?

This morning I had half a banana and a little water but wondered what others do? I also wouldn’t fancy a 10k on so little personally, so weekend long runs would always be AFTER breakfast!🥣🙂

Thanks in advance.🙂

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

I eat a light breakfast then exactly one hour after finishing breakfast I go for a run, usually on a Wednesday, this morning I finished breakfast at 6,45 and ran my 37th 10K starting at 7.45.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

I have tea and a biscuit when I wake, then nothing until after my run that could be several hours later, but then I'm a bit strange

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate]

2 cups off tea..two digestive lights...about 40 to 45 mins later..sip of water immediately before leaving the house.. and off...always had that routine ,distanced up to 10K..Breakfast when I get back..

We are early birds though.. x

[XenaZelda]

i cant eat breakfast, i don't usually eat anything on a normal day until about 11 or 12 noon, so i always run on empty, especially now i am going out a little earlier than i normally would do, but like you i wouldn't want to run on empty for a 10K or longer run (not that i am up to that point yet!) i do have a breakfast bar - Alpine yogurt and strawberry bar and sometimes a banana when i get back

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

it does depend on how long I have before I run, but generally for easy pace runs I just have a whole banana and a cup of tea half an hour to an hour before I go out, and then for 10k and above I take water and a few fruit pastilles and dry apricots to eat later in the run.

For a race, I have overnight oats at least an hour before I run. Usually it’s about 2 hours because you tend to get there an hour before start time. I still take my nibbles along.

[Hedgehogs123 Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

for races I too have overnight oats, but I wake up early (usually about 4 hours before I race, ) with the belief that they give me more stamina, certainly seems to work for me!

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Hedgehogs123]

yes I think it’s the slow release of energy that helps.

[misswobble Graduate10 in reply to Hedgehogs123]

I love overnight oats during the summer. Some lovely recipes but some border on pudding ☺️

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

Thanks for the answers - sounds like I’m getting it about right!

If I’m not going straight out then breakfast is always a big bowl of porridge with mixed fruit (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and banana) a squirt of honey and almonds! I wouldn’t normally run for about an hour an a half after this though. Today, I enjoyed it on return.🙂🥣

[misswobble Graduate10 in reply to Sandraj39]

sounds lush! 👌😋

[Roxdog Graduate10]

Always just a bite of banana. When I was running longer distances, I just had 2 bites of banana. For anything over 10k I would take a snack out with me - some raisins or a piece of flapjack.

[backintime Graduate10]

I can happily go up to 10k on an empty stomach, just a mouthful of water before I head out

if I run later in the day, I wait 2 hours after eating

[RunWillie Graduate10]

I used to run on empty if I was running early. I read Stacy Sims books Roar & Next level & now always have something even if it’s a Banana with some peanut butter.

[skysue16 Graduate10 in reply to RunWillie]

That sounds an interesting read….🤔

[RunWillie Graduate10 in reply to skysue16]

I found both books really helpful. I’m 48 & heading towards Menopause so I’ll take all the help I can get 😍

[skysue16 Graduate10]

I find this subject very interesting. I always run on empty and then depending on the time will sometimes not eat until lunchtime because I never feel like eating after a run. I can manage 10k - 12k but longer distance take a little snack or glucose drink. I really don’t like running later in the day.

[Reggiegirl]

I run on just an earlier cup of tea. I can go for about 10 miles before I need anything. Guess it’s habit as if I take time for breakfast I end up involved in something else 🥴

[MrBassmanjazz]

I usually run empty. At least two hours after a meal. (I'm only at this two years and haven't really got a clue what I'm doing).

(I think I recall Ianodatruff (? sp) saying he did 1\2 Banana for 5k and a whole Banana for anything longer).

[Oldlady64]

I prefer to wait to eat until I’m finished if I’m running before 11am. If I’m running later in the day I usually wait 3 hours or so before running.

[VS1975 Graduate10]

I have black coffee when I get up , then about 2 hours later so 5k on empty stomach. Eat around 12/1pm.

[misswobble Graduate10]

I always eat before I run. I always eat breakfast as soon as get up, running or not 😋

[CBDB Graduate10]

A cup of coffee with oat milk, and a glass of lemon water.

After the run, 2 glasses of water and after the shower, a healthy smoothie with protein powder. And that’s me done until lunch.

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate10]

Hi Sandraj39 …I always run on empty when I run early morning…just a couple of glasses of water and I’m off…can’t bear anything jiggling about inside!

[nowster Graduate10]

When running in the morning I prefer not to have eaten. I do tend to get hungry if I haven't eaten by 11am, so if I haven't run by then I'll eat and wait an hour or so before running.

For a longer run I might have a couple of slices of toast and a mug of coffee, then wait half an hour.

The complication is that I have medicine that I have to take immediately on waking up, and I can't eat or drink anything other than water for half an hour after taking it. If I start a run during that time, I'll simply have a glass of water (about 250ml).

But I've not had many early starts recently, something I really need to fix.