Eating and early morning runs

[Larzee]

Hi there. I am new to the site and have only recently started running. Think I'm on my 3rd week of trying to fit it three week 1 runs into a week before graduating to week 2! I'm trying to nail a routine that works for me. Looks like I am going to have to run early in the morning before work (6.30 ish). Wondered if anyone has any advice re eating/not eating before running early? Thanks.

[Nick_Buddha_12 Graduate]

i did all my runs early morning on just a cup of tea and ate when I got back, this worked well for me.

[susan8326]

I don't like to have any food in my stomach for an early run, so I usually just have a cup of coffee (helps to make me go to the loo!!) then off I go. I think everyone varies though, some will have a banana or maybe a half bagel. My stomach would get upset if I ran after eating.

[Vanessa291 Graduate]

I run early morning, on a work day 05:00. All I do is get up and do a few stretches, then I have a pint of water. When I get back I have more water and then the best bit of all a cup of tea, breakfast is usually once I get to work. I think you soon get into your own routine.

[Jonesycat Graduate]

I can't eat first thing whether I'm running or not so it's just a glass of water to hydrate, then off I trot. Another glass when I get back and then a good breakfast. Try a few variations and see what works best for you. Do drink something, though, before you go - dehydration is very energy-sapping.

Good luck with the programme!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate]

I trot off early on an empty stomach, just a glass of water. Tea and breakfast when I get back - something to look forward to during the run! Never had any problems. Might be a different matter if I was doing really long runs, but for anything up to 10k it seems fine for me.

[AnneDroid Graduate]

I'm with everyone else. Coffee for hydration and - okay so I'm a drugs cheat - the caffeine. But no food.

I'm sure you'll soon get into a routine that you can fit this round your other responsibilities.

Go for it!

(As I keep saying, if I can do it anyone can).

[MarkyD Graduate]

You'll burn about 200 calories completing some of the early C25K walk/runs. Your body is not going to need fuelling to get you through the run, just some rehydration (but not too much, otherwise it'll go straight through you). I'm with everyone else... 450ml of water before bed. 100ml of water when I get out of bed. By the time I'm dressed for running and have faffed around a bit, I'm ready to go.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Generally I am an early morning pre work runner too. It suits my body best and my asthma.... So I generally have a swig of strong tea and a biscuit. This is probably not the best advice and others will have better but it works for me...

[echo46 Graduate]

No food here, just a glass of water. Sometimes a little bit of bread if I feel I'm really running on empty.

I run first thing mainly because if I run any later in the day I invent all sorts of reasons for not going, and first thing in the morning I can just pull clothes, shoes and headphones on and head out the door before my brain tries to talk me out of it!

[McFitty Graduate in reply to echo46]

Oh ditto that one! My brain even tries to talk me out of it on the way to the door!

[Jingle_berry in reply to echo46]

Me too!!! X

[McFitty Graduate]

Cup of coffee and big glass of water before I go out - more water when I get back. Not usually hungry 'til around lunch time but sometimes I'll have a banana (simply because "Laura told me to" in the early weeks)

[Irish-John Graduate]

I don't eat at all before the early morning runs, but everyone is different I don't do any post-run stretches either though I know a lot of people cannot do without them.

[desperately_seeking]

There was something on the last season of Trust Me I'm A Doctor with Michael Moseley (in the UK) where they worked out what was best, eating pre- or post-workout. If I remember rightly, it came out that women should eat pre-exercise and men after. If you google it you should find something on the BBC website?

[Hidden]

Big glass of squash, then trotting round planning what to eat for breakfast when I get back

[Kmcm66]

Fluids but no food works for me before an early morning run.

[rammsteinqueen Graduate]

I do most of my runs early morning. I just get up, wash, clean teeth and go - I don't eat or drink anything beforehand. Works for me.

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

Well done on starting C25k Larzee..

As long as you successfully complete three runs of each 'week' you can move onto the next one.

With rest days you may not always be able to fit all three runs into an actual week. You may sometimes start say Week 3 on a Thursday. The program is not strict about when you run, only that each session is completed 3 times.

Good luck you can do this.😊

P.s it pays not to peek too far ahead either..x

[Larzee]

Thanks everyone for the advice! I guess I will try a few different approaches and see what feels right. Excited about moving onto week 2 at the weekend!

[jamsammich Graduate]

I eat when I get back too, just make sure you've been loo (paula radcliffe we are not) and had a drink before you set off

[Hidden]

Firstly we'll done you. Eat after otherwise you'll cramp up. If you are up a while before you run half a banana is good but chew it to smush so the digestive system doesn't have to work too hard. I eat after if I don't have enough time before my run. But eat high protein after it'll help muscle recovery. Keep it up.

[Whatsapp Graduate]

In terms of the hydration element alluded to in responses, please don't rely on drinking water 'just before you go out' for hydration. It will not hydrate you and will still be in your gut, sloshing about when you run. To go through your system it will take a few hours.

For hydration makes sure you drink adequately every day (2-3 litres), whether running or not. You may find at first you go to the loo more, but this will settle down.

That said I always have a little glass of water before I run first thing, just because my mouth is dry.

[Whatsapp Graduate in reply to Whatsapp]

Just realised how old this post is. I'm sure you've worked out what works for youby now!