Week 9 run 1 done!

[russellwalker]

Hello there! Sorry for not posting for a couple of weeks, but your stories continue to inspire and motivate!

After a couple of weeks of almost treading water with the runs (alternating 20 and 25 minute runs and not even trying a week 9 run) today i actually managed a 30 minute run!!!! I cannot believe how far i've come in the last 11 weeks. It's even inspired my teenage step daughter to pull on the trainers and hit the road!

One question though, if you know it's a run day, how do you approach your nutrition? What is a good pre run fuel? I always try to stay hydrated but food seems a little more complex to me.

Hope you can help,

Russ

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Well done Russ.

In terms of eating, it really is one of those things where we are all different. Personally, I can go for a run half an hour after my dinner but many struggle (feeling 'bloated', increased likelihood of a stitch etc.) unless they have an 'empty' stomach.

In terms of food as 'fuel', you are not going to have to worry about that until you get to running distances of well over 10K. For a 30-minute run your body's source of fuel is glycogen. Your glycogen store will essentially be full a few hours after completing the previous run.

[CookieM Graduate]

We'll done for cracking the 30 mins!! You're nearly there!! 😃🏃

I don't worry too much about what I'm eating more about when I'm eating as I need to have eaten at least 2 hours before I run. But everyone is different- it's about finding what works for you!

[ClarePB Graduate]

I've been wondering about when to eat as well.

I've been running first thing in the morning - I put everything ready the night before get up and am out of the house within 15 mins. The only thing I have is a drink of water beforehand (although I do have to feed the cat who doesn't understand about not eating once someone is up!) I thought this might be hard but for me it seems to be better than waiting after a meal.

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Eating is a very individual thing and you will just have to experiment to find what suits you. I'm a morning runner and always run on empty apart from a glass of water. If I do run with even a partly full stomach, it gives me cramp. Others however are very different in their approach, so it's hard to advise.

Well done on your first 30 mins - soon be graduating!

[Razouski]

Well done for completing your first 30 minute run. It's a real milestone and one that I found hard to comprehend too before I started the programme. I also didn't anticipate that I'd actually enjoy it too!

I generally run in the morning and have a cup of decaf tea as I wake up and maybe some water before I set off. I then have water after the run and then another cup of tea and breakfast. The other day I set the bread maker so that I would have freshly baked bread on my return from the run, which was a real incentive as I was doing a hilly route.

I guess it's each to his/her own.

Good luck for your next two runs. Looking forward to seeing your shiny new graduation badge, I bet!

[melly4012 Graduate]

Well done you, so close to that badge now!! You deserve to feel proud and how great if you are able to run with your daughter too!

As everyone says, eating on run days is very individual. All you can really do is learn from trial and error how you feel when you run after or before eating, eating more or less than usual, etc.

Enjoy the rest of Week 9! Keep us posted!