Eating before a run

[Cleop]

Do you eat breakfast before you go out for a morning run?

If so what and how long before?

I've been having a protein shake and a banana about 40 mins before.

[sheps Graduate]

No breakfast before. I have a drink of water. I think 40 minutes is too close to the run but maybe thinking has changed recently and with the shake type foods that are available.

[Cleop Graduate in reply to sheps]

How long would you wait?

[sheps Graduate in reply to Cleop]

I used to be told at least an hour. Perhaps you could not have breakfast until after. Mornings tend to be busy times, don't they. It's only half an hour of running and I would have thought you wouldn't need to eat before. Unless you have a medical condition, of course.

I breakfast for England after!

[Hidden]

I run straight after getting up when I can but that means no time to wait an hour. But I also know I can't go out without anything to eat. Tip I got off someone on this site - 2 digestive biscuits and a glass of water. It works for me.

[Dpsl Graduate]

I used to run mid-morning, at least a couple of hours after breakfast. (I work from home, so I could go that.) I decided that broke my day up too much, so now I'm into my gear as soon as I get up, and straight out the door. This doesn't affect my run - as sheps says, it's only half an hour.

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate]

I go straight out in the morning without breakfast aswell. It's no problem, and certainly not for 30 mins. Find what works for you, there are some good suggestions here.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

Experiment... I wake up hungry so it always has to be breakfast for me and I like a decent breakfast, so then it is usually two hours (but I get up early) But depending on how I feel and exactly what I've eaten I'd sometimes feel ready to run after an hour/hour and a half.

My brother finds he can't run sooner than three hours.

I am forever finding myself eating lunch mid to late morning to accommodate a run!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Half a banana and a pint of water before I go out of the door for a 30 minute run, increased to a whole banana ( no expense spared!!!) for an hour run. It works for me, and when I missed the banana before last weekend's 11k run, I was flagging by the end.

[RuthMargaret Graduate]

I've just had a tiny bowl of cereal (about 1/3 portion) and milk about an hour before, because I know I would flag if I went with a completely empty stomach. I don't do well without food, but that's just me.

[Kbanana]

I have a banana and a glass of water. Bananas have lots of natural sugars to power you through if you need it. Massive breakfast after my shower though!

[Gillma Graduate]

What's the theory behind leaving a gap? Body too preoccupied with digestion?

[ladyharvills Graduate]

I'm up at 5.50 and out of the door by at least 6.05, so no breakfast, just water. My longest run is only 35 minutes!

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to ladyharvills]

ONLY 35 minutes????!!!!!!!!

[Rignold]

I'd have the protein shake immediately after the run rather than before

[RebeccaSK Graduate]

I've been watching this post with interest. I have a banana and some water before I go and 2 x poached eggs on granary and a huuuuuuuge cup of tea when I get back! I'd love to be able to go out on an empty stomach as I could literally fall out of bed and go - perhaps I should try it one day.

[Cleop Graduate]

I had a banana and shake about an hour before I went out yesterday and had a great run.

Thanks for all the replies I'll certainly be trying different options and seeing what works best for me 😊

[Char-]

Don't eat anything .. makes me feel 🤢if I do .