Hydrating for a morning run

[JoanneBrowne]

How do you run first thing in the morning with adequate levels of hydration, given you've been asleep all night? I got a stitch on my last morning run and it was mild and didn't go away for about 15 minutes so I kept running through it and trying to breathe as deeply as possible. I assumed it could be due to dehydration as I had eaten a light snack beforehand, along with a large glass of water. Any tips?

[VictoriaRuns Graduate]

I run in the morning and do not have anything before, just hydrate afterwards. But everyone's is different. The stitch may have been from the water itself? Trial and error what works best for your body.

[mrrun Graduate]

You will hydrate well the day before. On the day of the run, if it's a morning one, I will have just a banana, or a hard boiled egg, and a sip of water.

[APScotland Graduate]

ALWAYS hydrate well before any activity in the morning - it's very important! I read something a couple of years ago about heart attacks resulting from unhydrated early morning exercise, so haven't skipped my pre-workout drink since then! Food is not nearly so important, especially for a short (10K or less) run, and if I eat anything, I wait at least an hour before running - that's perhaps what gave you the stitch. For my 1st thing in the morning runs, I drink 500ml of liquid beforehand, then set off straight after that. Breakfast as soon as I get back.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Hydrate today for tomorrow's run.

Little and often, throughout every day, 2 to 3 litres of fluid, whether you are running or not.

Half a banana and a pint of very diluted apple juice immediately before I go out for a morning 5k run, is my regime.

Experiment, we are all different.