What to eat before the run or workout: simplified

One of the most common questions I get from runners is all about what to eat before runs, workouts and races. They want to have energy, not feel too full, but also not hungry, and very much minimize GI distress and discomfort while out on the roads or trails. All of these things are possible! What you eat before a run or race is dependent on how much time you have, how long you’ll be running, and most importantly: YOU! What works for one runner may not work for the next, so use these ideas as a guide to experiment and see what works best for you (and your digestive system!).

coffee and a puppy snuggle are helpful both pre- and post-run

What to try: if you have 30 minutes
This is a common scenario for morning runners, including myself. You don’t have a ton of time, but you need a little something. I like to run as soon as possible in the mornings, which currently means waking up, eating a banana and peanut butter, taking Peanut out for her short morning walk, feeding her, stretching and then its out the door. I find that’s a perfect amount of fuel and time to digest, feel satisfied and ready to go. For my runner clients, I recommend keeping it super simple with easy-to-digest foods that your body can quickly turn into energy. Fat, fiber and protein, unlike other meals, should be limited here because they do take longer to digest and may sit uncomfortably in your stomach. Simple carbs are the way to go, and can be tweaked to add a little more oomph (like my peanut butter) if they don’t seem like enough or you get hungry before you even finish the run. Try:

• piece of toast with jam (swap jam for nut butter if this isn’t filling enough)

• banana on its own or with a little nut butter

• plain toaster waffle

• handful of dried fruit

• half or a whole homemade muffin (like the Run Fast Eat Slow superhero muffins)

• leftover rice

• half or a whole packet of instant oatmeal

What to try: if you have 60 minutes
When you’ve got a little more time, adding in some fat or protein may be a good idea to help keep you satisfied until you start running. Some of the ideas above could be fine here too, depending on your stomach. But if you need a bit more, try:

• toast with nut butter and sliced banana or berries

• bowl of oatmeal with nut butter

• bagel with butter, jam or nut butter (cream cheese could be ok if you tolerate it well, but I do recommend limiting dairy before a run to avoid GI distress)

• egg on a tortilla

• toaster waffle with nut butter and syrup

What to try: if you have 90+ minutes
This scenario is most common for longer races, when you need more substantial fuel beforehand, or races that take a while to to start (I’m looking at you NYC Marathon!). Having a meal that will give you more sustained energy and satisfy hunger is key, and this means including some protein and fat, with a bit more carbohydrate because you have more time to digest. Try:

• breakfast burrito with eggs, cheese (if you can tolerate it), and rice or potatoes

• peanut butter and banana sandwich with honey (my personal favorite pre-marathon breakfast)

• bagel with whatever spread you like

• two pieces of toast with avocado and an egg

• oatmeal with nut butter and dried fruit

• french toast with syrup

If you have more than 90 minutes before you start running, having a little something else within ~30 minutes of your start time could be helpful to stave off hunger and give you some quickly available energy. Keep it super simple here, with a banana, gel, sports drink or dried fruit.

What not to try: fasting
Fasted runs and workouts, or when you don’t eat anything before you start, get a hard no from me. Especially if this is a morning workout, your body is essentially going to be running on empty after an overnight fast. Once in a while, if you’re really not hungry in the morning and just have a short run planned? Fine. But in general, you are going to feel better if you eat something beforehand. Scientifically speaking, although the body may adapt to using more fat for fuel during fasted or carbohydrate restricted workouts, there are no known performance benefits to date (and this topic has been researched a ton!).

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