I need some help
Hey, I have a question for everyone: When running in the mornings, have you found that you perform better eating breakfast before a run/event, or carb loading the night before? Have you found one to be better for a workout and one to be better for an actual race/marathon? Feel free to shout out your opinions and what works best for each of you… cuz I have no idea.
May 18, 2007 at 4:49 pm
For working out, if it’s under an hour, I do a fast-acting carb and water before morning runs. For races, get up 3 hours before the race start and eat a carb / protein breakfast. Follow that with more simple carbs maybe 30 minutes pre-race. …that’s what has worked best for me.
May 18, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Honestly, if you are hungry eat but if you have been up for 2 hours and haven’t had a meal than you are starving yourself and losing muscle, which means your body is not storing fat and …. you know how it goes.
May 29, 2007 at 10:29 am
I would agree with the advice above. However, do what works for you. Personally, I prefer to eat something prior to the event (e.g., :30 minutes). However, for big race like the IRONMAN I will carbo load a couple days prior to the race and then eat a bagel with peanut butter and wash it down with gatorade about an 1hour before the race. What tri are you doing?
July 19, 2007 at 12:53 am
For training runs I do them before eating. But for a race, I’ll have some spread-release carbs (porridge/banana, wholemeal banana/honey sandwich, etc) 2.5 - 3 hours before the start. That lets me fuel up without having stuff in my stomach (which messes up my swim).
For a tri, that can mean setting an alarm for 5am to roll over and grab a snack in a zombie state before going back to sleep!
December 31, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Train as you race. If you eat before training, eat before you race.