Pre-Workout Nutrition: Fueling Up for the Long Run
My go-to pre-long run meal: oatmeal mixed with chia seeds and dried fruit then topped with nut butter and sliced banana
Do you eat before you workout? Whether it's a long run, interval workout or easy day, you aren't getting the most out of it if you are exercising on empty. Over the next couple of blog posts I am going to cover how to fuel pre-workout for various types of workouts. But first…
Why Bother?
A meal or snack pre-workout not only satisfies hunger, but it also stabilizes your blood sugar and provides energy -- especially if you've gone for a few hours of not eating beforehand. That means, if you run early – you should still eat! Or if you run after work--let's say around 5 pm--and lunch was at noon--then you should eat again! You wouldn’t start your car on empty – and starting a workout without adequate fuel in your tank will result in a sub par experience. ⠀
So now let’s get to how you should eat for the first type of workout — easily the one I get the most questions about — the long run!
The Day/Night Before:
How you fuel for your long run should actually start the day before. You will want to eat a higher proportion of carbohydrate-containing foods like bread, pasta, rice, or cereal, and decrease the amount of protein- and fat-containing foods as well as veggies at every meal.
To put this into practice: fill at least ½ your plate at each meal with carbs. The other ½ should be split between a lean protein (like chicken, fish, or tofu) and vegetables. Snack on carbohydrate-rich foods every 2 to 3 hours. Things like pretzels, dry cereal, dried or fresh fruit, fig bars, or crackers. This ensures your glycogen stores (glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrate in our muscles and our preferred energy source during higher intensity exercise) are full going into the long run the next day.
And do not forget to hydrate! Aim for at least ½ your body weight in ounces of water (so someone who weighs 150 lbs would need roughly 75 ounces per day or about 9 cups). Consider additional fluids especially if it is going to be hot or humid or you have an easy shakeout run planned. Finish your last meal or snack early and get a good night of sleep (if you can) so you wake up hungry for breakfast and ready to take on the challenge!
The Morning/Day Of:
The morning of your long run (assuming you plan to run early) it is important that you take in enough calories beforehand to ensure you can stay fueled throughout the entirety of the run. Think about it this way: for each mile you run, you will burn roughly 100 calories (this differs for everyone based on height, weight, muscle mass, level of fitness, and age – but it’s a good rule of thumb). If you only take in about 200 calories prior to a 10-mile run (or nothing at all if you wake up and roll out the door on empty), after you burn through those 200 calories, your body will begin to utilize whatever you have stored from the day/night before. Then it will tap into your reserves – like your muscle mass – which is the last thing you want. To prevent under-fueling your long run, here is what I recommend:
At least 1-4 hours before your long run have a meal consisting primarily of carbohydrates (at least 0.5 grams and up to 2 grams/lb. body weight — the longer the run, the more you need) and a little bit of protein (around 15-20 grams of protein) to help sustain you and stabilize your blood sugar. Aim for at least 400-600 calories total or more if you can tolerate it.
Limit the amount of fat, fiber, or caffeine in your pre-long run meal to decrease the chances you will end up needing a pit stop or have stomach upset. Though – if you are used to a cup of joe before your regular long run, that’s fine – it’s when it’s in excess that you may have some stomach upset.
Example pre-long run meals include:
A bagel with peanut butter and jelly + a small piece of fruit
Oatmeal topped with nut butter, honey, milk of choice (if desired) and sliced banana
Yogurt, granola or a granola bar and some berries or dried fruit mixed in
A turkey sandwich with a handful of pretzels and grapes.
As you approach the start of your run, with less than 30 minutes to go, you might also consider an easily tolerated source of fuel to top of those glycogen stores one last time. This could be a gel or gu, some Gatorade Endurance, a small piece of fruit or applesauce, or a handful of pretzels.
Do not forget to also hydrate! How much is specific to the individual and how much they sweat. I generally recommend aiming for 1.5-2 cups (12-16 oz) of water or sports drink at least 2 hours in advance of your activity. You can drink about 1 more cup (8 oz) 15-20 min before. Sip on it over the 2 hours while you are getting ready. Do not chug it to allow time for the body to absorb/digest it. If you chug it down, you will likely find yourself peeing it all out shortly after or worse, a couple miles into your run.
Follow these tips and you should feel adequately fueled for long runs up to 60-90 minutes. Anything over that and you’ll want to be sure to have a plan for fueling mid-run — which I’ll cover in a future post.
Have questions about what to eat or drink before, during or after your workouts? Or do you think you are doing everything right but struggling with stomach issues or just to finish your run? Reach out to me to set up a FREE discovery session to learn how working with a dietitian/nutritionist might benefit you!