What to Eat Before You Run
My husband and I just returned from a fabulous (but short) trip to the east coast of Canada. It’s definitely on my bucket list to return to see more. We travelled to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI. These provinces are a seafood lover’s paradise, so, yes, I was in paradise.
It was lobster season and we took full advantage of it. We actually returned with a few lobsters in tow and invited good friends over for dinner to enjoy them. However, they politely declined because she was running in the Vancouver Marathon the following morning and thought that she’d better have a relaxing night and eat her typical pasta dinner, that she knows works well for her. And not try anything strange – like lobster – that she hasn’t eaten before. Smart move!
This got me to thinking as so many people ask “what should I eat before a race or a run?”. The #1 Rule for a race is what my friend did – don’t eat anything that you haven’t tried before during training and don’t eat foods that you can’t digest easily. Because we all have such different metabolisms, it’s often the case that what works well for me, may not for another person. And race morning is not the time that you want to be figuring this out.
How to Avoid a Bad Tummy When Running
Experts say that you should make sure to eat a minimum of 90 minutes before your run. Although, I find that I can eat sooner. I think this depends on how much you are going to consume. This morning I went for a 21 km run in preparation for my upcoming half marathon and I had a bagel with peanut butter 30 minutes beforehand and my tummy felt great during my run.
Ideally you want to eat carbs before a run. Carbs break down into the simple sugars that provide the body with the necessary fuel for the energy energy needed during a run. A certain amount of salt can be good as well, especially if you will be running in the heat when you tend to sweat and lose those precious salts from your body.
Many people try to avoid foods with dairy, high fat, and fiber as they are known to cause an un-desired reaction when a tummy is bouncing up and down. Those that have sensitivities toward lactose or wheat know it and therefore stay clear of these foods. If you don’t have these sensitivities, I would say to give it a try. However, it’s wise to stay away from high-fat foods.
Here are some foods that might work well to eat before you run:
Bagel and peanut butter – this is my personal favorite and what I always eat before any runs that are going to be over 1-1/2 hours - Granola Bars
- Bananas
- Oatmeal
- Baked Potato (go easy on the butter)
- Cereal and Milk
What About After a Run?
After a run, it’s important to eat within the first 1/2 hour to replace protein and help those muscles recover faster.
- Chocolate Milk
- Yogurt
- Bagels
- Protein Rich Foods – helps muscles recover faster
- Eggs
- Energy Drinks
- Bananas
Pay attention to eating after a run. It really does help your muscles recover much faster and you’ll be amazed at how good you will feel by your next run.
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