That Girl Runs

“It’s the morning of your weekly long run… what do you eat and why?”, that is the question Jill is asking the members of the Runners’ Lounge on this beautiful Thursday morning in late August (we are experiencing a heat wave! Did I tell you I LOVE heat?! Yeah!!!).

But I digress (which is easy to do when the sun is shining so bright).

During my many years of running I have had my fair share of trials and tribulations when it comes to finding appropriate nourishment. When I first started out I really did not pay any attention to the pre run fuel at all. None! I have never been a breakfast person and running on an empty stomach suited me just fine, especially as I never really ventured out of my comfort zone.

Then I became serious. And the first thing I had to learn was how to fuel my body enough for the long weekend run. For someone who usually does not eat anything until noon o’clock, this was one of the hardest lessons to learn. My coach, who was horrified when he learned that I had come to the first long run on an empty stomach recommended plain old toast to start out with. I whined, I argued, I stomped my feet but the morning of the next long run I tried it. Plain toast with a bit of butter. It was OK, meaning I did not want to barf three miles into the run, but it also sat in the bottom of my tummy like a rock, a bouncing rock. I gave up toast and moved on to the rice cereal bars my Celiac diseased friend swore by. They were OK too. No stuffed feeling but they just did not taste all that good at six in the morning and I had a hard time getting them down, even with water and/or gatorade. But for a while I stuck with them.

Most people I have run with either eat bagels with peanut butter (pictures of boulders came to mind), oatmeal (great on cold, damp winter nights, but certainly not a texture I want to feel slide down my throat at the crack of dawn), cold cereal, and or bananas with yoghurt. Since I have issues with digesting lactose (ahem!) I stay away from anything dairy and never really wanted to find out how I would fare on a pre run meal of yoghurt and bananas, even if it was soy based yoghurt.

In the end I gave dry cereal – frosted Mini Wheats, Puffins, Honey Cheerios, chased by a spoonful of unsalted, organic peanut butter, washed down by a cool glass of water or gatorade a try. BINGO! And to this day I have stuck with this combination of pre run nutrition. On marathon morning I also eat a banana Powerbar half an hour before the start. These foods are also easy to carry if I have to travel to a race.

One lesson I have learned from the experience of finding the right food groups: breakfast is your friend! Before long runs!

Today’s Running Tip: Fuel before a long run! DUH!

For easy digestible, fast fuel try eating a snack that is high in carbohydrates and low in fiber(!!!) 30 to 60 minutes before your run. Low fiber foods break down faster in your stomach than high fiber ones which will be easier on your digestion during the run.