PRE-RUN MEALS

What you eat just before your run is not necessarily going to be your fuel for your run, depending on the time you eat and what you eat. If your run is first thing in the morning, your fuel source is dinner and your bedtime snack from the night before. If your run is in the later afternoon or evening your fuel is your lunch. The meals and snacks several hours before your run will have time to be fully digested and the carbohydrates will be broken down into glucose. Some glucose will circulate in the blood for immediate use and some will be stored as glycogen in your liver and muscles. It is this glycogen you will use for your run. However, if you forget to eat during the day you will use up these energy stores and find yourself spent before you start.

The Pre-Run meal should be low in fat and fibre as they both take longer to digest. It should be high in carbohydrates from fruit, vegetables, whole grains and dairy. It should also be low in sugar and caffeine and of course no alcohol. Most importantly, in the hours before you run you should hydrate.

If you have 2-3 hours before your run, have your regular scheduled meal or snack. This can include 3 food groups, some fruit and vegetables, whole grains and a small amount of protein. If you only have 60-90 minutes consider something easy to digest such as a fruit and yogurt smoothie, a fruit yogurt or ½ bagel and glass of milk.

Sample Meal Ideas:

1-2 hours before:

• Banana, orange juice and soft dessert tofu smoothie
• Fruit salad and yogurt
• Cereal, milk and ½ banana

2-3 hours before:

• Bagel with peanut butter and an apple
• French Toast and canned peaches
• 1 egg, 2 toast and 1 cup juice
• Oatmeal, walnuts, raisins, apples and milk.

3 hours before:

• Brown rice, vegetable and chicken stirfry
• Pasta, tomato sauce and ground beef or tofu