Forums >Health and Nutrition>Eating before early morning runs
Hoping to Run Again :-(
Giants Fan
"I think I've discovered the secret of life- you just hang around until you get used to it."
Charles Schulz
My Hero
I haven't done a lot of research or conducted any of my own studies regarding fat burning and aerobic development when running, but I find it hard to believe that you could wake up with low glycogen levels unless you have had a glycogen depleting the run the day before and not put it back. If that was the case, then all the "pasta parties" held at marathons the evening before, would be moved to just before the marathon. I believe that the typical banana & bagel offering that you find at the beginning of most races is just a "top of your tank" type of thing, but filling of your tank is done the previous day.
You are referring to muscle glycogen. My understanding, is that liver glycogen does get depleted during an overnight fast. Liver glygogen is used to regulate proper blood sugar levels. I'm not a doctor, but that is my understanding. A technical, but interesting explanation: http://www.med.unibs.it/~marchesi/glycogen.html ETA: Here is a better (less technical) explanation of how carbohydrates are broken down an how glycogen is stored and used. http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/08366/h&p2carb.htm
A Saucy Wench
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7
Guess I'm a bit confused. To quote from The unisanet link you posted states the following: "The amount of glycogen in muscle changes substantially between the fed state and following heavy exercise. The amount of glycogen stored in the liver is more constant and falls substantially after prolonged starvation." I don't know, after reading this, would call an "overnight fast" prolonged starvation. ??
rectumdamnnearkilledem
In these conditions, your body converts protien to carbohydrate in order to maintain adequate blood sugar levels."
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
I, personally, cannot run on an empty stomach. I have tried it. It was awful. I need at least some PB on toast or a hard-boiled egg and a slice of buttered toast. Otherwise I am miserable. YMMV.
Half Fanatic #846
"I don't always roll a joint, but when I do, it's usually my ankle" - unk. "Frankly autocorrect, I'm getting a bit tired of your shirt". I ran half my last race on my left foot!
------------------------------------- 5K - 18:25 - 3/19/11 10K - 39:38 - 12/13/09 1/2 - 1:29:38 - 5/30/10 Full - 3:45:40 - 5/27/07