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Eating before LRs (Read 333 times)

Jack K.


uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI

    RMTB: Are you training for another marathon and what do you consider your long run? 12 or more?

    runmomto3boys


      RMTB: Are you training for another marathon and what do you consider your long run? 12 or more?

       

      Yes, starting a week from tomorrow I'm training again.  My LRs will all be in the 18+ range, I think.  Even if there are 16 milers in the plan, I tend to add a couple miles to them.

      notimeforthat


        I don't really do long runs anymore, but I can tell you what I have eaten prior to 35-50 miles on the bike or my 5K swim.

         

        Oatmeal with PB, not some sissy spoonful, but a full 2 tbsp. Poo. Go do run, ride or swim. Works like a charm. I typically will wait about 1.5-2 hours after eating to run, but only an hour to ride or swim.

         

        Fueling during activity with at least a sports drink is something that I find important. Winter workouts especially so, because the evaporative effect on the skin is even more pronounced because of low humidity, so you don't get that sweaty...and you don't think to replace fluids/electrolytes.

         

        As far as training on no fluids/gels or whatever you choose to take in...personally not a fan.

         

        Honestly, if anyone is doing workouts over 70 minutes or more, they really should be supplementing with some type of fluid/glucose/electrolyte solution regardless of weather. The caloric deficit isn't the concern, but rather you don't ever want to truly deplete muscle glycogen and electrolyte loss along with fluid loss...else you bonk..hard. So it is important to keep that topped off during and post run/ride/swim. Every 15 minutes, small sips.

         

        Even in hot weather and shorter runs and all training swims, I will use Nuun in a water bottle to replace lost electrolytes and fluids. The goal is for me to finish a workout as close to pre-workout weight as possible. If I lose 5 lbs on a run, that isn't my butt getting smaller, that is me being dehydrated.

         

        I doesn't make you gain weight when done in light of a reasonable training schedule and adherence to a normal diet.  You just have to figure in the calories taken in with the supplements to your daily intake if you are trying to lose weight.

        wcrunner2


        Are we there, yet?

          I can eat pretty much anything I want as long as I don't eat too much, and can still head out to run half an hour later. Usually I'll wait an hour and a half, but I've found that's not necessary.

           2024 Races:

                03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                05/11 - D3 50K
                05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

           

           

               

          racecat


          Goddess of the Cuisine

            Waffles with syrup and fruit about 2 hours before a long run works for me. There is also coffee involved. I find that I if I don't eat a somewhat larger meal, I don't finish well.

            In transit, arriving on time. 

            CeeDotA


              I don't do LRs in the morning, so I don't do any of the aforementioned foods. Since my LRs are always in the afternoon, I just eat whatever usual lunch. I try to lean towards something carby and not necessarily greasy, but that doesn't always happen. I also always try to give at least two hours between the end of the meal (particularly if it's greasy) and the start of my LR -- giving me tons of time to digest and have it pass through the system.

               

              If I'm racing (almost always in the morning),  then it's half a bagel w/cream cheese and a banana, and plenty of water. That's for 10K or shorter. Longer, it's a whole bagel w/cream cheese, banana, granola bar, a GU, and then a Picky Bar/Stinger Waffle, and of course, plenty of water.

              Current PRs:

              5K: 27:06 (11/10/12) | 5M: 44:03 (6/1/13) | 10K: 1:00:48 (7/4/12)

              15K: 1:27:53 (3/17/13) | 10M: 1:30:25 (4/13/13) | HM: 1:59:55 (4/28/13)

              Next race: Ashland 4th of July 10K

              runmomto3boys


                I was just talking to some people on FB about this and not to sound like a complete idiot, but I didn't realize how much more you need to take in when you are about to/are running at a race effort v. what you would need for an easy/slower run. This makes sense now that they explained it to me, but I didn't appreciate that before.  I think the food/calorie thing is going to be something I'm really going to work on b/c I think it will be a huge help to me next time around.  I appreciate all the ideas here.  There are lots of good ones and definitely lots of things I'm going to try out on the weekends.  Thanks, all!

                wcrunner2


                Are we there, yet?

                  I was just talking to some people on FB about this and not to sound like a complete idiot, but I didn't realize how much more you need to take in when you are about to/are running at a race effort v. what you would need for an easy/slower run. This makes sense now that they explained it to me, but I didn't appreciate that before.  I think the food/calorie thing is going to be something I'm really going to work on b/c I think it will be a huge help to me next time around.  I appreciate all the ideas here.  There are lots of good ones and definitely lots of things I'm going to try out on the weekends.  Thanks, all!

                   

                  It also depends on the race distance. It's not that critical for a 5K or even a 10K. When you get to distances and times approaching the point of depletion of stored glycogen it makes a great deal more difference.

                   2024 Races:

                        03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                        05/11 - D3 50K
                        05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                        06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                   

                   

                       

                  runmomto3boys


                    It also depends on the race distance. It's not that critical for a 5K or even a 10K. When you get to distances and times approaching the point of depletion of stored glycogen it makes a great deal more difference.

                     

                    Oops!  Good point!  I was talking about for a marathon.

                    GC100k


                      This summer/fall I experimented on long runs. On most, I didn't eat or didn't eat much before to teach my body to run on low energy.  I bonked a few times and learned a few things.

                       

                      For runs over 20 miles, I experimented to prepare for my marathon.  I got it dialed in: oatmeal with banana 1-3 hours before run, two Clif bars (three was too many) immediately before the run.  Not everyone can handle that food in their stomach while running, but it worked for me.

                       

                      At my weight, a marathon takes over 5000 calories.  Your body can't process that much during the run, but carb loading the day before, eating before the run, and taking Hammer Gels and dilute Gatorade during it worked for me.  No bonks with that plan.  For the race itself, I had plenty of energy but ran a lot faster than my regular runs on the downhills and my quads gave out about mile 19.

                      Butter Tart


                        I eat breakfast 2.5-3 hours before my long run. I am super conservative with the timing because I hate having GI issues while running. My breakfast is usually porridge (either oatmeal or Red River cereal) with a tablespoon of peanut butter in it, a glass of milk and half a grapefruit. Sometimes I have toast or bagel with peanut butter and banana instead, plus a glass of milk. And coffee of course.

                          I'd have half a peanut butter sandwich and drink a diet coke (don't like coffee).  I tried a bunch of different foods but found that I had to wake up about 1.5 to 2 hours before my LR's to give my slow moving system time to work.  Once I found that combo of food/drink combined with the lead-time... I was good to go.

                           

                          Docket_Rocket


                            RMTB, have you tried the bagel and cream cheese for the AM runs too? How did those runs go?

                            Damaris

                             

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                            runmomto3boys


                              RMTB, have you tried the bagel and cream cheese for the AM runs too? How did those runs go?

                               

                              That's what prompted me thinking about this.  I haven't eaten anything prior to my early AM LRs, but one weekend I didn't do my LR until 11:00+ a.m.  Because it was so late, I ate a bagel around 10 and felt full (the good kind of full)/less sick/better than I had ever felt on an early LR.  I wasn't sure if it was b/c the run was a little later in the day, or it was the bagel, but I kind of think it might help my stomach to have something in it v. what I thought before: I shouldn't put anything in my belly to upset it.  I haven't had any run-stopping, super problematic GI problems in a long while, but I do still get an upset belly on those AM LRs at times, but it does go away and I don't have to stop/alter my run usually.  Anyway, I'm wondering if more food might head that off + serve me well on the runs and on race day.

                               

                              Thanks for all the food ideas and timing advice.  It's very helpful!

                              mucknort


                                I'm going to mess around with eating before some of my LRs.  If you eat b/f your LRs, what do you eat for breakfast and how long b/f you go out do you eat? 

                                 About an hour or 2 before LR, I'll have a fruit smoothie:

                                 

                                1 banana

                                fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries

                                fresh or frozen strawbs

                                1/2 to 1 c Chobani greek yogurt

                                OJ

                                scoop of protein powder

                                1 T Flax oil (coconut flavored is my fave)

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