Eat first?

[Flybye]

I started running. Eyeyeeyeyeye! What have I got myself into now?

I typically get up first thing and hit the treadmill. Should I be eating first? I feel kind of crappy after this mornings run -that's the reason for the question.

I am easing into it, following the cool running site's couch to 5K.
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

I have completed two out of three of the workouts for week two.

Thanks for your advice!

Sincerely,
Your running-challenged TE sister!

[Kimmyt]

I don't like to eat big amounts before running, and I'm kinda picky about what I can handle before a run. In the a.m. I would eat something small, maybe a banana or a half of a bagel or a small bowl of cereal (skimp on the milk, I always feel like it sloshes around in my belly when I run). Then afterwards you can have a better meal when your body will need it.

[froglegs]

I agree, eat something small and easy to digest about 20 minutes before your run. I eat a banana, or a little cereal, or a mini PBJ. I also drink a little water with whatever I eat.

[Grog]

If the run is less than 30 minutes, I just roll out of bed, into my clothes and out of the door without eating. But I tend to have carb-heavy dinners. I do have a few sips of water, though (but certainly not a whole glass).

Between 30 minutes and one hour, I'll perhaps have a spoonful of honey (or eat half of a gel at the very beginning of my run). Yesterday I had half a mandarin orange and that worked okay. Half a small banana would probably be good too. I don't really wait for digestion, as it's a very small quantity of food that has not proven to bug me in the past.

For a run longer than an hour I'll usually have a real breakfast, if on the small side, and wait an hour or more before heading out, then eat a gel (or two) along the way...

[alpinerabbit]

I want something that fills my stomach just a liiiiitle and doesn't acidify. So that half a banana would have to be very ripe. A half glass of milk would do, honey perhaps, but an early morning run would have to be slow.

[Flybye]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I don't typically eat a high carb dinner. In fact, it is the meal of the day that I avoid carbs, so I think I should eat a little something before I kick it in gear. I will try some of the things that you all suggested - thanks!

[HillSlugger]

I usually do a gel about 15 minutes before I run.

[Jo-n-NY]

I started running. Eyeyeeyeyeye! What have I got myself into now?

I typically get up first thing and hit the treadmill. Should I be eating first? I feel kind of crappy after this mornings run -that's the reason for the question.

I am easing into it, following the cool running site's couch to 5K.
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

I have completed two out of three of the workouts for week two.

Thanks for your advice!

Sincerely,
Your running-challenged TE sister!

I am so glad I wandered down to this thread. I am patiently waiting for the treadmill that my dh order to come in. I at first thought I would just walk briskly on it because I never ran before, but I am now thinking that I might incorporate some jogging and that link is great.

Since I am not sure how my body will take to the jogging part, should I still invest in running sneakers? I am not sure if they will be good if I end up just fitness walking.

Thanks
~ JoAnn

[luvs2ride]

As for JoAnne's post . . I don't think it would hurt to invest in the running shoes even if you end up walking-maybe you can find some on sale ?!? I took up biking after running and I have to say that the "eating thing" has proven to be one of the biggest challenges and differences for me . . I've ran a few marathons and on very little food . . the "real food" generally comes after the run (as long as your stomach can handle it). This does not necessarily apply to biking! When my husband and I were training for our Century last year, I had to learn to eat/feul during exercise which required that I tried different things to see what "agreed" with me. A little "trial and error." I found that when I didn't eat enough while biking (which was frequent because I didn't WANT to eat), then I would "bonk" . . not so fun! It's different for everyone!

[KSH]

If I am running in the morning and it's within an hour of me waking up, I eat a gel. No solids.

If I know I'm going to do a long run (2-3 hours) in the morning, the night before I eat a huge meal so I don't wake up hungry. Then I just do gels on the run.

[EBD]

I go for a gel, too. Food in my stomach when I run causes problems, especially if my heartburn meds haven't had a chance to kick in. Since that means coffee before a run is out, too, I like a gel with caffeine in the morning (usually GU). If I had a really hard time getting out of bed, I'll have one of the espresso GU's, which has extra caffeine (tastes fairly nasty, but gets the job done).