{"id":287909,"date":"2025-11-28T13:35:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T13:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/287909\/"},"modified":"2025-11-28T13:35:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T13:35:07","slug":"what-to-eat-before-a-run-according-to-experts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/287909\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Eat Before a Run, According to Experts"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to what to eat before a run, successfully fueling before lacing up your trainers requires careful consideration. From short sprint work to hours-long efforts, every run is different, meaning every breakfast<\/a>, snack<\/a>, and even every drink you take needs planning in advance.<\/p>\n

Get it wrong and you\u2019re at risk of feeling too sluggish, or burning out too soon. Here, our experts serve up a nutritional plan to help you stay the course.<\/p>\n

What do our bodies actually need before a run?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe primary goal is to top up your available energy,\u201d says Emma Kirk-Odunubi<\/a>, a marathoner and sports scientist. The key source of energy is muscle glycogen, i.e. the energy we get from carbs and store in our muscles. \u201cGlycogen is the rocket fuel your body taps into for moderate-to-high-intensity running,\u201d says Kirk-Odunubi.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re running on an empty stomach, or with low glycogen stores\u2014say after a heavy workout the night before\u2014you\u2019ll be relying on fat for fuel, which is a slow process. \u201cFat oxidation takes time,” says Kirk-Odunubi, \u201cIt can\u2019t support high running speeds very well, so you might feel sluggish or heavy-legged.\u201d<\/p>\n

This, of course, is when your run quality drops and any hope of personal bests goes out the window. Eating carbs before running means your muscle cells become more primed to take up and store glucose as glycogen, while reducing your body\u2019s need to burn glycogen early, which can be a performance advantage in runs over 45 minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most important thing is that your muscles and brain get a quick-access energy source so you can hit your paces without digging too deep into reserves,\u201d says Kirk-Odunubi.<\/p>\n

What about hydration?<\/p>\n

Alistair Brownlee, double Olympic gold medalist, triathlete, and co-founder of truefuels<\/a> knows all about hydration<\/a>. He says electrolytes and sodium in particular are crucial to supporting performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWater is important because even mild dehydration (-2% body weight) can impair aerobic performance, increase heart rate, and elevate perceived effort,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

It isn\u2019t about downing as much water as possible pre-run. Instead, aim for the \u201csweet spot\u201d of 500ml taken 90-30 minutes before exercise, depending on heat conditions. This allows time for kidney regulation, and also aids in glycogen storage from your pre-race carbs.<\/p>\n

As for sodium, Brownlee calls it \u201cthe most critical electrolyte lost in sweat.\u201d It\u2019s essential for fluid retention, reducing cramps, and nerve transmission, which improves coordination and reaction time.<\/p>\n