I Pity the Fuel

Pre-workout, what is your go to fuel? I know our club. The answers range from literally nothing, including no water, all the way up to a pre-run meal 3 hours beforehand.

What is right? First, know your body. There are ways your body will give you feedback on your routine. Don’t veer too far off what has worked. That said, some rules of thumb may help here. The most common advice is to eat about 1/3 of a meal at least a half hour beforehand. Examples are a banana, half a bagel with peanut butter, a handful of fruit, etc. Carbs are king!

A second tip is to calorie count. Your watch or app or friend’s device can tell you approximately what you burn on a typical run. Leaving a long run with 1,000 less calories can be common. It is not healthy to push exertion while running these calorie deficits. Fueling up beforehand (mostly carbs) and afterwards (more protein) can help you avoid drastic shortfalls.

Staying healthy year-round is a common goal and managing your fuel will keep your motor running.

-Craig