BLOG: Running and Fueling Advice from Fleet Feet Rockford's Jackie Kirchner

We are well into marathon training, and many people are experimenting with the best way to fuel themselves. We recently sat down with registered dietitian and Fleet Feet Rockford outfitter Jackie Kirchner to talk all things running and fueling related.

What should I eat before a run?

What and how much you eat before a run depends on how much time you have between eating and running. The more time you have, the more you can eat! Most of what you eat before a run should be carbohydrates as this will be our body’s main fuel. 

If you’re running in an hour or less, eat mostly simple carbohydrates that are easy on your stomach. Fat, fiber, and protein are harder to digest and don’t usually sit well if you eat them right before a run. Aim to eat at least ½ to 1 gram of carbohydrates per kilogram of your body weight. Some ideas include bananas, applesauce, graham crackers, toast, pretzels, sports drinks, or energy gels.

If you have a couple of hours between when you eat and when you run, you can eat something more substantial. Eat a little bit of protein and fat to help make sure you don’t get too hungry and prevent blood sugar spikes or crashes. You might eat a turkey sandwich with fruit, or a bagel with peanut butter and scrambled eggs. 

Why eat before a run?

It might be tempting to run “fasted” or on an empty stomach, but resist that temptation! We burn a lot of fuel on a run, especially a quality session or a long run. 

A lot of our running fuel will come from glycogen, or carbohydrates that we store in our muscles and liver. If you’re low on glycogen (stored carbs), your body can burn fat… but it can also break down your muscles to give you energy right away. Your body burns glycogen while you sleep, so eating enough carbs before you head out on your run can help make sure you don’t break down your muscles to use as fuel (and thus lose muscle mass). 

Not only that, but fueling before a run means you’ll have more energy and build your fitness more efficiently. You’re less likely to be hungry later. AND your risk of injury will be less. 

What if I have a sensitive stomach?

If you have a hard time eating before a run, you can train your stomach to be able to tolerate food. Choose easy to digest foods and eat only a small amount, like a graham cracker square, a few bites of banana, or a few swigs of Gatorade.

There are a lot of triggers for tummy troubles, so do some investigation. Dehydration is a major trigger for stomach problems, so make sure you’re hydrated. Caffeine, fiber, lactose (sugar found in dairy products), and high fat foods can all also make bellies unhappy on a run.

What if I don’t have time to eat before I run?

If you run at 5am, you probably don’t want to get up at 3:30 to eat beforehand. To make sure you still have plenty of fuel, eat a snack high in carbohydrates paired with some protein before bed, like peanut butter on whole wheat toast. Then have some more carbs that you can consume quickly as you’re getting ready to run. Try a sports gel, an applesauce pouch, or a sports beverage like Tailwind, Skratch, Gatorade, or UCan. 

How should hydration/electrolytes play a role in my recovery?

When you sweat, you lose more than just water. You also lose electrolytes – mainly sodium, but also potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride. You need fluids and electrolytes to recover properly. 

Drink extra fluids after your run to help replenish what you lost in sweat while running. If you know your sweat rate, aim to drink up to 150% of what you lost in sweat. If you don’t, keep drinking until your pee is light/pale yellow (not clear or dark yellow!).

To replenish electrolytes, you can choose a sports drink or electrolyte-specific beverage. You can also drink water and eat foods that are high in sodium (soup, pretzels, crackers, pickles) and potassium (potatoes, bananas, dates, coconut water). 

How to fuel during a long run?

Anytime you run for over 90 minutes, you’re likely to run low on glycogen. Once you run out, you’ll experience hitting the wall – fatigue, increased effort, loss of energy. To combat this, we take in fuel during a long run. Choose simple carbohydrates because they’re absorbed quickly and you can use them right away. 

Aim to consume at least 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour during a long run. If you’re running >2.5 hours, you could even aim to consume 60-90 grams of carbs per hour.

You can get carbs from energy gels (like Gu or Huma), energy chews or beans (like Honey Stinger chews or sport beans), sports drinks (like Gatorade or Tailwind), or real food (like maple syrup, waffles, or dried fruit).

What should I do if I’m not hungry after a run?

Losing your appetite after a run is pretty common. Even though you’re not hungry, your body still needs food! Taking the time to refuel within 30-60 minutes will help you recover faster and make your muscles less sore. You need carbohydrates to replenish your glycogen and some protein to repair your muscles, ideally in a ratio of 3 or 4 grams of carbohydrates for every 1 gram of protein. 

You may not be hungry, but you’re probably thirsty… so drink something! A glass of chocolate milk has the ideal ratio of carbs to protein. Other options include a regular or soy latte, a fruit smoothie, yogurt with fruit, cereal with milk, or a protein shake mixed with a banana. You can also make it easy on yourself and get a recovery drink mix from a sports-specific brand (like Tailwind or Skratch recovery drink mixes). After you drink your recovery beverage, eat a meal within a couple of hours. 

Jackie Kirchner is a registered dietitian and Outfitter at Fleet Feet Rockford. IG: fuelbetter.runfaster

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