What to Eat (and not Eat) Before a Long Run

It can be hard to determine what to eat before a long run when you need your body to perform and feel good over many miles. Here I'll tell you what to eat the night before and the morning of a long run so you can feel great! (And of course, all those foods you want to avoid as well!)
My favorite pre-long run food: amzn.to/3pZwpHi
Read the blog post at Ready.Set.Marathon! readysetmarathon.com/what-to-...

[@WorldT]

thanks your videos are great i watched most of your series. having run my first half marathon yesterday and was a success placing 8th out of 108 for my first one. thanks again

[@runningwithjane]

That is an amazing finish place! So glad it was a great first experience for you. Really appreciate your support of the channel and the kind words!

[@sasolilyrose]

That is really very helpful. Thank you Jane 🌹🌹

[@runningwithjane]

You are so welcome!

[@michaelford9964]

thanks for being specific and to the point on what to eat. :)

[@runningwithjane]

Hey Michael - you're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@DevRunner]

Great tips! Love the clarity you provided regarding simple carbs!

[@runningwithjane]

Thanks, Paul! This was the first "real" video I ever did...I was so nervous haha. But I think the advice is still sound!

[@DevRunner]

@@runningwithjane You'd never know this was your first video! Well done! You're a natural!

[@pamcar5167]

Good video very helpful

[@runningwithjane]

You're so welcome, Pam, thanks for watching! You might like this other one about fueling if you haven't watched already: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHWxnZ2JmryrhtE

[@copperdan7667]

So just for fun i had three pancakes with butter and syrup before my 16 miler. My stomach did great. But probably not a good idea

[@runningwithjane]

Ha! The more you train with proper fuel in your stomach, the better you can handle digestion on the run overall.

[@scout9930]

I used to have to “run off into the bushes” EVERY run but after listening to this video I think it was all the whole grains and fibre was eating the night before and morning of. I tried intermittent fasting and was able to run without issue, but found I didn’t have any staying power. I’m excited to try out a few of your suggestions :)

[@runningwithjane]

Hi there - yes, easy to digest foods are the way to go! I now eat a white english muffin or bagel with PB and honey and usually 1/2 banana too on long run days!

[@ameliavelasquez9851]

❤❤

[@Shotgunpain]

Nice

[@runningwithjane]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kingtrumpet123]

I know that I "go off topic" a lot of times, and tell you that you look 8 to 10 years younger in just a few years of making videos, but it's true --- OF COURSE that is why I listen intently to these videos on nutrition and eating properly -- and also the videos on getting adequate rest -- cause HEY, YOU are proof that the running and healthy living thing is working very well !!!. yes, I eat a lot of potatoes, sweet potatoes, avocado things - LOL, onion a day, and green peppers my favorite veggies, and lean proteins (fish, and chicken), whole raw milk from a local farmer, and eggs (yuck, LOL) eggs are not my favorite food, but they are so nutritious, they have to be in my eating plan - been maintaining some extra muscle mass, and a consistent weight the last 5 years or so, need to be leaner to run better, but hey, nearing 58 now. Thank you for all the videos through the last few years, and have an awesomeness week Coach Jane (wow, I wrote a book again - LOL)

[@runningwithjane]

You're so welcome, Ken!! Sounds like you are doing an excellent job with your nutrition and workout routine. Thanks for always supporting the channel!

[@Jupe367]

I wish I would have watched this before my recent run. My result was below what I wanted only because I did not eat for over 12 hours and ran out of fuel so soon. I will consider your suggestion, white bagel and a banana 1 hour before. Let me see if this works. Will let you know. Thanks..

[@runningwithjane]

Should make a difference! And if it's a long run, eat during the run, too. You can download a free fueling guide here: readysetmarathon.com/free-running-training-plans/

[@Jupe367]

@@runningwithjane wow, this link is everything I need to start training for the long distance race. I really regret I didn’t find this channel all these years.

[@Ben-yw8be]

Will a gel do before a long run? Then another gel every 30-40 minutes?

[@runningwithjane]

Yep, that sounds like a solid plan!!

[@richardparis8738]

How many miles is a long run

[@runningwithjane]

Generally speaking over 90 minutes.

[@hikerJohn]

Why LEAN protein? I could see that before a RACE but I don't understand this for training runs that are 80/20. Then you're saying butter or almond butter etc which is a fat. Why not just eat a rib-eye stake 12 hrs before? If our training runs are 80/20 why would you need to eat on the run? I usually train fasted except for coffee with cream on the drive to my trail runs and I can go about 5 hrs on that if I don't push my heart rate up too much. If I run up some hills and get my HR to 170 then I get pretty wiped out before I finish.

[@runningwithjane]

Hi John! This was the first "real" video I ever made on this channel so I'm honestly not exactly sure what I said, but in terms of "lean protein" I meant from a meat standpoint most likely. Most people will wake up feeling better after having eaten chicken vs. a ribeye. And a easy-to-digest carb breakfast with some protein from a fat source like PB is great. Fasted easy runs less than 60 min. is totally fine. I, too, have done 20-mile long runs fasted as I had a coach who prescribed that, but that isn't how I train or coach any longer. This falls into one of my "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" philosophies, but I also will never sit here and say my advice is the only way. Fueled is typically best from my perspective. Hope that helps you understand where I'm coming from.

[@hikerJohn]

@@runningwithjane Thanks, You gave me something to consider. Ive been long distance backpacking for 4 years and now I want to start trail running. I waited a bit long seeing that I'm 67 now. I would like to do a 10K trail run next year after I do a 500 mile backpacking trip through the High Sierra Mountain Range in California. I've done that twice already. I think I will learn a few thing from you and keep referring back to the 80/20 book as well.

[@Seanonyoutube]

I run fasted in the morning always. I can run for about two hours without feeling fatigued. Only a cup of plain matcha before a hard session. Always drink water with a bit of salt and I always replenish with lots of good nutrition after run and throughout the day. My body is good at using my fats, and my glycogen stores are enough for my hard short sessions. And my last meal is usually about 15 hours after my last meal. However i’m thinking about increasing one run a week to 3 hours and debating what to do….would really prefer to stay away from refined carbs on account of my T2D history. I’m doing this whole running thing more for general health and wellbeing rather than for peak performance…

[@runningwithjane]

Running for health is very different than running for performance which is generally what my videos are geared towards. For most people it isn't unsafe to run a long run fasted, but recovery can be tough. For someone like you who is very used to it you would probably be fine. But if you are struggling to get through runs, are laid up the whole day after a long run or aren't recovering well, fueling is prob your issue. Oats could be a good choice to say away from refined carbs.

[@Seanonyoutube]

@@runningwithjane thanks for your reply. I eat a bowl of steel cut oats, a bowl of yogurt, both with nuts, cacao, seeds and fruits. I also will have a salad with some fish like salmon or sardines and sometimes a slice of whole rye sourdough with some hummus or cheese spread and pesto. I also take an electrolyte drink post workout which has sodium magnesium potassium etc. I feel great after my morning fasted half marathon (when my knee doesn’t act up at least, hahaha) but I’d love to do a longer trail run in the AM once a week and i’m not sure what the best fuel is. I’d still prefer to start it fasted because I don’t believe in eating immediately upon waking and my body doesn’t do well with waking up crazy early. I’m wondering, since i seem to be fat adapted and the run will be slow, would nut butter be a good fuel for me? Naked carbs tends to spike my glucose pretty bad and cause me digestion issues. Even dried fruit can do that to me. So i’m not sure what to select as mid-run fuel which I can carry in my belt…

[@kruegs1fan322]

Hey your video was great! My friend makes running videos like this on KZbin. Check him out if you get the chance, JK Running Productions!

[@runningwithjane]

Thank you!

[@richardparis8738]

I like fat

[@runningwithjane]

A necessary macro.