Ever since I got injured last year, I’ve taken fueling for runs very seriously. I pay a lot more attention to what I eat pre, during and post workout, and I think it’s made a huge difference in my health and performance.
Since tomorrow is National Running Day, I thought I’d share my go-to running fuel sources. Today is all about the pre and mid run – tomorrow we’ll get into the post run recovery fuel.
PRE RUN
What I eat before a run greatly depends on the length of the run I’m doing. If my run will be less than an hour long, I typically run on empty. This is only because I run first thing in the morning. If you are mid day or evening runner, you’ll obviously need some food in your system to get you through the day before your run. I definitely run stronger with a little food in me, but I don’t have time in the morning to eat and wait for it to digest before running – so empty it is.
For weekend long runs, I usually wake up and have 1/2 cup of oatmeal topped with a banana and 1/2 tbsp of almond butter with a side of coffee, of course. An hour – hour and a half later, I head out for my run.
For my races in the city, I bring my breakfast on the subway!
A photo posted by Nicole Handler (@fitfulfocus) on Apr 12, 2015 at 4:34am PDT
MID RUN
For runs less than an hour, I don’t run with anything fuel-wise.
For longer runs, I bring along water mixed with Vega Electrolyte Hydrator to hydrate as needed. I’ve also experimented with a lot of mid-race fuel. I like chews better than gels and was even making my own at one point. After a bunch of experimenting, I think it’s safe to say that my official favorite is PROBAR Bolt Energy Chews.
They’re organic, free of everything I’m allergic to and pretty darn tasty! During long runs, I down half a package (5 chews) every 45 minutes. It’s a fun way to break up my run into smaller portions, and I look forward to my little chewy treat every few miles.
The come in Berry Blast, Raspberry, Orange and Strawberry.
My favorite flavor is the Berry Blast, but if you want to try any of the flavors, you’re in luck! PROBAR is one of the sponsors of the Blogiversary Bash Giveaway (check them out on twitter, facebook, & instagram). Just head on over here to enter and you could win a variety pack of these babies among other great prizes!
Check out these great tips on how to fuel for a run plus a #GIVEAWAY! #runchat @THEPROBAR
Click To Tweet
Come on back tomorrow for tips on how to fuel up after a run!
Let’s Chat:
How to you fuel up before a run?
Are you a gel or a chew person?
Have you tried PROBAR Bolt Energy Chews?
*This post contains affiliate links.
