Fitting exercise into the nooks and crannies of life.
If you do a long morning run, or even a tempo, do you eat breakfast and then run or run on empty and eat breakfast when you return?
Which works better for you?
I eat something lite-toast, jam and, of course, cafe. AND eat more when i return.
Half a bottle of Infinit before, then normal breakfast afterwards.
I do most of my long runs before the sun comes up to beat the heat. I eat an hour before i plan on being out the door and my “meal” is usually a bagel and some coffee. I couldnt run on an empty stomach, although im sure many can. Youll like getting the run out of the way early, it allows for so much more flexibility in your personal/work life as well as fitting in solid workout later in the day.
If you do a long morning run, or even a tempo, do you eat breakfast and then run or run on empty and eat breakfast when you return?
I might just drink some juice or down a gel before a long morning run (defined as > 90 minutes for me) along with lots of water to get the pipes moving. In most cases, however, I will only drink water before a long morning run, but will bring a gel and sports drink with me. I start off easy and pick up the pace after a few miles.
Anything less than 90 minutes and it is water only.
Victor
Coffee only before a morning run.
Coffee only before a morning run.
Don’t let Monty see this! 
I always eat breakfast before any kind of workout. I have my normal bfast of cereal with coffee about 1 hour before I head out.
If I’m only running, I’ll eat a banana or a Clif Bar before heading out. When I come back, I’ll have a bowl of cereal. You don’t want too much sloshing around in there.
I could never eat anything prior to a run. When I race, I give a good two hours between food and start time, so for an early morning run (I’m moving by 6:00am the latest) I’d have to get up waaaayy too early.
However, I have recently become totally addicted to a pre-workout Red Bull. I have one prior to any morning run longer than 6 miles.
Ha! I always think of Monty as I head out for my long morning runs after having only a glass of EmergenC. He would NOT approve! 
I agree w/ most of these posts:
5:15-glass of oj, banana, gu
5:20-empty system
5:30-run
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Fitting exercise into the nooks and crannies of life.
If you do a long morning run, or even a tempo, do you eat breakfast and then run or run on empty and eat breakfast when you return?
Which works better for you?
Coffee with milk & sugar. Sports drink on the run. Breakfast post shower.
how long is long? if it’s under 1.5hrs, I don’t eat anything. if I’m due for more, it’s going to be the weekend so I eat at 5 (real food, not gu or infinit) and head out the door at 7.
In most cases I eat nothing before a morning long run. I have one life saver (not two, that’s excessive) at the start of the run to give my blood sugar a little boost. I find that any food in my stomach creates problems down the line, so to speak. I would have to get up about 2hrs earlier if I planned to eat and then run – which just does not fit my schedule.
Unless I’m running or biking more than two hours, I don’t have anything more than a glass of orange juice. If I’m going more than two hours, I might drink Accelerade instead of orange juice.
In my case, if its a short run. I just get up and leave. A longer run, of lets say more than 45 minutes at intensity, i eat a gel before leaving.
Peace
I buy those Slimfast 220 calorie drinks (optimum, or something like that) for early medium to longer runs (over 4 miles or 30 minutes). They go down easy and fast while getting ready. Those drinks keep the stomach full, but don’t induce a stop during the run. For anything over 8 miles I usually take a gel with me just in case I need it.
I always follow with either recovery drink and a bagel if I’ve got a hard workout later (that’s about 840 cal), or just breakfast if the rest of the day is easy.
One banana and half a Powerbar. Then, when I get back home I have a full breakfast with the family.
Long runs (over 1 hour) = smoothie with a bananna juice/milk and a cup of frozen fruit
Short easy runs = gel, juice, or part of an enery bar before starting
I never run tempo in the AM unless it is pushing that last 3-4 miles of a long run. Any dedicated track/tempo time happens after work.
A piece of bread before I run.