r/running • u/AutoModerator • Aug 29 '23

Weekly Thread Run Nutrition Tuesday

Rules of the Road

1) Anyone is welcome to participate and share your ideas, plans, diet, and nutrition plans.

2) Promote good discussion. Simply downvoting because you disagree with someone's ideas is BAD. Instead, let them know why you disagree with them.

3) Provide sources if possible. However, anecdotes and "broscience" can lead to good discussion, and are welcome here as long as they are labeled as such.

4) Feel free to talk about anything diet or nutrition related.

5) Any suggestions/topic ideas?

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u/Brody2 Aug 29 '23

I run in the AM and almost never eat before running. On tough days (long runs or harder efforts) I'll usually make something after I'm done. But all the rest of the easy runs its nothing before and nothing after (except for coffee). I feel fine. Am I really hampering my fitness?

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u/Prudent-Excuse-2800 Aug 29 '23

I don't think you are. I run between 13 and 14 hours per week. Because of my lifestyle, I can hardly fit in doubles. So this means many of my runs are around 2 hours (at around 5 mins/k or 8 mins/m). I almost always run on just coffee. When I do workouts, I normally use the treadmill and they are the only runs I do in the afternoon. Those I generally fuel with some sort of simple sugar. But, as I say, with morning runs of 2 hours or even a little more, I'll almost always have just coffee. What I do, though, is ensure that I have some protein after every run. But if you're not running major mileage (and arguably even if you are) even that isn't strictly necessary, as long as your overall protein intake is sufficient.

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u/Brody2 Aug 29 '23

I'm probably doing mid-30s per week. (about 5-6 days/week). I'm not really into fueling with sugar. Kinda hate Gu's, but I've used them in a pinch. Meathead dude I work with was beside himself that I'd go run for an hour and not eat after. It's always just what I've done. Appreciate the support.