What to eat before a long run (so you don’t crash at mile 6)

Long run’s tomorrow and you’re in front of the fridge trying to nail down:

What do I eat before a long run? 🤔

Do I eat my usual fried rice + fried egg? Or oatmeal with fresh berries? That seems like the perfect runner’s pre-run meal, right?

Then that voice that always threatens to torpedo your confidence pipes up. It’s enough to make you doubt yourself.

• “I don’t know if this will be enough food for you.”
• “Is that what runners actually eat?“ 
• “Maybe you should drink more electrolytes”

So many questions. Too many doubts. Not enough answers. 

Some runners swear by a pb&j. Others like to eat chocolate chip muffins. 

Who’s right? You are. Really. It’s about how you feel after eating breakfast. (It also helps if it tastes good.)

I want you to trust what works for you, so let’s talk about it more: What to eat before a long run, when, and what’s going to make you feel good.

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Why does it matter what and how much you eat pre-run? 

Have you ever had that moment in a run where you went from:

➡️ “This is going great!” to “I’m telling my legs to move, but they won’t”? 🥴

6 more miles to go and you’re tapped out.

What’s happening here?! ➡️ Your muscles rely on stored carbs (glycogen) to get you through the miles but these carbs don’t last forever.  

At around 90-120 minutes in they’ll (carbs) run low. So if you don’t eat enough before and during your run, you’ll crash. 📉

So eating enough before your run? You can say goodbye to hitting the wall (it’s that ~I just want to go home and eat snacks~ moment) and hello to keeping up your pace & energy for running all the miles.

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When and what to eat before a long run 

It’ll take planning but I promise you, it’ll be worth it when mile 6 feels so much better. 

So let’s look at what and when to eat, based on how much time you’ve got. 

2–3 hours before: The full meal deal

• Eating 2–3 hours before is the sweet spot for your body to do its thing—digest, absorb, and turn that food into fuel—without the mid-run, well…you know. 
  
• That means going light on fat and fiber. Now’s the time to eat congee with pork floss, a bagel with cream cheese and a side of fruit, avocado toast and eggs. 
  
• You’ll head out feeling fueled, it’s the Goldilocks zone: not too full, not running on empty. Most runners say this window helps them skip the mid-run crash and mid-run stops.

1–2 hours before: The snack attack

• Short on time? (hi, all of us) A smaller meal or a big snack will give you energy without feeling stuffed or looking for a bathroom mid run. This timing’s also good if you’re running mid-morning or after lunch. 
  
• You want something carb-y and easy to eat. Leftover rice with soy sauce. Granola bar. Bagel with peanut butter and honey. Milk toast with jam. A bubble waffle without the whipped cream.

30–60 minutes before: The quick fix

• No time or running first thing in the morning? A light snack will keep you from tanking on the run.
  
• Eat simple carbs, like dried fruit, dates, ensaymada. If it’s a carb and makes your taste buds happy? Go for it. Doing a hard pass on food first thing? A sports drink with carbs or endurance fuel will do the job.  
  
• Race day around the corner? Here’s what to eat the day before your marathon so you’re not panicking.

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Everyone’s stomach is different.

Some runners can eat a full-on breakfast and be out the door in an hour. Others need way more time, several shots of espresso, or can barely eat a bite.

So treat your long runs like a test kitchen (and you’re the experiment). 

And if you’re training for a marathon?

👉🏼 You need to test your fueling and hydration strategy before race day. (Here’s how to eat the week before your marathon.)

Grab your copy of Fuel your 26.2, so you know what works before race nerves kick in.

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🚫 What not to eat before a long run

Some foods sound delicious for brunch — but mid run? Not so much.

• Whole grains, kale, lentils = fiber bombs. Good for you, but maybe after your run.
• Anything that’s high fat could weigh you down, like that bacon, egg, cheddar breakfast sandwich. Delicious, for sure. Questionable for long runs. 
• I’d save the spicy foods for after a run…unless you’re used to those chili oil garlic noodles.
• And anything totally new? Maybe try that tomorrow. 

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Let’s make it personal (‘cause it is)

Every runner’s stomach and taste buds are different. What fuels me is going to be different than what fuels you. 

That’s why it’s important to keep testing and experimenting: 

• Test out the food you’re eating (an extra piece of toast, a little more noodles than usual) so you can figure out what feels good.
• Note everything that makes you feel a little too full or sluggish. So…how did you feel? 

• Energized and ready to keep going? Or did you hit a wall?
• Did you feel bloated or sluggish? 
• Was it smooth sailing or did you feel off?
• What would you need to tweak the next time? 

Want to go the distance? Here’s more marathon fueling to help you get there:
• Last-minute race day fueling tips
• What to eat the week before your marathon