No Energy On Early Mornin Run

SeamyH

I have been running every morning now for the last few weeks. My main aim is to tone up certain areas i.e legs + thighs. At one stage I was doing 10km each morning but the weight was dropping off me (mainly upper part of body) so I cut down to 5km each morning with regular sprints at different stages of the run and this is working for me i.e can feel it having an impact on the areas I'm looking to tone. My problem is that every second week in work I do an early shift which requires me to be in town by 8am. For this reason I must get up at 6am to do my run and regardless of what time I go to bed the night before I find myself very tired and really lacking energy when I get up. It must be to do with the complete darkness but I find it very hard to run at this time. I usually don't eat anything before a run as I don't have time to allow it to digest. Is there anybody that can recommend something I could have first thing in the morning for a quick energy boost? I was thinking about trying the Berocca Boost.

scottreynolds

A piece of bread with strawberry Jam works for me.

Oh and I'm just an unbelievable suggestion for those early mornings.... go to bed earlier. In all seriousness I think I hear on the Zen Tri podcast that the guy has started setting an alarm to go to bed - or rather a reminder. It seems like a god idea so you don't veg in front of the TV et etc.

interested

tea/coffee with a shot of honey - 10 mins before you start running ... my 2p anyhow

Gringo78

SeamyH wrote: »

Is there anybody that can recommend something I could have first thing in the morning for a quick energy boost? I was thinking about trying the Berocca Boost.

I've heard a bowl of porridge before you go to bed the night before gives you a slow release of energy while you sleep which might leave you fresher in the morning? Haven't tried this as I usually don't get hungry until after 9am anyways.

SeamyH

Gringo78 wrote: »

I've heard a bowl of porridge before you go to bed the night before gives you a slow release of energy while you sleep which might leave you fresher in the morning? Haven't tried this as I usually don't get hungry until after 9am anyways.

I have heard porridge mentioned on other forums but for me eating after say 8pm is a no no. I used the binge alot years ago and put on a bit of weight and since I lost the weight I am very calorie conscious. If I had something before I went to bed I would feel like I'm running in the morning just to burn this off.

tunney

Well if you won't eat at night and go to bed hungry, or at least not full, then don't expect to hav energy in the mornings.

SeamyH

tunney wrote: »

Well if you won't eat at night and go to bed hungry, or at least not full, then don't expect to hav energy in the mornings.

I would eat my last small meal at around 8pm, then maybe go to bed at 11ish so I don't go to bed hungry at all.

osnola ibax

My €0.02, bananas are great for energy, and a couple of glasses of water. And at least 8 hours sleep.

Izoard

I'm having to do my long runs early during the week.

Yesterday, I was up at 5am, and out the door at 5.20am or so, after a banana and a cup of coffee.

Managed 15miles in a little over 2 hours (bought a sports drink at half way...). No adverse effects, but it is definitely a mental challenge to get yourself up and out.

SeamyH

Izoard wrote: »

I'm having to do my long runs early during the week.

Yesterday, I was up at 5am, and out the door at 5.20am or so, after a banana and a cup of coffee.

Managed 15miles in a little over 2 hours (bought a sports drink at half way...). No adverse effects, but it is definitely a mental challenge to get yourself up and out.

God that's impressive after such an early start. I think physically I could manage that distance (eventually) but mentally it would be too much. Finding the motivation to do such a long run every morning for me would be impossible.

Tea/Coffee + Banana seems to be fairly common, although Bananas tend to repeat on me if I have them before training.

TFBubendorfer

I do all my running in the morning, and if a long run is on the schedule it automatically means getting up before 5am. There is nothing to it. You just get used to it.

Bloody Nipples

Bananas are broken down incredibly quickly as well so they're great training food. If you have one as soon as you get up, you should be feeling the effects during your run.

tunney

Bloody Nipples wrote: »

Bananas are broken down incredibly quickly as well so they're great training food. If you have one as soon as you get up, you should be feeling the effects during your run.

unless you are running stupidly long or are glycogen delpleted you should have enough stores in your body to run with nothing eaten.

DustyBin

I've not been running that awful long (2 months) but find that I've fallen into the following routine which works well for me:

Before: Toast with or without Nutella, washed down with a glass of orange juice and sometimes a glass of water
During: Just Run?
After: Porridge

Then its off to work feeling ever so slightly smug with myself :cool:

kennyb3

SeamyH wrote: »

I would eat my last small meal at around 8pm, then maybe go to bed at 11ish so I don't go to bed hungry at all.

going to bed at 11 and getting up running at 6 and you expect to have energy? maybe its a personal thing but i need 8 hours and often try get 9.

plus i would say just force yourself to do a really fast first k to wke yourself up, every k after taht will feel easier!

SeamyH

kennyb3 wrote: »

going to bed at 11 and getting up running at 6 and you expect to have energy? maybe its a personal thing but i need 8 hours and often try get 9.

plus i would say just force yourself to do a really fast first k to wke yourself up, every k after taht will feel easier!

That's one hour less than 8 man. And usually 11 latest it could be 10 / 10.30 other nights so on average 7 1/2 hours a night.

The fast start might work as I have a tendancy to be slow to begin then pick it up mid way through.

kennyb3

SeamyH wrote: »

That's one hour less than 8 man. And usually 11 latest it could be 10 / 10.30 other nights so on average 7 1/2 hours a night.

The fast start might work as I have a tendancy to be slow to begin then pick it up mid way through.

ah thats fair enough, i just meant if you were losing 1 hour 4 to 5 times a week thats alot of lost sleep and is going to leave you tired. was up at half 6 myself to run before work this morning and im shattered - only lost 1 hour but can feel it. only do it on a friday tho - as can catch up at the weekend.

id defo say to try start off fast as i find if i dont, i wont 'wake' until km 3 or 4

TFBubendorfer

kennyb3 wrote: »

plus i would say just force yourself to do a really fast first k to wake yourself up, every k after taht will feel easier!

That's inviting injury

Krusty_Clown

What Gringo/Tunney said, try having breakfast the night before. If this makes you 'feel bad' then you need to get over it. You either want to have the energy or you don't. There's no magic pill. Or else do your run in the evening.

RJC

Water.


I have a litre of water while lying in bed every morning and I go from 'Oh Christ, another day, 3 kids, a job, this is purgatory......' to 'Oh yes, bring it on, I love my kids and life is great, lets go running!' in the sapce of that litre of water.

hydration can make all the difference.

After that coffee (espresso) and porridge with honey are your only men!

SeamyH

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

What Gringo/Tunney said, try having breakfast the night before. If this makes you 'feel bad' then you need to get over it. You either want to have the energy or you don't. There's no magic pill. Or else do your run in the evening.

I can't run in evening other commitments. Super at night before I go to bed doesn't made me 'feel bad' I simply don't want the food sitting on my stomach at night going to waste. My thread is asking for suggestions for things to eat / drink in the morning before I run other than eating before I go to bed. Thanks for your positive feedback though.

SeamyH

RJC wrote: »

Water.


I have a litre of water while lying in bed every morning and I go from 'Oh Christ, another day, 3 kids, a job, this is purgatory......' to 'Oh yes, bring it on, I love my kids and life is great, lets go running!' in the sapce of that litre of water.

hydration can make all the difference.

After that coffee (espresso) and porridge with honey are your only men!

I usually have a small glass of water to start but maybe I should up that a little. The only real reason I don't drink much more is I have a weak bladder and I would probably end up stopping my run to relieve myself!

partyguinness

Lots fruit, water and....peanut butter and bread!!

SeamyH

partyguinness wrote: »

Lots fruit, water and....peanut butter and bread!!

I actually drink 3 litres of water a day. Started that when I began running a few weeks back. On the fruit lets just say I could probably eat more.Peanut butter and bread ha, don't know about that!?I haven't eaten that since I was a young child.Used to prefer the Nutella spread though (Im a good boy now though).

kennyb3

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

That's inviting injury

prob why im always bloody injured so. seriously tho your right. i ve only recently started doing a warm up, so please ignore what i said seamyh

partyguinness

Yeah I know the peanut butter one is strange one.

Discovered it by accident. Hadnt had it or even liked it that mcuch in years. Housemate had it in the house and I had some on bread as I was in hurry for football. Defo noticed increased bursts of energy.

Told another flatmate who is big into yoga, cycling etc and he said that his buddy who is runner swears by it

SeamyH

partyguinness wrote: »

Yeah I know the peanut butter one is strange one.

Discovered it by accident. Hadnt had it or even liked it that mcuch in years. Housemate had it in the house and I had some on bread as I was in hurry for football. Defo noticed increased bursts of energy.

Told another flatmate who is big into yoga, cycling etc and he said that his buddy who is runner swears by it

Ha,

Well some things work better for others, but I'm always willing to try something different out and see how my body reacts. I've never heard anybody mention peanut butter before and I'm sure if I recommended it to my mates they'd probably laugh. Maybe it's a special guarded secret to greatly increased energy, hang on wasn't Usuain Bolt photgraphed the other day leaving a supermarket with a jar of Skippy in his hand hmmmm....

::eek:

partyguinness

As I said the buddy who is tee total fitness freak (a bit too obsessed IMO)...runs several marathons, triathalons etc every year and he swears by it. Clearly works for him.

Usain Bolt regularly goes to McDonalds...FACT!!

SeamyH

partyguinness wrote: »

As I said the buddy who is tee total fitness freak (a bit too obsessed IMO)...runs several marathons, triathalons etc every year and he swears by it. Clearly works for him.

Usain Bolt regularly goes to McDonalds...FACT!!

Well I know what I'll be having on my sambo tomorrow.

Bolt and Mackers ha, sure the guys a pro athlete he's probably on a 10,000 calorie a day diet. He may aswell enjoy the calories he's consuming.

TFBubendorfer

SeamyH wrote: »

I've never heard anybody mention peanut butter before and I'm sure if I recommended it to my mates they'd probably laugh.

Peanut butter (or, as they call it PB&J as in jelly) is a big hit with American ultrarunners. You can expect it at a lot of aid stations in ultras over there.

Hockney

partyguinness wrote: »

As I said the buddy who is tee total fitness freak (a bit too obsessed IMO)...runs several marathons, triathalons etc every year and he swears by it. Clearly works for him.

Usain Bolt regularly goes to McDonalds...FACT!!

Bolt also ate two portions of McDonalds chicken nuggets before running his world record 100m gold in Beijing!

So there you have it.

Stop by Maccie D's on your way home the night before your run

mack10

Bolt only runs for 9.58 seconds so he doesn't need large glycogen stores!!

Personally I love early morning runs. Im half asleep for most of it so it flies by. I either have late pasta dinner (around 8 or 9) or have porridge before bed. Then just a banana and/or a cereal bar before running.

Oh and water all day everyday without exception.

SeamyH

Hockney wrote: »

Bolt also ate two portions of McDonalds chicken nuggets before running his world record 100m gold in Beijing!

So there you have it.

Stop by Maccie D's on your way home the night before your run

Did he have them with ketchup or curry sauce!? I couldn't have nuggets without a Big Mac too, it's like sides without the main course.

mack10 wrote: »

Bolt only runs for 9.58 seconds so he doesn't need large glycogen stores!!

Personally I love early morning runs. Im half asleep for most of it so it flies by. I either have late pasta dinner (around 8 or 9) or have porridge before bed. Then just a banana and/or a cereal bar before running.

Oh and water all day everyday without exception.

I actually love porridge so I may start that as my last meal of the day and see how I get on. Not a big fan of it though unless it's covered in sugar (not exactly healthy), but if it's going to help improve energy levels the next morn I'll just get it into me without the sugar. Banana in the morning seems to show up on every post so I'll be putting that on my shopping list now too. Last year when I was regularly in the gym I used to have a bannana before my workout but it really repeated on me in a bad way on the treadmill. But I had a dodgy stomach around that time, ended up being diagnosed with H.Pylori which I flushed out with lots of anti-biotics during the summer ,so maybe it won't be so bad now on the belly.

Krusty_Clown

SeamyH wrote: »

I can't run in evening other commitments. Super at night before I go to bed doesn't made me 'feel bad' I simply don't want the food sitting on my stomach at night going to waste. My thread is asking for suggestions for things to eat / drink in the morning before I run other than eating before I go to bed. Thanks for your positive feedback though.

It was actually positive feedback (I'm interpreting your last comment as sarcasm). The food is not going to waste, as it is your fuel for the morning run. Because you are not doing much activity during the night, you won't be burning many calories. You also won't have to worry about trying to digest food before you run (and the occasional consequential stomach problems).

If I had something before I went to bed I would feel like I'm running in the morning just to burn this off.

This is the point I mentioned that you need to get over (again, constructive feedback). You need to stop thinking about running in terms of a direct relationship between what you eat and what you run.

If you are only interested in food solutions you can digest just before you head out the door, remember, that most fast-acting food-stuffs will take at least half an hour before they have any impact (e.g. gels/sports drinks). Your best best is to make your own isotonic drink from water/fruit juice, and a pinch of salt. Drink this at least 30 minutes before your run. I tried to take a gel before an early morning hard run before, which didn't go well..... At all....

RJC

SeamyH wrote: »

I usually have a small glass of water to start but maybe I should up that a little. The only real reason I don't drink much more is I have a weak bladder and I would probably end up stopping my run to relieve myself!

don't get me wrong, you'll piss like a cart horse during the run (my advice would be to stop and piss though;)) but it will give you the energy boost you are looking for.

I can't run in the morning - everything is too tight and it takes about 3 miles just to loosen up. I'm better from 09:00 onwards. Night running is good.