Best snack for 6am run?

Cyrus

Im trying to get myself up to 10k at a decent pace having not run for a few years, at the 5k mark now and finding it a struggle to improve my splits, im guessing part of the issue is most of my running is at 6/6.15 am with no food.

so whats a good snack to have for 5-10k run first thing?

bennyineire

A cup of black coffee

PixelTrawler

For 5-10k early morning runs, I wouldn’t ever be having a snack. Glass of water and out the door.

Would you even get the energy from the food into the system in such a short space of time? Just curious? Unless you got up even earlier to give it time?

godtabh

My experience for 5am cycle training is a cereal bar and water.

Recently started with an espresso also

Cyrus

ok thanks all, i havent been running in a while and really felt it yesterday morning when trying to improve the pace a bit, i assumed i should be eating but perhaps not!

HelenAnne

Could you eat something the night before? Sometimes when I have an early-morning exercise class I eat a yoghurt before bed the night before and then nothing before class.

(I never eat before early morning runs, or before parkrun (9.30 am) - just can't be bothered getting up early enough to digest in time )

Abhainn

Myself up to 14 miles first thing in the morning nothing apart from possibly an espresso and sip of water.
It can take the body a bit of time to getting used to early morning runs so that's maybe why you weren't feeling on top form

WMP

Would agree with the advice above also. Nothing or just a coffee. Unless you've had nothing to eat since lunch time the day before you should have enough fuel in your system. However I can never run as fast first thing in the morning compared to lunch time or evening.

Cyrus

ok thanks all

might fire up the nespresso then

jamule

coffee and hopefully a dump and out the door.

Fenster

Toilet, water and a banana for me.

BeepBeep67

This could be more to do with how you are running, rather than if you are fueled!
Are you following a training plan or are you trying to run faster / longer each time you run?

Cyrus

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

This could be more to do with how you are running, rather than if you are fueled!
Are you following a training plan or are you trying to run faster / longer each time you run?

following a plan

MY BAD

If it's just easy run I don't bother eating anything, my longest these days is around 20km. I find spending a few minutes doing crab walks and marching with resistance bands gets the glutes firing and makes it a lot easier.

EC1000

Perhaps post up a typical training week and it might become clear whether the issue is your training or something else.

Cyrus

EC1000 wrote: »

Perhaps post up a typical training week and it might become clear whether the issue is your training or something else.

well this week was:

sat morning 5k run 49m elevation gain 28min
Monday morning 4.5k run 35m elevation gain 25 min 30 sec
Wednesday morning 4.5k run 35m elevation gain 24min 20 sec

ill go again tmrw morning, 5k

BeepBeep67

Cyrus wrote: »

well this week was:

sat morning 5k run 49m elevation gain 28min
Monday morning 4.5k run 35m elevation gain 25 min 30 sec
Wednesday morning 4.5k run 35m elevation gain 24min 20 sec

ill go again tmrw morning, 5k

And does this feel easy?
What's in next week's plan, any longer runs, any interval work strides, etc

boydkev

I have been doing early morning runs for 2 years and this is usually Tue/Wed/Thur or Fri. I get up at 5.20 and change, Make lunch, Drink 1/2 pint of water, Drive to work (20min). Start run at 6.00.
My runs over these 3 days can vary from 14 mile Medium Long Runs, Hard Tempo to Interval Sessions, Depending on the Plan. The only time i would eat is before some of the 12 or 14 mile runs, but only a banana or slice of bread and almond butter.

carbonceiling

for early morning sessions I have nothing but water and I don't feel I lack energy. if the session goes over 1.5 hours, i do notice that intensity/mental focus starts to drop off a little with zero food, so I take a small amount of a carbohydrate drink at ~1H20 and that seems to keep me going.

But definitley for shorter stuff like 30 mins, I don't feel I need anything as I have more than enough energy stored.

i'm far from a running expert, but it looks like all your runs are at the same speed, maybe you should try some intervals / speed work.

The Bishop Basher

I always get very nauseated when hungry which is horrible when it hits me on a run so I usually grab a cereal bar, yogurt or a banana on the way out the door..

But we’re all different so play around and find what suits you..

Cyrus

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

And does this feel easy?
What's in next week's plan, any longer runs, any interval work strides, etc

not really no :P but i havent been running properly for a while, its a 0-10k 13 week program so at the moment its about 5k consistently then it increases the distances with some walking breaking up the runs.

BeepBeep67

Cyrus wrote: »

not really no :P but i haven't been running properly for a while, its a 0-10k 13 week program so at the moment its about 5k consistently then it increases the distances with some walking breaking up the runs.

It only won't feel easy if you are running too fast for your current level of fitness.
If I look at my own training 85 - 90% I would class as easy running.

My advice would be to slow down for the majority of those runs and focus on completing the distance at a 'comfortable' pace. Then maybe test yourself once a fortnight, perhaps even jump into a parkrun twice per month.

You want your running journey to be enjoyable for the most part, with planned periods of discomfort to test your progress.

EC1000

Cyrus wrote: »

finding it a struggle to improve my splits

Cyrus wrote: »

well this week was:

sat morning 5k run 49m elevation gain 28min
Monday morning 4.5k run 35m elevation gain 25 min 30 sec
Wednesday morning 4.5k run 35m elevation gain 24min 20 sec

ill go again tmrw morning, 5k

Whilst the majority of your running should be easy, the best way to run faster is to get used to running faster (i.e. mixture of intervals and tempo work). This is why short intervals are included in a training plan to build speedwork in a manageable and progressive way. Are you mixing easy runs with speedwork? It's hard to say from what you posted.

Cyrus

EC1000 wrote: »

Whilst the majority of your running should be easy, the best way to run faster is to get used to running faster (i.e. mixture of intervals and tempo work). This is why short intervals are included in a training plan to build speedwork in a manageable and progressive way. Are you mixing easy runs with speedwork? It's hard to say from what you posted.

no, as i said im following this 0 - 10k plan and there isnt any included

Murph_D

Cyrus wrote: »

no, as i said im following this 0 - 10k plan and there isnt any included

Just get to 10k while running slowly before you try to get faster, I think that’s what is being suggested by a number of people above. Don’t worry at all about the splits. It looks like you’re just running yourself into,the ground. Very unlikely to have anything to do with pre-run meals etc.