Is this person you?
You've done long runs and been "fine". You're afraid you'll have to go to the bathroom 💩 so you don't eat or drink anything. You don't want to "waste the calories". Or maybe you know that you're "supposed" to eat something, but you don't know WHY.
I get it. I've been there. The thing is, if you want to be a great runner and if you want to take your running to the next level, you've got to figure this out. Otherwise you may face a #longrunfromhell.
☑️ Eating something on a long run can prevent you from bonking.
🔷 The foods you eat should have carbohydrates, which your body prefers to use for fuel on a run. Your body can only store so much carbohydrate in your muscles - about 90 minutes to 2 hours worth. If you are running hard, long, and/or in tough conditions, you could run out of this stored carbohydrate and "hit the wall" if you don't eat something.
☑️ Eating something on a long run does not HAVE to leave you running to the nearest bathroom 💩 rather than your route.
🔷 The trick is to find the foods that don't upset your stomach. These foods are different for everyone. You also need to learn to "train your gut" so that you're used to taking in fuel and using it effectively.
☑️ Eating something on a long run may actually help you eat less later -- because you've actually given your body the nutrition it needs to get the job done properly.
🔷 If you don't eat anything during a long run, your body may actually end up being more hungry later, leaving you feeling hangry and craving foods that maybe you're trying not to eat all the time.
☑️ Eating something on a long run may actually make you feel better and improve your performance.
🔷 Remember what I said above about carbohydrates and how we can only store so much fuel in our muscles? If you've got fuel readily available, you won't bonk or hit a wall and can kick it in to finish your run strong rather than feeling like you're crawling back home.
Getting this right takes practice and patience, but getting it right will also mean you will feel better, recover better, and can start running faster. If you need help, send me a message or sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can help you.
