Sports nutritionist shares what to eat before a run: From 2 hours to 15 minutes

Your pre-run meal can help you run. Timing matters for digestion and in turns gives you the energy, preventing mid-run fatigue.

Running is a test of endurance and stamina, a power-packed cardio exercise that gets your heart pumping and actively burning calories. But to power through a run, what you eat beforehand in a way makes how much you can run without ending up in a huffing and puffing mess mid-run, far away from the finish line. To keep your running session sustainable, instead of following a standard meal before a run, fine-tune it as per the time you have until the run.

Dubai-based sports nutritionist and dietitian Carolina Villalta, who frequently shares tips with her Instagram community for running better with proper nutrition. She revealed in an August 7 post that what you eat before a run depends on the timing, so you should adjust your meal or snack to match how long you have before you hit the track.

What to eat 2 hours before a run?

Carolina wrote that ‘Longer window = fuller meal, a bit of fats and protein is fine!' So it means if you have around two hours before your run, then you can safely eat a standard meal with protein, fats and little carbs. The food will digest in between, and when it’s time to hit the track, you will have plenty of energy.

An oatmeal consisting of fruit and nut butter helps sustain energy because oats provide carbs for energy, fruits offer natural sugar, and nut butter adds healthy fats. (Shutterstock)

Here are some meal options, she shared:

• Rice with egg

• Oats, fruit, nut butter

• Toast, avocado, ham

What to eat 45-60 minutes before a run?

Next, if you have about an hour before your run, skip the heavy meal and instead, the sports nutritionist suggested going for lighter, quick-digesting carbs that can be digested fast. Any heavy carb will make your stomach feel heavy and bloated during a run, hence settling for lighter carbs.

Caroline listed out three light carb options:

• Toast, banana, cinnamon

•Toast, honey/jam

• Bowl of fruit or baby food pouch

What to eat 30 minutes before run?

For 30 minutes before a run, you have less digestion time, so keeping it light is essential. Carolina recommended topping off glycogen and hydration, giving your body a quick energy boost and fluid intake without causing the usual heaviness of a meal. Here are some of the options she shared:

• 2–3 dates, 200 ml water

•Watermelon

• Small smoothie (banana + berries + oat milk)

• Energy chews or a small carb gel

What to eat when you have less than 15 minutes before run?

At this point, there’s no time for your body to digest solid food, so Carolina didn’t include any solid meals at all. So she recommended options that give a quick boost without the bulk:

•Electrolyte drink

• Spoon of honey (if low on energy) or add to water bottle

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.