What to do before a run
- Thread starter Bengaboy
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I am going running on a regular basis now, to get fit for a week on Monday which is when I am doing my PJFT for the navy.
I want to know what you do before a run. What you eat, if you stretch, etc.
Any help would be appreciated.
good to see you've given yourself plenty of time
I eat a banana about 20-30 minutes before i go out and go through some light warm ups, nothing too intense or structured just basically getting moving.
I'll eat something with good complex carbs, protein and fats before hand. Around 2 hours pre session. I'll hydrate well throughout the day and get a pint of water in around 45 minutes before hand to make sure.
I warmup beforehand with light exercise, making sure I've a little sweat on prior to anything intense or endurance based.
I've a tear in the cartilidge of my shoulder, so rotator cuff work and flexibility training before hand. I never pre-stretch.
After session I eat simple carbs immediately, 100-150g of sweet fruit usually. Well balanced meal follows 30 mins later. Re-hydrate. Thorough stretch down afterwards, targeting worked muscles and known problem sites.
Ant
I warmup beforehand with light exercise, making sure I've a little sweat on prior to anything intense or endurance based.
I've a tear in the cartilidge of my shoulder, so rotator cuff work and flexibility training before hand. I never pre-stretch.
After session I eat simple carbs immediately, 100-150g of sweet fruit usually. Well balanced meal follows 30 mins later. Re-hydrate. Thorough stretch down afterwards, targeting worked muscles and known problem sites.
Ant
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Eat lunch (mid day), drink 2 cups of coffee, come home (5'ish), walk 50 metres or so, run, walk 50m, drink recovery drink, wait 10 mins, stretch lots, then eat lots about 2 hrs later.
That's how it is most days - although switching to morning runs for a bit. Routine will then be jump out of bed, think wtf, run, followed by rest of the day.
Don't think any advice at this stage is going to help you tbh
That's how it is most days - although switching to morning runs for a bit. Routine will then be jump out of bed, think wtf, run, followed by rest of the day.
Don't think any advice at this stage is going to help you tbh
Im completely knackered if I run in the mornings,probabaly down to refueling afterwoods, but it really wipes me out for the rest of the day.
Personally I drink 2l of water throughout the day, I try not to drink at least and hour before, as i then need a pee mid run!
In the cold its definately worth stretching the vitals, calves,hams,back etc i spend 10-15 mins stretching whilst im getting changed, its just become part of my routine now.
Personally I drink 2l of water throughout the day, I try not to drink at least and hour before, as i then need a pee mid run!
In the cold its definately worth stretching the vitals, calves,hams,back etc i spend 10-15 mins stretching whilst im getting changed, its just become part of my routine now.
![[DOD]Asprilla](/styles/overclockers/avatars/8.png){kind=avatar}
Soldato
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I don't pre-stretch only post, but then I do specific streatching sessions during the week even if I'm not running.
I tend not to do a lot of warm up either, since I run in the morning and I'd be late for my train. Instead I do the first 2k of any run at a 6.30 pace and that is sufficient to get me up to temperature.
If you are running distance then it's a good idea to make sure you've sat on the loo before you go out. About 60% of distance runners have had runners bowel, which is when they decide to evacuate for no known reason. You don't want to be 5k out and then have the option of a bush and some leaves or getting home clenched like a power walker.
I tend not to do a lot of warm up either, since I run in the morning and I'd be late for my train. Instead I do the first 2k of any run at a 6.30 pace and that is sufficient to get me up to temperature.
If you are running distance then it's a good idea to make sure you've sat on the loo before you go out. About 60% of distance runners have had runners bowel, which is when they decide to evacuate for no known reason. You don't want to be 5k out and then have the option of a bush and some leaves or getting home clenched like a power walker.
Soldato
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[DOD]Asprilla;13373956 said:
I had that the other day
The last 3K I looked like a cross between quasimodo and Albert Steptoe as I clenched for dear life to get back home
[DOD]Asprilla;13373956 said:
Whenever I do anything high intensity for a prolonged period I need a poo (I get the squits tummy burn) but if I ever actually go to the loo nothing is forthcoming. Even if I take a massive one before training, I can guarantee if I'm training till I want to be sick, I'm training till I want to make bum gravy.
It's the strangest thing :/
Ant
Breakfast: sardine/poached egg on wholemeal toast.
Snack 1: oatcakes with cottage cheese, 1 peice fruit/veg
Lunch: Chicken stirfry (other well balanced dinner, low starchy carbs)
Snack 2: oatcakes with cottage cheese, 1 peice fruit/veg
TRAIN
Post WO: 100-150g sweet fruit.
Dinner, chicken stiry fry (other well balanced dinner, low starchy carbs)
That's a very rough estimation of what I may eat on a lighter training day. Do a search, there's LOADS on these forums about nutrition. If you want more detail you're going to have to do the leg work, and experiment to see what works for you.
Pre-workout, anything rich in complex carbs, and if possible lean protein and some healthy fats is great (as I previously posted). If you don't know what this is, research it
Ant
Snack 1: oatcakes with cottage cheese, 1 peice fruit/veg
Lunch: Chicken stirfry (other well balanced dinner, low starchy carbs)
Snack 2: oatcakes with cottage cheese, 1 peice fruit/veg
TRAIN
Post WO: 100-150g sweet fruit.
Dinner, chicken stiry fry (other well balanced dinner, low starchy carbs)
That's a very rough estimation of what I may eat on a lighter training day. Do a search, there's LOADS on these forums about nutrition. If you want more detail you're going to have to do the leg work, and experiment to see what works for you.
Pre-workout, anything rich in complex carbs, and if possible lean protein and some healthy fats is great (as I previously posted). If you don't know what this is, research it
Ant
Soldato
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If I'm running in the morning then I don't eat before going out, mainly because it would mean getting up much earlier; you'd have to wait to make, eat and properly digest your breakfast and I already get up at 6.15.
If I'm doing a fairly long run then I'll have some fruit juice before I go out and maybe take some carb drink with me. After a run I'll either have a mackeral omlette, poached eggs or porridge with a little honey.
If I'm running in the evening then I run before I eat and I usually follow it with pasta and chicken.
With respect, I very much doubt you need to consider this at the distances you are likely to be running at the moment. Just rely on a normal balanced diet.
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Soldato
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I find I need to leave about an hour between eating and going for a run. I run around the common and it's about a 5 min walk to it from my flat so i just walk that to warmup and then do my couple of laps, walk home, stretch when I get back to the flat and then think about some food.
The theory goes that by stretching without warming up first, you actually increase the chance of injury, when you train.
When people talk about warming up the muscles to prepare them for the physical effort ahead - this refers to increasing the temperature of your muscles by using your muscles in using little effort. So, if you are going for a run, you could do squats, using only your own bodyweight and standing hamstrink curls (in your warm room); then, when you get on your running track, you might start off by simply walking and gradually increasing the intensity.
You should not be stretching (note that stretching and warming up are 2 very different things) while your muscles are cold, but should be lightly moving the body parts you intend to be using.
You must also take into account any previous injuries you have had, as injuries never recover 100%. For example, my shoulders have had a lot of injuries, so before I do any upper body weight training, I always warm up my shoulders for 5 minutes, using a 4kg weight. Note that I do no stretching during this warm up, as this will increase the chances of me injuring my shoulders.
Once you have added heat to your muscles, you can stretch till your hearts content, though don't immediately go into a deep stretch - start of with a relaxed stretch and if you want to increase your flexibility, then gradually perform deeper stretches. The best time to do this might be in the middle or end of your run, when your muscles will be warmed up.
In the 80s (and earlier), lots of people used to incorporate stretching as part of their warm up routines. In fact, some newbies of today still do this, but newer research suggests that this is very bad. This is why top class athletes, for example, in the 21st century will add heat to their muscles BEFORE stretching the muscle group and won't perform stretches on cold muscles.
Thats a good warm-up and stretch routine.
