Running in the morning on an empty stomach

Great question. I do something similar, but I usually have a spoonful of peanut butter before the run. I run 2 hours most mornings and never felt that it's been a problem. But who knows if we're missing out on gains?

I don't think you're hurting yourself, per se. If you're being honest with yourself when you say that running on an empty stomach has NOT affected your workouts.

Meanwhile, I do think that you need to eat a post-run snack AND then fuel/refuel (and hydrate) after a run.

Everyone is different. I know I can eat & go run without any problem. Some people need to eat & wait an hour or more before running.

Like you, I enjoy morning runs. I'm running about 60 miles a week & I eat a granola bar & a cup of coffee before my runs. Post run, though, I always have a post-run snack to tide me over before a meal ASAP.

It's probably the best way to do it. It ensures that you will be burning fat stores after the sugar is gone. As for the 30 minutes, I've noticed the best fat burning effect doesn't begin until about 60 minutes. This may not be important to you now but as you age it will be. Check out Nolan Shaheed's diet for more info. However eating protein immediately after the run is essential according to the latest research.

The only negative I can think of is making sure you are warmed up good before you get too intense in the workout. You don't want to pull anything with sleepy muscles.

Been running on empty most mornings of the week for 27 years. I've gone up to 18 miles starting at 5:00 am and fat chance i was going to get up any earlier to have my x grams of carbs and protein per kg weight.

in recent years, if i do speed work in the morning, i bring a gu to take on the cooldown which could help with recovery.

the body adapts and i think running this way is why i can hit times in races (where i'm fully fueled and caffeinated) that i can't during training.

It's also worth noting that I haven't had any running sustained injuries in 8 years of running, knock on wood. I eat a lot of food afterwards and throughout the day. I've found that this takes some of the stress away from training, as I'll always have my sleep cycle to let food digest. I rarely have to worry about having a meal or a snack too close to my run.

I've also found that I do well in races where I have some fuel in me (pretty much every one).

I wonder though, if training at this deficit is beneficial, or detrimental.

It is more important what you eat immediately after running that what you eat before.

Juice Springsteen wrote:

I have been running first thing in the morning on an empty stomach regularly for the last several years. I did it up to times a week when I was an NCAA athlete. I usually prefer running at that point in my day as it frees up the rest of the day and I don't get stressed out. I've done runs of 10+ miles, speed workouts, and maybe even 2 hour plus long runs (I can't remember exactly what I ate before every run I've ever done). Normal running wisdom (runnersworld, livestrong, etc.) says that that's fine as long as the run is 30 min or less. My questions are these: Am I doing/have I done my body harm by running on empty during legit training? (70-100 MPW[max]). Am I not getting the maximum benefit out of my training by doing this?

runnersworld, livestrong? Be serious. What does your own experience tell you?

When I was in college, I routinely ran 15+ miles in the morning on an empty stomach. Even now when I run in the morning I do it on a cup of coffee. I do have to fight the buffet urge after, though. Meanwhile, the livestrong crowd is sucking down gu and other synthetic food, and stopping for water every 30 minutes to wash away the fear of dehydration.

When training for marathons in my late 40s, I never ate anything in the morning before long runs of 16-22 miles. I'd just have a cup of coffee, prepared French style with a couple of tablespoons of heated milk. Nothing solid. I was fine. It trained my body for fat burning.

If you think you're all out of carbs after lying flat on your back for hours you're a moran.

Rick Moranis wrote:

If you think you're all out of carbs after lying flat on your back for hours you're a moran.

"moran" that is funny...

Liver glycogen is low and that is the fuel for your brain.

I prefer to run early mornings too, and unless I'm on an easy run, I struggle to run in a fasted state, though it often depends on what I've ate the night/day before. I usually just have half a banana, or a rice cake with almond butter. For long runs, a small bowl of muesli and cup of coffee, just so I have something in the system.

It's a case of finding what works for you and for racing, I know what breakfast "works" for me, because I've practiced it in training

I never ever eat before running except on race day. Coffee only. And I usually take nothing during long runs except an occasional one gel to experiment. A taper and breakfast two hours before the gun almost magically enables you to do things that would be inconceivable in training. At least that has been my experience.

I don't know how all the people run with so much food in their system. Man, I have to keep it at the bare minimum otherwise I pay for it dearly.

I've always run with very little on my stomach, especially any work out that's going to require real effort. To go out for an easy long run is one thing, but to do a harder tempo or interval workout, no freakin' way. I'd be puking or cramping.

MakesSense wrote:

I don't know how all the people run with so much food in their system. Man, I have to keep it at the bare minimum otherwise I pay for it dearly.

I've always run with very little on my stomach, especially any work out that's going to require real effort. To go out for an easy long run is one thing, but to do a harder tempo or interval workout, no freakin' way. I'd be puking or cramping.

You can get used to running on a full stomach. I run ultras, so a 50-mile flat-out effort on hilly trails with a full stomach is just another day at the office.

I can agree with your last point. Running when fueled during a race, I've performed long past my perceived ability.

Thanks ya'll

The only thing I'd say to you guys is that running on an empty stomach after coffee can be very bad for acid reflux. Even if you're not having symptoms, you may want to have a little something with the coffee to quell acid overproduction.

dsfads wrote:

I run 2 hours most mornings and never felt that it's been a problem. But who knows if we're missing out on gains?

2 hours every morning? What is your mileage?

I went through a few months of 90-minute morning runs, daily. Approximately 14 miles a day in singles, with one longer run on the weekend. Very hard thing to do on a daily basis, but I was in tremendous shape. PRed by 8 minutes in the marathon after that time period.

I think that the benefits would be the same considering most elite/pro runners run in the morning on an empty stomach pretty regularly. I usually only do easy runs in the morning because harder sessions are usually a bit harder on my stomach and that shows later in the day. I usually run around 30-40 minutes 3-4 times a week, and I feel that my stomach is used to it now and that it isn't gonna be a problem in the future. I am in the best shape of my life and making lots of gains so nothing that I have seen is wrong w/ running in the morning on an empty stomach, but maybe I'll look into it some more. Great thread.