Fasted long runs?

This is okay for daily distance runs, but I would imagine that it would lead to a decline in performance on long runs.

I eat lunch at noon, and do the bulk of my training between 6 and 10PM. In my current marathon preparation I do run my long, somewhat-slower runs without eating anything in between.

I quite like it when my stomach is growling but the legs still keep going strong ;)

Being on the fast-twitch side I believe this type of training to be the most important one in my frist real marathon training cycle...

I go long all the time without eating before I run. 8 Hours of sleep without eating is a lot different than 8 hours of daily life without eating. You will be fine. The biggest thing is dehydration which doesn't matter if you've eaten or not. Hydrate before and try to hydrate an hour into your long run with some accelerade or water and a gu or something. Thats the biggest thing.

Ditto. I almost always run long first thing in the morning, and I'll rarely have any calories before or during (maybe I'll have a sports drink at some point if I'm doing 20+).

The important point is post-run nutrition. That's what affects recovery.

I regulary do my long, easy runs without anything before and only water (possibly with electrolytes depending on conditions) during the run. I've done this up to 26 miles with good success, and I believe that it works for a few reasons (none of them being to actually lose fat):

1. Allows you to experience running in a glycogen depleted (but not bonking) state

2. Encourages fat utilization as a fuel source

3. Increases body's glycogen storage capacity (deplete, deplete, deplete, then really focus on refilling afterwards)

4. Provides a mental/physical boost during the marathon when adequate carbs are available on the course.

Any long run other than an easy run (steady state, progression, fast finish, etc.) I DO practice my normal fueling strategy.

Just my two cents...

Thanks for all the great input everyone! I'll give my run this weekend a try in a fasted state, however I think I will have some electrolytes in my water since I think going cold turkey might be too much to handle for my relatively newbie running body!

Its just another pain that top serious runners learn to adjust to and live with- your body and mind will adjust to the feeling in the end!

Suffer for success

glute med wrote:

Thanks for all the great input everyone! I'll give my run this weekend a try in a fasted state, however I think I will have some electrolytes in my water since I think going cold turkey might be too much to handle for my relatively newbie running body!

Definitely drink gatorade. The point is to start with an empty tank, not to deplete the tank to the point that you bonk on a run. I run long runs without eating before and have even done 10 mi easy, 10 mi mp without eating to start. It is just a matter of getting used to it. Don't force it. If you bonk on a run, you need to back up the mileage and try again.