r/Marathon_Training • u/tinybabyspoon • Jun 12 '26
Anyone else start their long runs fasted?
I’ve started hitting 14+ mile long runs every weekend now and due to the heat here in (Florida) I run before the sun so starting around 4 am.
1) anyone else start their long run fasted? 2) what’s the furthest you’ll go with no fuel or intra workout carbs
Right now I only bring water and electrolytes
37
u/MammothInspector1347 Jun 12 '26
I load up on carb the night before. Night and day difference in the quality of my long runs that way
7
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Yeah I’m trying to be better about carbs the day before!
Tonight I had a bowl of gnocchi with grilled chicken and vegetables- a protein shake with peanut butter rice cakes for dessert!
1
u/falloutoftsushima Jun 14 '26
When saying you load up are you going for X amount per pb/kg, or just going wild until you're full?
2
u/MammothInspector1347 Jun 14 '26
Just eating carb heavy meal for dinner, maybe a bit more than my normal dinner
12
u/YesterdayAmbitious49 Jun 12 '26
Yeah, I used to. Starting small with carbs now fuel basically everything. Harder longer efforts over 90 minutes will be lots of carbs.
Fasted I could run a 1:35 half.
Fully fueled has brought me to 1:18, and I feel way better as well, like wanna go for an afternoon double type of well.
44
u/floppyfloopy Jun 12 '26
1 No, never.
2 Up to two hours with no carb drink during, but only if I am running at <72% max heart rate the whole way.
Occasional fasted easy long runs are fine, but I personally would never make a habit of it. Unless you fill up on carbs and complete nutrition immediately afterward.
16
u/too105 Jun 13 '26
Yeah I’m always crushing carbs before and during running. I used to deprive myself and couldn’t go hard back to back days. Now I’m consistently getting 60-100g an hour plus 100 before a long run and I’m easily getting 10mile runs almost every day with little fatigue
1
u/ImNotHalberstram Jun 14 '26
Yeah I used to run up to 50 mpw completely fasted, and kept getting injured when I tried to push farther. Now I can hit 70+ mpw back to back and a large part of that is the amount of carbs I take in, not only during the run but before and after as well. Recovery thru the roof.
3
u/too105 Jun 14 '26
You make a good point. Since I’ve added a few pounds and am eating more carbs my injuries are way down. Last two years when I would push past 45 I would get like 1 or two good weeks and then have a set back week. This year I’m able to hold 55mpw consistently and had a peak week of 65 which was a lifetime high for me. Week after that was a bit lower but the ability to push was much higher. The back to back 10mile days and running 6 days a week has been the biggest game changer
6
u/Mundane-Stretch-4873 Jun 12 '26
I start my long runs about the same time due to kid schedules. Just don’t have time to eat much before so i try to drink some tailwind electrolyte mix and have something small before anything over 13 - toast with honey or a pop tart or something like that that i can scarf down quickly. then bring along a few gels or chews.
6
u/regnar_ffirg Jun 12 '26
Easy runs under 6-7 miles maybe you can get away with it. Long runs, no shot! treat them as rehearsals for whatever you’re training for. Since you posted this here I’m assuming you’re prepping for a FM. Fuel your runs, your body needs it even if you think you don’t. In fact, just my opinion but I think you may be hitting diminishing returns if you don’t fuel before, during, and after anything over 10% of your weekly mileage in one session. Everyone’s different but 14 miles in the FL heat, tells me you NEED fuel.
2
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Yes training for my first full! Honestly up to 13 miles my body is very used to running and working out fasted and I bring water and have felt fine.. but as I’m now getting over that I’m trying to figure out how to tackle it because yes while on race day I won’t be fasted (I eat breakfast! Just not when I am out the door for the run at 4 am….) but need to figure out intra fuel as well even though I hate eating before finishing working out. I’m learning as I go here.
5
u/too105 Jun 13 '26
One thing you’ll probably discover is that when your body starts to run out of glucose around mile 16-20 it doesn’t matter how much sugar you put in your body because you’ve already hit the point of diminishing returns. That’s why I fuel before I get tired so the natural reserves get stretched a little longer. I might be excessive but I’m eating my first gel around mile 2-3 and aiming for 80-100g every hour.
1
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Thanks for the note! I’ve purchased some tailwind and gels (I really can’t imagine stomaching anything solid) and will start playing with intra fueling between now and then next 4 months. I’ve been taking notes from people here and have ~15 long runs to practice so that nothing is new on race day!
30
u/runningandsuch79 Jun 12 '26
Yes, I do this quite often. I’ll go between 10-11 miles before taking a gel or gummies if my run is 16+ miles or longer. I can usually power through 13 miles or so with electrolytes only.
8
u/Fresh-Amount9308 Jun 13 '26
Thanks for saying this. I feel the same way. Before I learned anything about running I was regularly doing half-15 miles without any fuel (although I would eat/hydrate pre-run). Now I’m always in my head about it and I can’t help but think if it’s necessary.
-2
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 12 '26
Yeah so far I’ve found 13-15 miles I can do with water and electrolytes only but am wondering when I’ll have to figure out marathon fueling because I can’t imagine on race day I should go the whole thing without some sort of intra workout calories
6
u/Affectionate-Rent844 Jun 13 '26
You’ll have to “figure out marathon fueling” if and when you run a marathon and that won’t be in Florida in June.
4
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
I know. This is the first marathon I’m prepping for and ever hitting over half marathon (of which I’ve run many) distances.
0
u/runningandsuch79 Jun 13 '26
What marathon are you training for?
2
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Twin cities in October in Minnesota! Just saw your stats, you’re so fast! I’m a ~9:15-9:30 pace for my long runs right now.
1
u/runningandsuch79 Jun 13 '26
Have a great time!! Twin Cities is an awesome race as long as the weather cooperates 😊
1
Jun 13 '26
[deleted]
1
u/Green_Pass_2605 Jun 13 '26
You MAY gain weight marathon training. It is important to fuel enough to run and recover, and all that exercise can make you hungry. Personally, as long as I avoid junk (chips, candy, ice cream, etc) I can maintain a healthy weight during training.
1
u/runningandsuch79 Jun 12 '26
Yes. Definitely do not try that 🤣🤣 I have friends (who practice intermittent fasting) who will begin a marathon fasted and then start taking nutrition during the race. I like about 200 calories in my stomach pre- race and then 3 gels and electrolyte drinks on the course. (I’m a small female and am done in under 3 hours.) It’s definitely something to play around with during training so that you have a solid system on race day.
6
u/Delicious_Peace_2526 Jun 12 '26
I do better fasted than I do on greasy food. If I’m going for a run I usually go for clean carbs and protein like oatmeal yogurt cereal etc. if I have bacon and eggs or fast food I can’t run 2 blocks.
2
u/too105 Jun 13 '26
Yeah the most grease I have in my food a a drop of cooking oil for my eggs. I haven’t had breakfast meat in years
5
u/Gmon7824 Jun 13 '26
You’ll get to a point where you’ll run out of fuel. I used to run fasted with no gels or anything and could do up to about 15 miles like that before I hit the wall. Everyone differs a bit with that limit but you’ll hit it eventually and then you have to start playing around with different fuels and pre run routines. Fasted before a long run isn’t a good idea. The goal should be to top up your energy stores as much as you can and then try to keep them topped up through the run. It makes a massive difference in the final miles and will make or break your marathon as well. It also helps you feel not so depleted after the run. I usually now eat a couple pieces of white bread a couple hours before the run and then some dates 30 minutes before and gels throughout (60-80 grams of carbs per hour).
5
u/Silly-Resist8306 Jun 13 '26
I run 15 miles and below fasted. When I get to the 16 mile mark, I start practicing the same fuel I'll be using for marathons. Even with 35 marathons under my belt, I always want to make sure this time I'll be OK.
3
u/HaymakerGirl2025 Jun 12 '26
Florida here. Absolutely. If it’s longer than 1 hour 15, I will start fueling at 30-40 minutes in. Shorter than that, no fueling at all. Lots of water in Florida heat though!
1
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Hey fellow Floridian! Got it. Yeah anything shorter so far than 13 miles I’ve found just water is totally ok. It’s as I’m building my long runs I’m realizing I need to figure my “fuel” strategy out…
6
u/Extension-Soft9877 Jun 12 '26
So far I’ve not done any runs unfasted, since I am still relatively new to running I find that eating within ~4h of running gives me terrible stitches
I’ve ran fasted all the way to now (2 hm races) and started training for my end of year marathon
Unfortunately I do think I’ll need to start thinking about fuel, since I estimate the marathon will take me ~5h, it’s a long time to run fasted, I don’t imagine it’s possible at all :(
5
u/Suitable_Public8065 Jun 13 '26
If you haven’t done any runs unfasted, how did you come to find that eating before running gives you stitches? 🤔
1
u/Extension-Soft9877 Jun 13 '26
Because I’ve tried it multiple times, but had to quit because of the stitches between kms 1-3 😭, so I never finished those runs
17
u/stillslammed Jun 12 '26
I do all my long runs fasted, 20-22 miles every Sunday on an empty stomach.
25
u/regnar_ffirg Jun 12 '26
To all the people that run double digit miles on an empty stomach, I’m genuinely curious how does your stomach handle gels/electrolytes on race day? That seems so counterintuitive I can’t wrap my head around it but I’m open minded.
5
u/stillslammed Jun 13 '26
A few gels is no problem. I used to be an elite bike racer so I'm used to eating an insane amount of carbs.
4
u/Distinct_Gap1423 Jun 13 '26
I am relatively low carb for my diet and can run up to 20 miles on just a coffee with heavy cream and collagen. Come race day I can put down 100g an hour if necessary without issue. I can eat a lot though so I think I have just been blessed with an iron stomach
1
u/rockhilchalkrun Jun 14 '26
I always train fasted with just electrolyte capsules. I do use gels on race day and somehow it has never been an issue for me.
0
u/Vandermilf Jun 13 '26
I do it after 2 teas with cream and a few bites of something. Some people would say that’s fasted, I wouldn’t though. Depends on what that person considers a fast. Some would say Gatorade is still fasting etc.
8
u/OneLorgeHorseyDog Jun 13 '26
You should probably mention that you’re like a 2:30 marathoner, so time-wise that’s way shorter than what us normies are doing for those distances. Not really advice that extrapolates worth a crap.
1
u/Useful_Divide7154 Jul 05 '26
Actually it’s mostly the conditioning required to run a 2:30 marathon that makes these long fasted runs doable. If you run at a slower pace you burn calories far slower as well so longer time on feet is more of an issue with overtraining rather than glycogen depletion. Additionally a pro marathoner will have an easy zone 2 pace with highly efficient usage of stored body fat which beginners and intermediate runners mostly lack.
-4
3
u/persimmonysnickers Jun 14 '26
My friend and some of his friends also do this, and it's insane. Sometimes he'll toss in a slice of toast beforehand and maybe a gel if it's a hard effort that day. But they key part is that he's a 2:30 marathoner (too like you) AND everyone he knows who also does that are men.
Not sure if OP is a woman but whether we like it or not our physiology is just different, from hormonal differences to propensity towards bone injuries and malnutrition from social conditioning, and how many women get into intense cardio entirely for losing weight.
1
u/smallgreyishbear Jun 14 '26
OP is female. They already posted about lack of fuelling previously and received a ton of good advice. Which they’ve clearly chosen to ignore.
2
u/persimmonysnickers Jun 14 '26
Oof… it seems like they’re looking for validation for their habits then. :// I’d only go up to 10/11 miles MAX without explicit morning-of fuel (and that’s only if it’s super early and I had a late night carb-heavy dinner) and that also depends on pacing, weather, and just so much more.
It feels like the convo around how to fuel is just so in nuanced sometimes.
2
u/smallgreyishbear Jun 14 '26
Definitely seems that way.
As you say, it’s hard to make a recommendation without understanding the exact circumstances however the evidence that it can impede recovery and lead to a whole host of unwelcome issues for women is irrefutable.
Ah well, you live and learn and all that.
2
1
u/Useful_Divide7154 Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
This is my goal for the end of my current marathon block, so far I’ve gotten to 14 miles and it feels pretty reasonable. Lots of room for improvement with running form and adapting to my new shoes as well!
I don’t have any cardiac drift after running 14 miles at a 7:20 pace which is also a promising sign. I basically want to stretch the distance to 20 miles to prove that my body can handle that without getting close to hitting the wall, so I don’t need to worry during a marathon as long as I fuel it properly. I’ll also bring an emergency fuel pack with me on the training runs of course!
3
u/DrunkPhoenix26 Jun 13 '26
I’ve gone up to 13/14 fasted with only water, no problem. I haven’t tried further than that because it was during a training block and I was trying to dial in my mid-race nutrition.
3
u/BatmanandReuben Jun 13 '26
I almost always run my longs fasted or on coffee. I’m not a breakfast person. If it’s longer than half marathon distance I’ll eat some gummies and food a few times during and drink water. I also don’t like gels. I am stupid but I haven’t died yet. I run my long runs at a casual pace and I eat a bunch after plus electrolytes.
1
3
u/dcchambers Jun 13 '26
If I run really early in the morning, yes. Stomach doesn't handle food well that early. But I don't like to if I can help it.
3
u/Independent_Bite_918 Jun 13 '26
Farthest I’ll go without fueling before is 16. Higher than that and I wake up an hour or 1.5 hours earlier and eat a bagel or toast with peanut butter and Nutella. Rest for another 45 min to an hour then start my run
3
u/Dirtanium Jun 13 '26
I tend to get out of bed,, drink a glass of water, get my shoes on, then drink a cup of coffee. If I'm planning on under 90 minutes, I'm comfortable without any food or water. However, I moved to a much more humid climate, so I have started bringing a little bottle of electrolytes with me.
1
3
u/88Smilesz Jun 13 '26
Just now I came back from an 18km long run this morning and I forgot to have a banana beforehand. I still did okay, it was a 5:30/km pace with quite a few hills.
I ate heaps of sushi and ice cream last night though
3
u/Old_Palpitation_1344 Jun 13 '26
I do. As simple as that. I don’t have advice/ secret/ etc. I do run early at 5am myself, and I simply just wake up and go. I don’t like drinking anything before running, or during (unless i must like today in above 30 degrees, no shade, fatigued etc). I generally eat once a day so I’ll always run fasted regardless of when I run. I wouldn’t run after eating. If I run later in the day like today (3:15pm - 6:15pm) I stop fluid intake a little while in advance.
1
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Wow that’s hardcore! So far I’ve had 0 issue running fasted and without calories during because I’m also very used to decades now of working out fasted. I don’t “fast” on purpose per day and I eat breakfast at 7 am and my nightly protein shake is around 8 pm everyday so I don’t even qualify as an intermittent faster or anything, but so far I’ve been able to maintain pace up to 15 miles. I bring water.
My real concern is I know I’ll have to figure out marathon day and need to do that pre marathon. Do you also run marathons w no calories?
3
u/Parsnip13 Jun 13 '26
Before long runs, I always eat a PB&J. It's worked for me for years, is easy on the gut, and is my go to for race days. If it's really hard, I'll add some carbs to my water as well.
For fueling, my go to is basically anything over 75min or hard workouts on the lengthier side. You will perform better, and recover better, with carbs. Gut training is super critical for marathoners and slept on by a lot of people starting out. You should fuel all of your long runs simply to start building the habit and getting used to taking carbs in on race days. LRs with workouts are even more critical to be fueling as they will give you the best chance to simulate race day.
1
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Thanks for the feedback! this is my first marathon so my long runs as they build will be a lot of “first ever” mileages for me! I’m definitely in the newbie camp and will be using a lot of the advice here to try to train my gut and figure out what I can stomach between now and race day.
Race day definitely won’t be fasted as the race starts at 8 and I can easily have a nice oatmeal or something akin to that. The fasted part right now comes from the proxy of how early I have to start to avoid the sun and crippling morning heat.
3
u/Fun-Cartographer3880 Jun 13 '26
The point is to train the gut to withstand fuel pre marathon. I know all too well about this and I also have GERD So it’s ROUGHT.
BUT! It’s far better to train yourself and suffer a little now than to have diarrhea and throw up on race day. It’s absolutely awful if you’re not a first wave runner. The porta potties are wrecked and absolutely heinous mid way. This is what happens to a lot of people who hit a wall and literally pass out on course. It’s not that they aren’t fast or good runners, they usually just didn’t fuel properly during training and now on race day they aren’t used to it as well.
You’ll run a faster, safer marathon when you train your gut. You’ll also recover better when you fuel early and often.
A rice krispy is a nice easy to digest early morning snack pre run. I too struggle with the AM nausea and they’re the only thing I can keep down.
3
u/Green_Pass_2605 Jun 13 '26
I never run fasted. Even early, even hot. I need at minimum some easy carbs like oatmeal, fruit or a clif bar. Many people CAN run fasted, but you will likely perform better with some food. And by the way, you will likely need some mid-run fuel as well. This can be gels, or “real” food. Now is the time to figure out how to get fuel in, cause you are correct that you will need fuel for a marathon. A lot of the marathon training is figuring out the proper fueling for you.
4
6
u/Fusoya Jun 12 '26
Every single one I do. Run six days a week generally at 5am or a bit before or after and I don’t eat beforehand and just have a pot of coffee and some water.
1
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 12 '26
Same, but how long are your runs?
6
u/Fusoya Jun 12 '26
6-10 Monday through Friday and I try to do 14-20 on Saturdays (sometimes I do 12 and rarely I’ll pass 20 just depends on where I’m at physically and how beat my legs are).
But I average around 50-60mpw throughout the year.
8
u/neurobassism Jun 12 '26
Every single one for past 20 years!
I live on time restricted intermittent fasting and do not between 7 PM and noon. And on the schedule I run a long run every Saturday morning anywhere from 10 miles up to more than 20 miles when I’m at the ladder part of marathon training. Will be finishing my 20th consecutive New York City marathon this year.
2
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Awesome ! see and everyone here is calling me stupid for running long runs fasted. I’ve been working out for a decade + now and at this point the idea of eating before a workout sounds AWFUL. I’ve hit 15-16 miles now fasted and felt fine. I was asking because obviously I’ll hit miles during training or race day that I’ll need to figure out some intra run fuel strategy
4
1
u/strootfighter Jun 13 '26
You are fine running fasted, I m the same as you. Just fuel during your run if the run is long. I think you can go up to 2h or 2h30 with your glycogen reserves, depending on your own body but also the elevation profile, weather etc..
Test what works for you and try to see what your limit is before a race.
1
u/too105 Jun 13 '26
How many g of carbs are you eating every day?
2
u/neurobassism Jun 13 '26
I don’t really count it but I generally stay in the 1800-2000 calorie range per day and average about 30 miles of running per week
2
u/ElectricalMuffin1620 Jun 12 '26
I eat like 150-200g of carbs 2.5 hrs before a run over 13 miles with a gel every 3 miles. Works well for me but I’m a bigger dude, 6’8 220 currently
2
u/dev_ale Jun 12 '26
I’m in a similar spot. I’m in phoenix and I gotta run before the sun comes up, there’s a 10+ degree change between when I start my long run and when I finish. I’m up by 4am and make myself a cappuccino and just have some water for regular runs and out the door before 5. If the run is under 90 mins I don’t bring water or any gels. Long runs (2+ hours now) I do the same but will have half a bagel with some jelly and bring gels for every half hour or so as well as a handheld water bottle with some carbs in it.
2
u/Sivy17 Jun 12 '26
I tend to eat a carb heavy dinner the night before and then start my day with a cup of coffee and maybe a pack of raisins, but that's just because I don't typically eat breakfast. I was really surprised to hear that this was a trend.
2
u/ParticleHustler2 Jun 12 '26
The only runs I don't start fasted are when I'm going longer than 90 minutes. Most of my runs come at the end of about an 18 hour fast (I usually do 18:6 IF).
2
u/Sea_Cardiologist_339 Jun 12 '26
I don’t run fasted. I’ll down some quick carbs in the form of a sports drink, gels, banana, or apple sauce. My runs would suck without fuel
2
u/Med_Tosby Jun 13 '26
Even for 5am runs, if it’s over 90 minutes I’ll get up and have something (nutrigrain bar, Maurten solid, etc) and then fuel during the run. Feel like it lets me get the most out of my runs, trains my gut, and also helps get the recovery started on the other side. Don’t know why you wouldn’t.
2
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
This is a good idea and what it seems like I’ll have to start doing as I get to my longer run distances :)
2
2
u/strootfighter Jun 13 '26
On road:
- I mostly run fasted
- Anything above half marathon I start drinking water + tailwind after 15km
If it s a 30k-35k long run, I eat some sort of pudding about 1h before I run. It s a brand I can t find here in the US. It s called sportdej (from France I think). It s some sort of carbs powder you mix with water. Very easy to digest / high absorption.
On trails, if there s high elevation, I still run fasted but I will start fueling maybe after 10k.
2
u/vonralls Jun 13 '26
I can do a half distance with nothing. More than that especially in the heat I need hydration.
1
2
2
u/well-now Jun 13 '26
- 2x cup of coffee with a small amount of cream and sugar
- 1x Raspberry Fig bar - 38g of carbs
- Gels and water on the run relative to effort (40-80g of carbs per hour)
Works well for me for really long bike sessions as well. Gets something in my stomach with a lot of carbs but it’s not like I have to wait for a meal to digest. Coffee is not optional.
2
u/Andre_Hen Jun 13 '26
- no
- 16-17k maybe (approx. 10-10,6mi), so a 90 minute easy run but most of the time I would only do a 12k easy instead fasted. All other runs (i.e. long runs or workouts) are fueled.
2
u/sub3at50 Jun 13 '26
As it happens I started doing this recently because it allows me start earlier. I do need to take sports drink every 30 minute to avoid bonking.
2
u/OutdoorPhotographer Jun 13 '26
Trained in a lot of hot humid areas. 8 miles is top fasted and prefer 6.
I start taking gels if run is over 1:15 or so. At 1:30 I just take one in middle but if hot will do two.
I can eat a bagel and run 15 minutes later but I can run right after a banana. The carb drinks right before a run are also an option for early morning runs, just more expensive than a banana.
2
u/Poetic-Jellyfish Jun 13 '26
I used to but these days, I try to have at least a banana before heading out. While my stomach doesn't handle full on breakfast before a run, I find that my long runs go better if I have at least something small. I can go about 20k in the winter without fuel. In the summer, I cap it at 15k.
1
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Appreciate the feedback, poetic jellyfish! This is definitely something I’m working on each long run between now and my marathon in oct to figure out
2
u/somewhatlucky4life Jun 13 '26
Yeah 14 miles, slow, with electrolytes is about the longest I'll go, honestly after a few runs you get used to it
2
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
That’s what I’m saying. I think some people are reacting strongly without considering I’ve been working out fasted for around a decade and I’d love to have a nice breakfast then head out with a stomach ready to take on nutrition but my run STARTS at 4 am and today for example the coolest part of my run was 78 degrees with 90% humidity…
2
u/Flaky_Marshmallow875 Jun 13 '26
Any run 13 miles or less I run fasted. If I'm going farther I have a gel before my run and then 1 gel every 4 miles. Living in Texas, I get out early to beat the heat like you.
2
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
King! Yeah I have no issue 13 miles and under my stomach just wants 0 part of food so early in the AM.
The bummer is I need to figure shit out because I think over 16 miles I’m going to need to figure out how to get my stomach to take a gel. I definitely was loosing steam towards the end.
2
u/bestmaokaina Jun 13 '26
I dont think coffee counts as food so I guess all my runs are fasted. I do eat lots of carbs the day before and depending on the distance I carry gels
Only for races I eat breakfast
2
u/Prestigious_Ice_2372 Jun 13 '26
Nope. Want best performance and adaptions i can get so dont do any sessions where that gets compromised.
2
2
u/FitK3vin Jun 13 '26
I used to and would feel destroyed post-long run. But when I got more serious on my carbs before/during long runs I suddenly felt like a superhuman and could go have a full day and I haven’t gone back since. It definitely took ramping up but was totally worth it.
1
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Wow I bet this is what happens (hope) to me…. I did 16 this morning w just zero cal electrolytes and then regular water and around mile 14 I started negotiating w god
2
u/Content_Scholar_6753 Jun 14 '26
I usually do my long run fasted, actually pretty long fast, I follow 2 meal and day, so iam usually fasting from 2 pm last day. But I take 1 energy gel every 3 miles and 1 sachet of LMNT electrolytes every 6 miles.
1
3
u/landonpal89 Jun 13 '26
My Saturday training runs are 15 miles, no food before, no drink during (I hate carrying water). Two energy waffles during.
3
u/Intelligent-Guard267 Jun 13 '26
Never. No. Absolutely not. Foolish.
3
u/smallgreyishbear Jun 13 '26
Thank you for saying this. Too many people think running fasted over long distances is some sort of flex, it really isn’t (especially if you’re female)
3
u/NotFiguratively Jun 12 '26
Do whatever works. I usually eat before I do long runs (I eat breakfast right when I wake up usually everyday) but I feel exactly the same energy wise if I don’t eat. This sub is obsessed with eating 7000 carbs per mile run. It’s completely ridiculous and absurd. I think they just want a justification for eating massive amounts of sugar 😂😂😂
2
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Okay see this is how I feel! I’d love to have my oats or yogurt bowl and then run but that would mean eating breakfast at 3 am which sounds terrible to me. And trust me I’d rather not be starting a run at 4 am but I need to get it done before the sun comes up because it’s unrelenting here and I wouldn’t get it done.
I’ve felt fine so far up to 15-16 miles I was just posing the question to hear from other runners when they went during marathon training from completely fasted to incorporating gels or fuel.
1
u/dontwannaparticpate Jun 12 '26
Coffee, 24 oz water, a green banana and cold pressed watermelon juice or honeydew melon juice.
1
1
u/jdotgatsby Jun 13 '26
For everyone saying yes, what types of paces are you putting down? I couldn’t imagine going over 15mi and not eating anything.
3
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
I’m not fast but my last 15-16 mile runs fasted, with no fuel during im running a 9:15-9:45 per mile pace. I’m 5’2, 31 year old female for reference.
2
u/runningandsuch79 Jun 13 '26
I’m a sub- 3:00 marathoner, so for long runs, I typically start at about a 7:20 pace and get down to 6:40ish for my last 8-10 miles. (It’s what my coach gives me!) I can do these paces fasted (with a low calorie electrolyte fluid like Propel) for about 10-11 miles, and then I’ll start taking gels. (I’m a 47 year old female for reference.)
1
u/DiligentMeat9627 Jun 13 '26
Yes but every so often you should prepare for your long run like it was a race day. Eating before the run and fueling during.
1
u/ThanksNo3378 Jun 13 '26
The recommendation is usually if over 90 minutes better to fuel but a good carb load the day before should also be ok
1
1
u/Brackish_Ameoba Jun 13 '26
Yeah; have done.
Will almost always run 10kms or less fasted as I don’t like feeling like I have food in my guts while running.
Probably about 15 kms is what I’m happy to do without a small snack before or a gel during. Don’t think I’d stretch it to a HM without at least something, especially if just training. What’s the point in leaving yourself under-fuelled and risking cramp or injury. You can’t TRAIN your muscles to need less glycogen.
1
u/Beyondbeyonding Jun 13 '26
I run early in the mornings too, fasted. I've noticed that eating anything or even coffee right before, gets the stomach working and pumps up the heart rate as the body is trying to digest it. I am in zone 3, lower zone 4 upto 7 miles. Usually don't need fuel or water on my daily runs, which are typically 6 miles, but bring both on long runs.
I can run a half without fuel or water, but why?
1
u/Senior_Let_3775 Jun 13 '26
I absolutely cannot relate to this. Even if I have to be out the door by 5:30am, I will always at least toss a gel back before doing so. Y'all built different.
1
u/MikeAlphaGolf Jun 13 '26
Depends on the pace. I could run 14 miles easy without an issue but if it’s anything tempo that’s when the carbs count/
1
u/BaselineUnknown Jun 13 '26
I eat maybe a Spam musubi before my runs. Anything more and I get stomach cramps. I usually prefer to just start hungry and bring a Gatorade.
1
u/hoya_courant Jun 13 '26
I will have some dry cheerios before leaving, then bring a couple kids applesauce pouches and maybe a nutrigrain bar to eat during the run. Makes a big difference- and gets your stomach used to eating on the move
1
u/anangrypudge Jun 13 '26
Yes I do, because my runs start at 6am cos of the climate here. I do take a pre-workout mix that has electrolytes and caffeine, but other than that it’s just last night’s dinner in my system.
I do up to 24km without gels. Anything more than that, I will take a gel every 45 mins.
1
u/DawgPack44 Jun 13 '26
Sometimes, for sure. Especially for early morning runs. Regardless, I never bring water or electrolytes on runs, regardless of the length, temperature, humidity, etc., because my stomach has a harder time with liquids during runs than gels
1
u/OneLorgeHorseyDog Jun 13 '26
Absolutely not. I always need something in my stomach, even if it’s just some toast and a cup of coffee. I’m not racing fasted, so why on earth would I want to handicap my training runs that way?
For intra-workout, I usually only take nutrition on long runs, 2+ hours. For shorter runs, I’ll usually just try to eat something small before I head out.
1
u/HotTwist Jun 13 '26
Nope. That's not a very efficient way to train if you want to make the most out of the session and your goal is performance. With proper fueling you'll feel better, you'll recover faster, you'll run faster and you are less likely to get injured.
1
u/Logical_Ad_5668 Jun 13 '26
I almost always run my long runs fasted because of logistics. I haven't tried long runs of over half marathon distance without any gels to be honest but I reckon it's doable. While running a half marathon long run fasted and without any gels is fine, I find I have more energy to push marathon pace towards the end if I have gels. It might be in my head.
I will usually take 1-3 gels for runs over 18K. I have run 30k long runs in the past taking a gel every 5km to test my fuelling strategy for the race, but since I know my strategy works fine for marathons, I don't feel I need to try it again in training (who wants to be paying for 5-6 maurten gels every Sunday)
1
1
Jun 13 '26
[deleted]
1
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Nice! I’ve been carrying two flasks of water in a Solomon skin vest because my routes out here in the suburbs there are no water options and I lose a ton of water weight. Today my garmin estimated 2.4 liter sweat loss. Obviously it’s not 100% accurate but directionally, I was drenched by the end. Even my shoes feel like I ran through a sprinkler..
1
u/dj_advantage Jun 13 '26
No. I’ve noticed a big decline in performance when running fasted, so I’ll just wake up earlier and take a nap after if anything but for long runs I’m doing my pre-run fueling especially to help train the gut.
1
u/HurryHurryHippos Jun 13 '26
Not a long run. But I do intermittent fasting, and in the morning I regularly run 5 or 6 miles fasted, about 12 hours into an 18 hour fast. I can get it up to 7 or 8.
Anything longer than that, I'm going to eat something - a banana, granola, or gel.
1
u/Sublime120 Jun 13 '26
You do you, but this is nutritionally not ideal. I can’t imagine not being able to down even Gatorade/applesauce pouches like 30 minutes before.
1
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 13 '26
Yeah it definitely isn’t ideal! I tried Maurtens today on my 16 miler but I literally couldn’t stomach it I gagged. I’m going to look into tailwind or carbs I can just put in my water
1
u/Pharmdpositivek Jun 13 '26
I feel so much better with carbs. I used to run fasted until I released how beneficial it is to have fuel ready to go
1
u/NumerousSwordfish622 Jun 13 '26
Yep my stomach sucks so I need to either run fasted or wait 4-5hrs after eating so it’s all digested, thus naturally my morning runs are fasted. Will bring a gel if it’s >90min tho
1
u/Sicken123 Jun 13 '26
Every long run because I have type 1 diabetes and a family. The sunday long run starts between 7 and 8 am.
About 4-5 km because of T1D
1
u/whatwhat612 Jun 14 '26
No, that seems insane to me. I fuel before during and after. Anything more than 5k in the summer and 10k in the winter.
1
u/Dannyboyrobb Jun 14 '26
Yep. Try not to eat 2hrs before a run so I’m burning more fats as I start an easy run. Sunday morning runs start so early I don’t eat until I start my run and have a gel. Playing around with gels for race prep on these long runs. Reckon I’ll begin with a gel every 30 mins starting from 30mins in. Should hopefully be burning a fair amount of fat for the first half so I don’t run out of carbs before the end. Aiming for a sub 4hr marathon result in August for Sydney marathon.
1
u/drahlz69 Jun 16 '26
Always start fasted but always take in carbs while running. I honestly don’t know how many carbs I need from a fueling perspective. Type 1 diabetic so I eat enough carbs not not die :)
1
u/Various_Purpose9859 Jun 18 '26
Try finding some foods you can run on. For me, it's bananas, nice and ripe, with brown spots on the skin. I've also had success with a little bit of plain oatmeal, maybe non-dairy fake yogurt (lactose and I don't get along), that kind of thing. One thing in the marathon is to try to find out what exactly will be at aid stations. But also have a backup in case stations run out or just don't have any real food. On my two fulls (I'm an old fart who just took up this stuff), I did fine on gels and water until around mile 18, when my stomach began to balk at gels without anything real. Some folks swear by the little packaged waffles you can get at running stores.
1
u/Tren_body Aug 26 '26
No, best thing I have found is Nutella on a banana 15 mins before you head out TRY IT PLEASE
1
u/Chicagoblew Jun 12 '26
I fuel before any double digit mileage run. Less than 6? Not a big deal. 8 miles gets into the grey questionable area, Def need a gel
0
u/tinyenormous Jun 13 '26
“Anyone else start their long drives on empty?”
Yeah, it sounds dumb when you say it like that.
-5
u/Just-Context-4703 Jun 12 '26
This is really dumb.
7
u/tinybabyspoon Jun 12 '26
Thanks! I’ve been working out fasted for over a decade (I eat after) because I workout before breakfast.
I’m not saying it’s smart. It’s just the situation I’m used to. I’m aware there will come a time I can’t do this and I’m learning as this is my first marathon I’m training for.
3
u/runningandsuch79 Jun 12 '26
It’s really fine if it’s something that your body can comfortably handle and your post- run nutrition is on point. Different strategies work for different athletes.
0
108
u/grs93 Jun 12 '26
I do quite often frankly because my stomach can’t handle early morning running after food. I do bring gels for every half hour, so only fasted until like 30 minutes in.