What to Eat Before Running In the Morning, No Matter How Much Time You Have to Spare

Every runner has their unique pre-morning-run rituals. For some, the moments before an AM workout include foam rolling, glute activation, and hip mobility. For others, it’s hitting snooze on the alarm (OK, twice), cranking up the volume on the perfect pump-up playlist, and hitting the pavement or treadmill.

That wide range of morning habits extends to food too. There may not be one specific breakfast or snack every runner should have before an early jog, but there are some general best practices on what to eat before running in the morning. That said, what really matters is what works for you.

“Everyone has different preferences and favorites for pre-workout options,” says Julie Stefanski, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “The key to giving your body what it needs is to consider how energetic you feel and how strongly you finish.”

That typically takes some trial and error over a series of morning runs to nail down. Here’s how to get started.

What to Eat Before Running In the Morning

Carbohydrates should be your go-to fuel source before a morning run—or really before any run—says board-certified sports dietitian Claire Shorenstein, RD. But you’ll want to specifically focus on carbs that are easy to digest to avoid potentially upsetting your stomach, especially if you don’t have a lot of time to spare before jogging. “With running, we’re jostling our stomachs around, and we just have to be a little bit more mindful about what we’re eating and how much time we’re taking to digest,” she says.

The exact foods you choose to eat before a morning run will depend on a couple factors: how long you’re running and how much time you have after eating before you start.

For Runs Less Than 60 Minutes

If your run is going to last 60 minutes or less, try to eat a snack about 30 to 60 minutes before your run. Aim to get about 30 grams of carbohydrates in that snack, Shorenstein suggests.

Some smart options to try before a shorter morning run include:

For Runs Longer Than 60 Minutes

If you’re going on a long run, it’s a good idea to give yourself more fuel and more time to digest it, Stefanski says. That means some additional carbs and some protein.

But protein doesn’t go down as easily: “It takes additional time for your stomach to digest these foods, deliver them to your intestine, and absorb them into the bloodstream,” she says.

Timing varies a little more for digesting a larger meal. In general, you’ll probably want to digest for at least an hour, Stefanski says, but some people find they need more like two to three hours before they can comfortably run after a meal. (More on this in a bit.)

Before going on a long run in the morning, our experts recommend eating things like: 

How Long Before a Morning Run Should You Eat?

In a perfect world, you’d give yourself roughly:

These guidelines aim to help you avoid digestive discomfort during your run. Of course, they can also cut into the time you allot for your morning jog, and you (very understandably!) might not have an extra hour to spare before knocking out your run. If you don’t feel jostled, bloated, or crampy running sooner, you can absolutely experiment with different timeframes and see what you can tolerate, Shorenstein says. 

Think about it: If you snack on a few energy chews during a long run, you don’t give yourself time to digest—rather, you digest while you’re still moving. There’s nothing stopping you from eating a small snack as soon as you wake up and hitting the pavement shortly after, as long as your stomach feels OK doing so, Shorenstein says. Just keep in mind it might take a little time to get used to that speedy turnaround. (More on that later!)

What If You’re Running Hours After Waking Up?

Generally, you want to eat something within about two hours of your morning run. If you, for example, wake up at 6 AM and eat breakfast but don’t plan to run until 10 AM, you have another opportunity to fuel up before lacing up your sneakers. In that example, you could eat a balanced breakfast early, digest it, and then have a small snack within 30 to 60 minutes of your run, Shorenstein says.

Do You Always Need to Eat Before a Morning Run?

There’s no one-size-fits-all rule about when you must eat breakfast before a morning run versus when it might be OK to do a fasted run and wait to eat until after.

But if you’re hungry, definitely eat. “It’s not a good idea to start a workout with physical hunger present,” Stefanski says. “This may contribute to low blood sugar, confusion, and increased risk of injury.”

If you’re not hungry, experts still generally recommend you eat something before a morning run. But that doesn’t mean fasted cardio is never allowed. “Many people can get up and run several miles without eating, but others can’t. First and foremost, it’s important to not base your breakfast choices on what makes other people feel best,” Stefanski says. “I think people fall into habits of not eating, but it might not always be the best choice for speed, distance, or recovery.” 

When you want to fuel up but you’re not that hungry, consider how intense your run is going to be and your overall nutrition. You may not necessarily need to eat before every morning run if you ate a nutrient-dense dinner and hydrated well the night before, Shorenstein says. She also thinks skipping a morning meal can work for runners who generally eat balanced meals and plenty of calories throughout every day. (Many of her clients are surprised to find they’re actually not eating enough, she adds. And for those runners, she always recommends eating before a morning run.)

But rather than think about skipping a meal before a morning run as something you can “get away with,” consider what’s best for your body instead, Shorenstein recommends. 

To the morning runners who feel queasy at the thought of eating something before an early jog, try some experimenting: “See what it feels like to eat something before running early in the morning, like some energy chews or a sports drink,” she says. “See how it feels to do it fasted versus not fasted and how it affects you, and not just in the moment.” You might find you have more energy later in the day or you avoid feeling ravenous by the time lunch rolls around just by adding a banana before your morning run, for example.

It takes some adjusting. In fact, you can actually train your gut to handle food better early in the morning little by little. Start with a few bites of a banana, a graham cracker, a few raisins, or a few sips of a sports drink about 15 to 30 minutes before your run, Stefanski says. “Keep increasing the amounts based on how you feel. Your stomach will learn to expect your fueling routine as you practice it along with your running.”

Eventually, you might find you naturally hit that 30-grams-of-carbs benchmark. “You’re not running a marathon the first day you start training. You have to train your gut in the same way,” Shorenstein says.

In the moment, it can help to let your tastebuds guide you, Stefanski says: “Consider what you really feel like eating, rather than what might be the perfect choice,” she says. “Listening to your appetite and picking something appealing may help you overcome the hurdle of disinterest in eating at all.”

Foods to Possibly Avoid Eating Before Running In the Morning

Generally, the most nutritious carbs are those rich in slow-digesting fiber, but you’ll likely want to save those for other meals or snacks, Shorenstein says. Eating foods with more fiber before your jog—like beans, lentils, or leafy greens—is more likely to cause digestive symptoms during your morning run than carbs that are easier for your body to digest (like the ones listed above). Check the labels of your favorite bars: Some may have sneaky added fiber, so save those for later too, Stefanski suggests.

Foods higher in fat, like salmon, avocados, or oils and butter, are also best to avoid before running in the morning. “Fatty foods take the most enzymes, stomach acid, and time to break down,” Stefanski says. 

How Do Beverages Factor In Before Running In the Morning?

When you first wake up, you’re a little dehydrated from your night of sleep, so it’s a good idea to drink some water before a morning run. But you don’t have to drink a ton—you don’t want it jostling around in your stomach, after all. Even a few sips can help fight off fatigue during and after your run, Stefanski says.

But you have other options, too. Coffee, tea, and juice all count as fluids, Shorenstein says, and can also be helpful before you start your run—especially if you’re the type of morning runner who wakes up to the coffee pot automatically brewing.

Caffeinated drinks may even give you a slight edge: Moderate caffeine intake can boost endurance during exercise, according to a 2018 Sports Medicine review.

But keep in mind coffee or tea before a morning run might not be right for everyone: “While caffeine may help some people feel energized, other people who metabolize caffeine slowly may want to steer clear of jittery feelings that may interfere with running,” Stefanski says.

You could also add some electrolytes into the mix before a morning run, such as by sipping on a sports drink. That’s an especially smart move if you sweat a lot, you’re running outside in high heat or humidity, or you’re planning to do an intense run. “Individuals who have a high sweat rate want to make sure that they have a source of salt and potassium before a long run or during exercise,” Stefanski says. You should also drink a little extra water before a morning run in those same conditions.

Ultimately, what to eat before running in the morning varies from person to person. The foods you eat and the time you eat them may be totally different from the next runner’s. “There’s no one right way to do any of this,” Shorenstein says. “There are popular ways and common ways, but there are lots of paths to get to similar results, and it all has to be individualized to your needs.”

The Takeaway

It’s probably a smart idea to get some calories before a morning run, even if you opt for a small snack or a few sips of a sports drink. The best foods to eat before running in the morning are simple, quick-digesting carbs like a banana, toast, or a few dates to give you the energy you need after fasting during your night of sleep. Avoid getting too much fiber or fat before a run, which could trigger an upset stomach. Make sure to drink some fluids before a morning run, like water, tea, or coffee. Experiment with the timing of your pre-run snack or meal too. Some people can run shortly afterwards, while others are more comfortable with more time (anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours) to digest. And remember, what to eat before a morning run differs from runner to runner, so do what’s best for your body.