How Do You Fuel Early Morning Run?

• Complete a quick dynamic warm up. A key component of any pre-run routine, especially a morning run routine, is the dynamic warm up. …
• Make a bathroom stop before heading out. It probably goes without saying, but make sure to hit the bathroom at least once after waking up before heading out to run.
• Turn on your favorite music or podcast. Give yourself something to look forward to first thing in the morning by listening to a favorite playlist or podcast.

To fuel up before heading out, I recommend drinking eight ounces of a sports drink and eating half an energy bar. Most all sports nutrition-type items are designed to be easy to digest and are quickly absorbed into your system. Join Runner’s World+ today for more health and nutrition tips! This small snack should give you a noticeable energy boost.

The key to a successful morning run is planning and preparing – which means thinking through everything you will need on the run and making sure it’s all out and ready to go. Charge your watch, headphones, phone and any other electronics you will need.

Sleep in your running clothes. Creating a morning run routine will help things run smoothly and efficiently, even when you’re still struggling to wake up. Try sleeping in as many of your running clothes as feels comfortable. Throw on your shorts or leggings the night before so all you have to do is add socks and change your shirt in the morning.

This warm up is even more important when you’ll be running first thing in the morning. You’ll likely notice that your muscles are extra stiff in the morning before you’ve had a chance to get moving. Take 5-15 minutes to complete some dynamic warm up exercises and simple stretches as a part of your morning run routine.

How to get better at running in the morning?

Get better at those early morning miles by trying the following: Give your blood sugar levels a little pick-me-up prior to running by eating half a banana, 6-8 ounces of juice or a toast and jam 15-20 minutes prior to your run. Your body will tell you what it can handle and what it prefers.

It is mostly because your muscles are cold from sleeping all night, your blood sugar levels are at their lowest from fasting and your mind is just booting up for the day. The good news is there are several tricks you can use to run stronger in the mornings. And, once you get it in first thing, you are running on high for the rest of the day! Get better at those early morning miles by trying the following:

Before you head out, it’s useful to do a short warm-up inside by jogging on the spot and gently stretching, particularly on a cold morning. When you begin running, start off slowly to give yourself more time to reach your planned pace. When it’s feeling particularly tough, think of the great reasons to get out early.

Research studies have shown moderate amounts of caffeine to be an effective performance enhancer pre-run. Walk for at least 5 minutes to properly warm your body up before you run.