Pre Workout Nutrition 

Madison Trippett

Pre-workout nutrition is very important in not only getting the most out of your workouts, but also as practice for pre-race fueling. However, figuring out how to best fuel for running workouts can be quite challenging. What works for one runner may not work for another. While running at the collegiate level, I quickly noticed that my teammates and I all had slightly different nutrition approaches prior to workouts. My biggest piece of advice is to use trial and error to find out what types of foods help you feel the best during your hard efforts. That being said, here are a few tips that I have found helpful in my personal nutrition journey.

1. Consume a meal or substantial snack 2-3 hours prior to a workout. For most people, a sole granola bar is not going to be enough to get through a long, grueling workout feeling the best.

2. Focus on easily digestible carbohydrates as the main macronutrient. This includes foods such as bread, oatmeal, rice, potatoes, or bananas.

3. Keep it simple! Pre-workout may not be the best time to experiment with new foods, flavors, or spices.

4. Consider a moderate amount of caffeine for an extra boost. Caffeine has the greatest effect when taken 30 minutes to an hour prior to a hard effort.

Here are some of my favorite pre-race meals/snacks!
- Quick oats with almond butter and berries
- Sourdough toast with peanut butter and banana
- PB+J with a banana and pretzels
- Rice cakes w/ jam + Rx bar