What should I eat before a run?
Two named position statements set the range, and both scale with how long the run is and how much time is left before it. The 2016 joint statement from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine (Thomas, Erdman and Burke) recommends 1–4 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight, 1–4 hours before exercise lasting more than 60 minutes. The International Society of Sports Nutrition's 2017 position stand on nutrient timing (Kerksick and colleagues) describes a similar carbohydrate-rich snack or meal as commonly recommended several hours before higher-intensity runs past 90 minutes, and separately summarizes a study by Moseley and colleagues finding that a proper warm-up effectively negates a rebound low-blood-sugar feeling some people get, and that eating closer to the start can ease it too. Neither names specific foods.
How much to eat, by how much time you have
The ACSM/AND/DC 2016 joint position statement anchors the pre-run window: 1–4 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight, eaten 1–4 hours before exercise that lasts more than 60 minutes. The table below is Runked's own illustration built on that range, splitting it into bands by how much time is left before the run; the statement itself gives the range as a whole and publishes no separate number for each band. The examples are common carbohydrate-rich foods, offered as illustration. Talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian if you have diabetes, a GI condition or anything else that affects blood sugar or digestion, or if you want a fueling plan built for a specific race.
| Time before the run | What the guideline suggests | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 3–4 hours before | Upper end of the ACSM/AND/DC range: a fuller meal, since there's more time to digest it | Oatmeal with fruit; a pasta or rice bowl; a sandwich with a side of fruit |
| 1–2 hours before | Lower end of the same range: a smaller meal or a substantial snack | A bagel with jam; a banana with toast; a small bowl of cereal |
| Under 60 minutes before | Outside the ACSM/AND/DC window, which starts an hour out; a small, easily digestible amount if eating at all | A banana; a few dates; a small serving of a sports drink or gel |
| In the final minutes before the start | Still outside that window, but the ISSN's 2017 position stand summarizes a study by Moseley and colleagues: a proper warm-up effectively negates the rebound low-blood-sugar feeling some people get, and shifting carbohydrate closer to the start (its example: 15 minutes versus 75 minutes before) can ease it too | A few sips of a sports drink, only if that feeling is a known issue |
Sources: Thomas, Erdman and Burke, "Nutrition and Athletic Performance," Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2016, the joint position statement of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine; Kerksick and colleagues, "International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Nutrient Timing," Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14:33, 2017.
What the two statements actually say
The ACSM/AND/DC 2016 joint position statement is the broader of the two: it recommends eating carbohydrate at 1–4 grams per kilogram of body weight, 1–4 hours before any exercise session that lasts more than 60 minutes, with the amount scaling to the time available, a larger amount when there's more time to digest it, a smaller one when there isn't. It is written for exercise in general, and it doesn't name foods or single out runners.
The ISSN's 2017 position stand on nutrient timing (Kerksick and colleagues, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition) covers a narrower case: it says "it is commonly recommended to consume snacks or meals high in carbohydrate (1–4 g/kg/day) for several hours before higher-intensity (≥ 70% VO2max), longer duration (> 90 min) exercise," a threshold closer to a hard tempo run or race effort than an easy jog. The ISSN prints that range with a per-day unit, while the ACSM/AND/DC statement gives the same 1 to 4 g/kg figure for a single pre-exercise feeding; the gram figures on this page and in the table above are the ACSM/AND/DC ones. Separately, in the same section, it addresses eating much closer to the start: some people get a rebound low-blood-sugar feeling from carbohydrate eaten roughly an hour out, and the position stand summarizes a study by Moseley and colleagues as demonstrating "that any 'rebound hypoglycemia' response is effectively negated by what would be the equivalent of a proper warm-up and that shifting carbohydrate intake closer (15 min vs. 75 min) to when the exercise bout is scheduled to begin can minimize the likelihood of these symptoms." Both are fixes for that specific symptom. Neither one is a recommendation to eat a full meal minutes before running.
The two statements print the same 1 to 4 gram per kilogram numbers, with the unit difference noted above, while covering different exercise: one general and broader on duration, the other tied to a higher-intensity, longer-duration case. Neither sets a separate carbohydrate target for a short run under about an hour; that's outside what either one measured.
How to apply it before your next run
- Match the time you have to the range above. More hours before the run means room for a larger, fuller meal; less time means something smaller and easier to digest.
- Test any new food in training, ahead of a goal day. A pre-run meal or snack that hasn't been tried before a hard effort is a variable worth removing before a race or a key workout.
- For runs under an hour, eat what generally sits well before exercise. Neither position statement sets a number for this case, so there's no specific gram target to hit.
- For runs that cross 60–90 minutes, plan fueling during the run too. The ISSN's during-exercise carbohydrate guidance is covered separately in how to run longer without getting tired.
Common mistakes eating before a run
- Trying a new food for the first time on race morning. Neither statement addresses food tolerance directly; it's a separate risk from the timing and amount guidance above.
- Eating a large meal well inside the hour before a run. The ACSM/AND/DC window starts an hour out; a large meal closer to the start falls outside that window.
- Assuming the numbers above apply to a short, easy run. Both statements are scoped to runs past 60 or 90 minutes; a 20-minute jog isn't what either one measured.
- Skipping food entirely before a long run because of a bad experience once. The timing adjustment Moseley and colleagues found, as summarized in the ISSN position stand, exists for exactly that rebound feeling; it's a fix worth trying before giving up on fueling before long efforts altogether.
What to do next
Compare a fueling routine to your own long runs, not to what anyone else eats; in Runked the rank starts everyone at Bronze and only moves on your own runs. See how the running rank works. For runs that cross into the fueling-during-the-run range, see how to run longer without getting tired. For fitting pre-run meals into a full training cycle, including race week, see the marathon training plan.
Find out where you stand
Runked is free on the App Store. Connect your watch or track 3 runs, and meet your Runk.
Download on App StoreFrequently asked questions
What should I eat before a run?
It depends how long the run is and how much time is left before it starts. The 2016 joint position statement from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine (Thomas, Erdman and Burke) recommends eating carbohydrate at 1 to 4 grams per kilogram of body weight, 1 to 4 hours before exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, more time before the run allows a larger amount. The International Society of Sports Nutrition's 2017 position stand on nutrient timing (Kerksick and colleagues) describes a similar carbohydrate-rich meal or snack as commonly recommended for several hours before higher-intensity (70% of VO2max or more), longer runs past 90 minutes. Neither statement names specific foods; both describe a range to fit around food already tolerated well.
How many hours before a run should I eat?
The ACSM/AND/DC 2016 statement's window is 1 to 4 hours before exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, with the carbohydrate amount scaling inside that window: more time before the start allows a larger, fuller meal, since there's more time to digest it, while less time calls for something smaller. Neither the ACSM/AND/DC statement nor the ISSN's 2017 position stand sets a separate carbohydrate target for a short run under about an hour; that falls outside what either one measured.
What if I only have 15 minutes before a run?
That's outside the ACSM/AND/DC window, which starts an hour out, but the ISSN's 2017 position stand on nutrient timing addresses timing this close to the start directly: some people get a rebound low-blood-sugar feeling from carbohydrate eaten roughly an hour before exercise, and the position stand summarizes a study by Moseley and colleagues as demonstrating "that any 'rebound hypoglycemia' response is effectively negated by what would be the equivalent of a proper warm-up and that shifting carbohydrate intake closer (15 min vs. 75 min) to when the exercise bout is scheduled to begin can minimize the likelihood of these symptoms." Both halves of that summary are adjustments for people who already notice the symptom. Neither one is a recommendation to eat a full meal minutes before running.
Should I follow this if I have diabetes or another health condition?
Not without checking first. The ranges on this page come from two sports-nutrition position statements written for generally healthy athletes; they are not medical advice and don't account for diabetes, a GI condition, a diagnosed eating disorder, or any medication that affects blood sugar or digestion. See a dietitian or doctor if you have any of those, or if you want a fueling plan built around a specific race distance.