Preparing for the long run starts with your mindset. It’s okay if you are nervous before running the route planned by the training plan that you may never have done before! You can make it easier for yourself by mentally preparing yourself for the distance.

Imagine the route exactly, how you run it, and how you complete it. Trust your training, take it easy, and give yourself courage. A positive attitude helps you a lot when the going gets tough. If you keep telling yourself that you are at the limit, you are making it harder for yourself, and it will be even more exhausting.

And it works the other way too: The mental strength that you build up while running can help you to cope with everyday stress.

Best practices for eating before an extended running race

Take care of your nutrition and hydration

For a long-distance run, you mainly need carbohydrates that supply your body with energy – so purely with it!

Of course, someone who runs 30 minutes needs far fewer carbs than someone who runs for three hours – so it’s worth trying out a bit to see what’s ideal for you.

If your stomach feels good and you can finish your run efficiently, you are on the right track. If you think that you have only made the route with the most significant effort, then you should eat more. As a rule of thumb: 7 to 10 g of carbohydrates per kg of bodyweight make sense. If you are training for a competition, you should align your diet and water supply with your running goal on the day of the race.

WHAT TO EAT 2-4 HOURS BEFORE RUNNING:

1 The whole meal contains carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats.

2 Grilled chicken with quinoa

3 Cheese and vegetables with whole grain pasta

4 Grilled fish wraps with lettuce and avocado

5 Cheese and vegetable omelet with toast

Try to avoid high-fiber vegetables and foods that are high in fat. These foods shouldn’t be part of your runner diet.

WHAT TO EAT 1-1 1/2 HOURS BEFORE RUNNING:

Incorporate a snack that contains easy-to-digest carbohydrates and some protein.

1 Banana with a 1/8 cup almond

2 Whole-grain crackers with hummus

3 A small bowl of cereal

4 Cheese sticks with carrots

5 Low-fat yogurt

6 1 cup of berries with low-fat cottage cheese.

7 Peanut butter and a banana sandwich

Try to avoid fruits such as apples, melons, and pears that cause bloating.

WHAT TO EAT 15-30 MINUTES BEFORE RUNNING:

Small, easily digestible portions of carbohydrates.

One applesauce

2 Salt crackers or graham crackers with a teaspoon of honey

3 Raisins

4 Half a banana

5 cup low-fat muesli with skimmed milk

Follow the right diet before running or competition and avoid all foods that are high in saturated fat or fiber. And of course: don’t forget to apply 2SKIN to train painlessly, without limit!

WHAT TO EAT BEFORE THE MORNING RUN:

Those who run early in the morning mostly have a smaller glycogen store in their system after sleeping and not consuming anything between 6-8 hours. Ideally, morning runners should look for easily and quickly digestible foods for the right nutrition. For the early riser who gets up between one and two hours before running, oatmeal, whole-grain toast with egg, muesli, breakfast muffins, bagels, or homemade smoothies are ideal. However, if you run shortly after getting up, you should eat smaller, quickly digestible snacks, such as a shake, dried or fresh fruit, or nuts and seeds.

Here are helpful breakfast ideas for your diet before the morning run:

1 Pancakes with fruit or nuts

2 Bread with scrambled eggs

3 Oatmeal with milk or soy milk

4 fruit salad

5 Breakfast muffins or bagels with low-fat processed cheese

6 Fruit juice or smoothie

However, not everyone can eat that early in the morning. For such runners, it is advisable to eat a more substantial carbohydrate portion in the evening so that the nutrients are stored in the muscles one night before the morning run.