I love eating a 100% low fat raw vegan diet, but ever since I joined my college's cross country team it has become a bit of a hassle. I am taking 5 classes, work 2 jobs, and practice 6 days out of the week. This leaves me with different times to eat everyday, so I have been struggling with developing an eating schedule. I cant tell if I am eating too early or too late, but I ALWAYS have to go during my long runs (usually when there is no bathroom near by). This has been happening for about a month now so I decided to switch over to cooked low fat vegan until I can figure an eating plan out.
What are the best times to eat fruit before a run? My practices are usually around 3:30pm, so it isn't early enough where I can just save eating for afterwards. I am so frustrated I am thinking of just eating 1 massive meal afterwards....but I doubt I will be able to get in enough calories then. RUNNERS HELLLPP!
It sounds like a simple problem, but it is preventing me from running my hardest and longest. I am afraid of the problems it will cause on race days.
For some strange reason cooked foods (potatoes, rice, quinoa, millet, breads) have NOT been giving me #2 problems when I run (maybe because it digests slower?) If I can't figure out a perfect eating time for a fruitarian diet, then I'll just stick with cooked foods till the end of the season.
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Oh yeah and crapping yourself while running thats a friggen fun one too TMI but true ::facepalm::
this is a tough one. I typically run at 10-11am or 12pm each day. I'll eat breakfast at 8am which is always a massive smoothie. I'll snack between then and run time usually. Then after I run its a watermelon or a smoothie. Then for dinner its generally cooked high carb low fat. But I normally top that off with maybe hot air popped popcorn and a pile of dates or something.
I got my #2 shoot trained to get it all done between 7am and 10am or so But its not unheard of for me to drop a potato in the crock pot at 5pm or have a meeting around 8pm or something :D.
Maybe you can look at the hours / times I eat and work something like that. Lunch is like 1:20 or 2pm Dinner is like 5pm but I'm munching till 8 or 9pm.
I really think I smash in the most carbohydrates at night which is probably why i can have a monster breakfast and run at noon its had some time to digest by then but yeah somtimes i'm a little hungry going into it on those days I'll eat a banana or 3 or some dates before I go. Or i'll pack some dates for while i'm running or I spike some water with coconut sugar or dates or someting for while i'm out running. I dont normally get hungry while running but yeah it happens.
Sometimes its in evitable too that i gotta go while on a run its terrible too I've had to run home take care of bsuiness then go back out numerous times.
I will not race at 8am FOR THIS REASON. I dont think i'd perform at my best while trying to hold back a beast.
The only other thing i can think of is to somehow get yourself trained to go at the same times each day that are convientant like in the evenings or something? I dunno.
I swear this is like the dirty little secret they dont tell you about when you do this all raw stuff. What about having to pee? Its constant for me out on a run UGGG gotta PEE why? cause i'm so wonderfuly hydrated GRRRRRR
Thanks for the detailed reply Jim, I found it very insightful! I am glad I am not the only one experiencing this issue. It definitely does feel like a 'dirty little secret' that's kept from those who want to excel in long endurance sports. I find it interesting that you eat about 2 hours before your run, I have always been spacing it about 4 hours apart. The problem is, I am sure the #2 while running is last nights dinner because my body digests super slow.
I'll do my best to train my body to go at a certain time, but if not *sigh it's cooked food for me I guess.
I am lucky enough to never had crapped myself, but I have heard horror stories haha. Nothing is more terrifying then finding yourself in the open plains of a forest preserve with no bathrooms in a 4 mile radius. And with bikers and runners who have steady bowel movements.
Oh I'll also go for another run around 4 or 5 many times too and push dinner off al ittle. But USUALLy the second run is no more then 5 miles.