eating before a run

I have a question regarding exercise. I get home from work at about 4:30pm and that is my favorite time of the day to go out for a run (and the only time that works with my schedule).

However, I’m often really hungry at this time and struggle to run on a full stomach… aside from fruit juice or fruits/veggies what is a good snack to eat before going for a run (about 10km)?

Anyone have some personal favorites?

I used to like a couple crackers and some peanut butter.

But you could also take a snack to work to eat around 3:30, so that it’s had time to digest and you’re not hungry at 4:30

I’m a big believer in laying down a nutritional base early and then toping off with something light close to the run bike or what ever. So I would eat some thing substantial 3-2 hours and drink water of course. Then have something like dianabl suggested (I would personally not want something fatty like peanut butter close to a run. Afterwards is a different story.), I like toast(s) with nothing on and perhaps with some sips of water, I guess it has my preferable GI number not to high (like sugar… will give you an insulin spike and you will lose energy at that point) but not too low (like brown rice… but rice are good if you plan on a long run or ride).
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The main thing to realize is that the glycogen fuel that you are going to use (carb fuel) is already in the muscles (mostly… some is in your liver too). And eating shortly before will not affect these stores directly, they will mostly affect your blood sugar levels, and in that way (by keeping blood sugar high) it will spare the stores in the muscles and liver, or lets say it slows the drain (over as certain level of intensity the glycogen stores will always fade no matter how much you eat, thats why it is important to have a high aerobic threshold… because that means you can go faster on burning mostly fat and thus last longer because your glycogen stores will last longer, besides you will travel more km on your fuel too, because your economy pace is faster.)

In case I have not eaten anything in the last 12 hours, I eat a reasonable serving of pasta, rice, bread, muesli… without too much fat nor dairies (or I’d get digestive issues). Let’s say that if I would normally eat a plate of pasta, I eat only 2/3 of it so my stomach is not too full. Then I walk 2 km, I drink a little, then, I’m ready to run my 10 km. I don’t need a snack for 10 km, but for more I have dry fruits eaten progressively.
I don’t have insuline problems personally but sweet (or very salty) food makes me thirsty just after, so I drink a lot and I need to interrupt my run later…
Well, I guess everybody is different. A few time, I have accepted samples of sports drink or protein shake before a run, and I have been sick each time. That’s really not for me. But obviously other runners had no problems.

A small fruit (say apricot-sized), a small handful of nuts, a yogurt cup, or a piece of cheese would be my choice. I avoid eating or drinking within an hour of my run, but if I had to that’s what I would go for.

It would also depend on how long I was planning to run for. If I was planning anything over 3 or 4 miles I’d have a proper snack or even a meal depending how hungry I was, and then just delay the run. As a general rule though I plan my meal times around my runs (or the other way around if I don’t have a choice about when I eat) so I know when I have to eat if I want to be ready to run at whatever time.

I really prefer to run on an empty stomach…I usually do my run first thing in the morning, with nothing but a glass of water in my stomach, and I find that works best for me.
But if I’m doing my run in the afternoon, I will eat a piece of fruit or granola bar or maybe a hard-boiled egg about an hour before my run. I make sure not to eat directly before my run because that makes me feel heavy, and if I do eat something I make sure it’s a light snack.

Thanks all!! I definitely like all the ideas and I think I will try them and see which works best. I cannot run on an empty stomach for longer than about 4-5km as then I tend to get bad cramps and hunger pains. I really like the boiled egg idea and the dried fruit, I will try those first!