If you feel hungry during a training run or race, don’t fret.
Be sure to know there is a difference between hunger and low fuel while training.
They are not one and the same.
Your body stores thousands of calories of carbohydrate and many more thousand calories of onboard fat, all of which is readily available while on the move. These sources have very little to do with your hunger level.
I would go as far as to suggest hunger to be a good thing during a race. It means your chances for GI distress are possibly lower and that you do not have undigested foot bouncing around inside your stomach.
Plus, if you’re hungry, it’s very easy to fix. Grab something from an aid station. However, if you’re experiencing GI issues from food you’ve eaten, there’s not much you can do.
For my own AM runs and races, I prefer to go into them with very little to zero food in my system, a cup of oatmeal or a couple bananas is generally enough.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences on hunger and going into a race/run with little or no breakfast!