Have you ever wondered if you should use coffee, green tea or another pre-workout supplement before running to take your energy level from zero to hero?
Ok you might not believe it’s going to have that dramatic of an impact, but we’ve all seen how it “gives you wings”? Right?! So if you’ve been curious, but cautious (great job), let’s break it down today.
My personal opinions aside, the truth is they work.
But like anything you use all the time, you may not feel the effects as much as you’d like due to a normalcy effect (i.e. you need more for that same original buzz). It’s why people go from a daily cup of coffee to multiple espresso shots.
Pre-Workout Supplements for Running
For better or worse, I set out to do the research and to be a guinea pig.
Should You Use Coffee Pre-Run?
As much as I love running and I love sharing it all with you, I do not love coffee so I simply could not test it out no matter the reported benefits!
Instead, I tried a few different supplements which I will share, but knowing that coffee pumps through many of your veins I like this quote from Tina Muir who went from being a non-coffee drinker to a new lover of the brew:
“I notice that when I have had coffee, during my workouts I can control my thoughts a lot more, and feel clearer.
A word of caution though, caffeine is not going to be a great idea for intervals or fartlek workouts as your pace and heart rate is changing too much. And… I noticed for the first few months I had to take the coffee 3 hours before I was going to run. {hello bathroom breaks}”
Coffee isn’t the only pre-workout supplement, though it tends to be reported on the most in scientific studies.
Pre-Workout Supplements Besides Coffee
For those non-coffee drinkers like myself, I’m happy to say there are other natural alternatives that have the same effects. In fact, one zero calorie option from Celsius combines many of the most well known ingredients:
- Green Tea Extract
- Guarana Seed Extract (a caffeine source)
- Vitamin B (energy production and adrenal support, often low in endurance athletes)
Another that I’ve recommended to my runners for many years now is Vega Sport Pre-Workout Energizer. I use roughly a 1/2 serving of any brand before weekend long runs and when runs start to get way up in the 20 mile range, instead of drinking it before the run I’ll put it in my water bottle to sip throughout the run.
- Rhodiola (reduce stress, fatigue and weakness)
- Yerba Mate (caffeine)
- Ginseng (used in Herbal Medicine to help enhance physical capacity)
After coming back from knee surgery and being in my mid-thirties, I suddenly found I could use a little more pep than the Vega provided.
So I use the same method of a little before and sipping throughout my long run with:
- Celisus – zero sugar, 200 mg of caffeine. Again I RARELY ever have caffeine so just drinking some of this before a run is a great boost for me. Even on a 20 miler between sipping before and during I’m only taking in 1/2 the serving.
- Volo Vitamins Energy – I love this option because of the B12 and Vitamin C and D…all things I need and I’m getting them as part of my boost!
I’m obviously all about the sticks you can add to a bottle and these things tend to last me a good long while, since I use sparingly. BONUS because by using less, I get a major boost on long runs and race day.
A few others that aren’t energy based, but can work as pre-workout:
- Essential Amino Acids – especially for long runs, this is a good way to help ensure you are maintaining muscle mass instead of using muscles for fuel
- Creatine – a small amount is good before lifting to help build muscle and yes, it’s totally safe. It often gets confused with people who took steroids. Creatine is a form of magnesium.
Benefits of Pre Run Supplements
Should I take a pre-workout before cardio? Should I use pre-workout supplements before running? Is a pre-workout bad for your heart?
All valid questions, which made me want to dig in because I for many years I didn’t want to use any kind of pre-workout.
The benefits based in science are what keep many athletes coming back to the legal performance enhancer of caffeine and herbal based energy supplements for pre-workout!
So does a pre-workout help? Science says it helps with the following:
- Reduced perceived effort
- Greater usage of fat as energy source
- Improved muscle gains
- Increased muscle endurance
- Improved respiratory fitness
- Up to 30% increase in metabolism
As stated by sports nutritionist Drew Price to Men’s Health,
“Caffeine {or it’s herbal counter parts above} reduces levels of perceived effort so you can train harder. It improves your body’s ability to use fatty acids for energy, conserving carb stores and delaying fatigue.”
All of these things mean that you might be able to increase your endurance or intensity, which leads to greater training gains. I often find the biggest gain is the little mental boost I get from running a bit farther or nailing a faster past.
Side Effects of Pre-Workout Supplements
For those who are sensitive to caffeine (myself included) definitely start out with a smaller dose. I never use a full dose and that’s partially because I don’t drink any caffeine on a regular basis, so it takes just a little for me to get the effects.
You MUST test out how it makes you feel before you head out for a big workout.
- Can cause your digestion to get moving (aka runner’s trots)
- Can cause your heart beat to increase, feeling jitters or overly anxious as your pumping it through your body faster due to running.
- Many energy drinks have a ton of sugar, which we know will cause other issues
- Used to push your workout too far is going to lead to exhaustion
While the herbal supplements have less of the digestive impact of coffee, it’s still important to test out how it will effect your need for a bathroom! (Here are a few caffeine free energy boosters while we are at it…)
Can You Use Pre-Workout Supplements All the Time?
Here’s where I think a lot of people fall down on the job. They see it’s good and start using the same amount of the same thing before every single workout and as noted above, they stop seeing results because they body will adapt.
I choose not to use it before every workout.
Why? I don’t want to get accustomed to the effects (i.e. the friend who now needs 3 cups of coffee instead of one) and I want to be sure I know how the run feels without any boost.
I think it’s really important to be in tune with your body. That added energy boost can allow you to get over the hump without realizing that you might actually be pushing too far.
If I’ve been running all week without any kind of energy boost and then I add a partial serving before my long run, it gives me just enough to help make it farther…but not so much that I am allowing myself to over do it.
Pushing too hard in any run is going to hinder your other workouts.
I’ve settled in to only using it once per week prior to my long runs.
I like the extra boost it gives me to put in a few more miles!
David on the other hand is loving it prior to every mountain bike ride because he definitely notices a difference in having the stamina to climb. Again, he also doesn’t drink coffee during the week, but probably has a pretty steady Mountain Dew a day diet, so he doesn’t get any weird side effects from suddenly upping the energy.
When to take a pre-workout?
In general, it’s stated that within about 10 minutes you’ll start to get the benefits of a pre-workout and most are going to peak around 45 minutes. Now, this depends on how quickly you metabolize caffeine.
How long does pre-workout last? Roughly the same as drinking coffee or taking any caffeine, it can stay in circulating in your body for up to 6 hours. That’s why it’s recommended you cut it off in the afternoon to ensure it doesn’t interfere with sleep.
Do you use a pre-run supplement?
Am I the only non-coffee drinking runner?!
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RFC says
This is an interesting topic and one I’m frequently asked about, as I work in gyms that readily sell pre-workouts. I personally am a fan of SOME sort of caffeine in the morning. But I encourage my running clients to steer clear of some of the hard-core preworkouts designed for a boost prior to a strength training workout in the gym. I find many of those can really crank your heart rate up (especially those with a lot of niacin that cause vasodilation), and it just seems very unsafe to START a run with your heart rate already significantly elevated, especially in certain populations and those already prone to any sort of negative cardiac related events. Plus if you’re going to do any sort of heart rate specific training? Forget about it, a pre workout will throw those numbers off from the start.
That’s where it is very important for people to see how their body reacts to these types of things. All of that said, I really do like Celsius! The mandarin orange was my go-to at my last gym before every 5:30 am client, haha!
RFC says
P.S….I don’t drink coffee. I think it tastes like dirt, and do not understand how people love it! If ever there was a point of serious contention in my relationship with Geoff, it’s over my distaste for coffee. He thinks there is something wrong with me, LMAO!
Danielle @ Wild Coast Tales says
Thanks for being a guinea pig to test this out! I am indeed a coffee drinker and always drink a cup of coffee in the morning before my workout… but I also just really love the taste (so it’s more the enjoyment factor than pre-workout boost). I’ve never tried not drinking coffee beforehand, so I’m no too sure how it would impact my run!
Jenn says
Great post. Running has never been easy for me, so perhaps I need to look into trying some of these out. Though, eating or drinking anything within 2 hours of my run usually gives me instant cramps. I’ll have to experiment!
And interesting about the Rhodiola and altitude sickness – I could have used that tip prior to my Breckenridge trip last month!
Eri @ Aloha Mama Runner says
I’ve never tried a pre-workout supplement before but I have heard about coffee… I just thought these people needed this coffee to “wake themselves up” on the early race mornings, not really as a supplement. ha! I am not a coffee drinker but perhaps I could give it a try with a little teeny bit of coffee and see how that helps. Too much caffeine definitely makes my heart pound super fast (that’s why I don’t drink coffee) or strong tea. I usually have my cup of tea at work but I make sure to not brew it too long.
Maybe it’s time to start experimenting that works for me…. scary!
Sonali- The Foodie Physician says
Interesting post! I’m actually a big coffee drinker and have to have it in the morning to get my day going. It’s good to know that it can be beneficial before work outs as well!
Laura @ This Runner's Recipes says
I’ve heard about the benefits of coffee for runners, but I drink my daily because I like the flavor and the boost so I’m unsure of how much it actually impacts my running since my body is so adapted to it. I’m one of those two cups a day people, good or bad!
Emily says
I love all of this research and love that you tried it out yourself as well. I know whether I work out in the morning or not, I still need my cup of coffee, but I don’t see much of a difference (maybe I’m too tired to notice!).
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
Non-coffee drinker here! I’m a big herbal tea drinker, caffeine sensitive so I usually avoid black tea, but I have been incorporating some green tea earlier in the day, and it does seem to help clarity. Unfortunately, I usually run to late in the day (5pm) to have caffeine, but could see reaching for this drink before a morning hike!
Megan says
I loooove coffee before a workout! I think I’ve started to become immune to its benefits though (is tolerance to coffee possible? haha) because I really don’t feel any different if I do or don’t drink it. I’m just so used to having coffee in the mornings that starting a run without it feels weird.
amanda says
totally possible to become used to the caffeine effects! it’s part of why I like using this only before long runs! I think that coffee is a huge routine for people too, which can be great!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
Thanks for being a guinea pig for us! I like a cup of coffee before a long run. It does seem to clear my mind.
Liv @ Healthy Liv says
Really interesting post, Amanda! I’m a non-coffee drinking runner, too. I love the taste, especially with a splash of almond milk and little bit of sugar, but don’t want to get addicted to it or become dependent on it for energy, so I rarely ever drink it. Since I’ve never had coffee before a workout, now you’ve got me wondering if it’d give me an energy boost! But I think I’d share your view that it’s nice to know what an “unboosted” run feels like!
Alicia @Bridges Through Life says
I don’t drink coffee and find that too much caffeine makes me really shaky. Basically my anxiety plus caffeine is a bad idea. I also don’t want to have the addiction or extra expense for a drink. However, I have tried Spark from Advocare and I have noticed if I drink a glass before my long swim that it definitely helps me push through. I aim to swim once a week, usually swimming for an hour, so having a pre workout drink once a week has its benefits for me.
larissa says
I think caffeine has such horrible effects on me that it scares me away from trying any pre work out supplements. It definitely makes a lot of sense why our bodies get so jittery. Maybe if I find the proper dosage I’ll try it out. Thanks so much for share!
Craig says
Great article! Lots of good info here. I have found that when I work out in the morning I have to skip the coffee that day. I can’t do both. Also, whenever I take a pre workout supplement that contains beta alanine my face tingles something fierce! Does anyone else have this problem?
Joy Kenton says
Yes, it’s a normal side effect of beta-alanine but tends to go away with sustained use.