Running 7 miles?

Question

I am 14 years old and I am going to run 7 miles tomoworrow and I have only eaten about 1,200 calories today. Is this enough to be able to support me to run 7 miles tomorrow or should I eat something else today?

What all should I eat the night before I run that far? Is 7 miles far enough that I should be eating more calories?

Answer 1

seven miles is a lot of running.

a good estimate for calorie burning is about 100 calories per mile that you run. so if you run seven miles,you're going to burn about 700 calories.

if you're 14,that means that you're still growing.and it takes calories to grow.if you run all those miles and then don't eat anything else,you're going to slowly starve to death.no joke.

to me,it sounds like you might have an eating disorder,because 1200 calories is extremely low.i'm not just saying it,you should probably talk to a doctor about your running

Answer 2

Well, your basically answering your own questions!! =) If you are losing a lot of weight, then your not eating enough! When you are a runner, especailly a runner who runs 4 + miles a day, you need to eat and you need to eat a lot! That doesn't mean you should eat a bag of chips and a doughnut for breakfest everyday! Just makes sure you choices are healthy. Stay away from deep fried foods and junk food in general because they slow you down. Make sure you drink plenty of water! You should always be hydrated and your pee should be clear enough that when you look in the toilet it doesnt look like you even went. (Sorry for the grossness lol) To wrap things up - always eat when your hungry and always make healthy choices. Good Luck and keep running!

Answer 3

Lyndi, I think you should eat more calories everyday -- not just the day before your long run.  You've posted that your weigh only 100 lbs (that's very thin).  You're still growing, you need lots of energy to support your running and your body's growth.

I think you worry too much about counting calories.  Running will make you fit and feeling great.  Starving yourself is very harmful.  Be careful.

Answer 4

It's a strange question from someone who claims to know a lot about nutrition & fitness.  But the fact is, you haven't told us what your normal eating habits are, nor what your body weight and height are, so any specific  recommendation would be purely conjecture.

Personally, I'd be eating more than 1200 the day before I run 7 miles.  Remember, you gotta eat in order to run, no matter what the diet/exercise fanatics tell you.

Good Luck