If you’re into exercise, then you’re probably familiar with pre-workout.
These are a type of supplement that is intended to boost your performance during exercise, and they are packed with ingredients such as creatine and caffeine to give you the energy you need for tough exercise.
But if you’re a runner, you might be wondering if taking pre-workout is the right choice for you.
So let’s take a look at whether or not pre-workout is good for running – in this article, we’ll take you through the advantages and disadvantages to cover everything you need to know!
So let’s get started, shall we?
Should You Take Pre-Workout Before A Run?
First things first – does taking pre-workout before running actually have any benefits? Well, yes – it does!
Pre-workout is designed to give you a boost during exercise. While taking pre-workout is generally associated with working out at the gym (especially for intense anaerobic exercises like lifting weights), it can also be used to improve your performance in aerobic activities – this includes running.
As mentioned above, the two main ingredients of a pre-workout are caffeine and creatine. These can both be useful for giving you energy during a long run and helping you power through longer distances.
Creatine is an amino acid that occurs naturally in your muscles, and helps provide energy to your cells.
The extra creatine in pre-workout accelerates this process and saturates the creating supplies in your muscles; this gives you a lasting energy boost that keeps your muscles going through intense exercise and prevents you from tiring out quickly.
Caffeine, meanwhile, is a stimulant that works alongside creatine. It helps improve your physical performance as well as your mental state, boosting your focus and alertness.
This, combined with creatine and the other ingredients in pre-workout, are great for your strength and stamina – essentially, it keeps you going harder for longer!
What Benefits Does Taking Pre-Workout Have For Running?
Okay, so we’ve covered the basics – now let’s take a look at some of the benefits pre-workout can give you during a run.
The biggest advantage of taking a pre-workout for running is the increased energy and stamina it provides. While this is typically used for intense exercises like weight lifting and squats, it has the same effect on your body while running.
By giving your muscles a boost, pre-workout can help you run farther and for longer. This increased speed and stamina is a great benefit for runners, especially if you’re on a long run where it will keep you going strong.
Another benefit of pre-workout is improved focus. If you’re a keen runner, you’re probably all-too-familiar with the mental fatigue that sets in after a while.
This can make it hard to focus on your surroundings and your destination, and is a common reason why you might stop before you reach your goal.
The caffeine in pre-workout can help counteract this, letting you keep your focus and determination throughout your entire run.
This isn’t just helpful during your run, however; pre-workout can help get you into the proper mindset before your run, too!
If you’re struggling with the motivation to get yourself out of bed and into your running clothes, pre-workout can give you just the boost you need to start running.
Physical fatigue isn’t the only issue pre-workout helps with. It can also reduce your perception of pain, limiting the amount of aches and pains you feel in your muscles during a run.
Finally, pre-workout can also increase your ability to burn fat while you run, making it a great tool for helping you lose weight!
Are There Any Disadvantages To Taking Pre-Workout Before Running?
But while there are many advantages to using pre-workout before a run, it’s also important to consider the cons as well. There are several downsides to using pre-workout, and these can be even more significant if you’re using it for running.
Taking pre-workout can cause several physical side effects that can be harmful to your health if you aren’t careful. These include issues such as an increased heart rate, jittery muscles, problems with digestion, and nausea.
While these are unpleasant enough on their own, they can be even worse if you’re dealing with them on a long run.
Pre-workout can also cause insomnia, mostly due to the large amount of caffeine it contains. On top of making you tired before you start running, poor sleep affects your ability to focus on your surroundings and can lead to more serious problems.
Another issue with pre-workout is that it is a stimulant. While this can be helpful for giving you short boosts of energy, it’s less effective over extended periods of exercise and can leave you feeling burned out after it wears off.
Because running is a long-lasting exercise that uses energy continuously for extended periods of time, you need to be careful when taking pre-workout in order to avoid getting burnout halfway through your run.
Pre-workout can also have diminishing returns if you take it too often. If your body gets acclimatized to its effects, you’ll get fewer benefits while still dealing with the side effects.
If you aren’t getting the same boost that you used to, it’s a good idea to give your body a break and run without taking pre-workout beforehand.
As a result, you should only take pre-workout before a run if you’re planning on taking a long run and need the extra boost.
Final Thoughts
Taking pre-workout before running has its advantages and disadvantages. While it can be used to give you a boost of energy during your run, it’s important to consider the possible negative side effects of using pre-workout for aerobic exercises such as running.
Additionally, it’s important not to rely on stimulants while you run, as running is an extended form of exercise that often lasts longer than the effects of pre-workout.
Overall, you should always use your best judgment if you’re using pre-workout before a run. At the end of the day, the most important thing is making sure you stay happy and healthy – so if you’re using pre-workout for running, don’t go overboard!
