Should I eat before or after a morning run?

The morning run fueling question depends on what session you're doing. For easy Zone 2 runs of 30-60 minutes, running fasted is fine for most runners and may even enhance your body's ability to use fat as fuel — a valuable adaptation for marathon and ultra distances. Water or black coffee is enough; you'll run slightly slower than fed, but that's the point of easy runs. For hard morning sessions (intervals, tempo, long runs over 90 minutes), eat 30-50g of easily digestible carbs 30-60 minutes before starting. Options: banana, toast with honey, 2-3 dates, rice cake with jam, a small bowl of oatmeal, or a sports drink. Protein and fat should be minimal pre-run — they digest slowly and cause GI issues during running. Longer window (2-3 hours) allows a real meal: oatmeal with fruit and honey, toast with peanut butter and banana, idli with sugar and milk. Post-run, always eat within 30-60 minutes, especially after hard sessions: 3:1 or 4:1 carbs to protein, 300-500 calories. Chocolate milk is the classic recovery drink; a bowl of rice with dal or chicken works just as well. Morning runners in hot climates should also pre-hydrate with 400-600 ml of water plus a pinch of salt 30 minutes before heading out.