The Halfdayer

Q: Do you have any pre- and post-run food recommendations?

Ali: When you’re running for longer periods of time and changing pace constantly, your body needs a source of energy to pull from quickly.That’s why it’s important to get a little something in your stomach before running. For me, it’s a bowl of cereal or granola with some almond butter, or toast with peanut butter. I’ve found that overtime my body has adjusted to the amount of food it can handle pre-run, but some of my friends struggle to stomach bigger portions before running. If you're in the same boat, try something easily digestible like a banana or granola bar. You can even experiment with mid-run fueling with energy gels made for endurance activities. Everyone loves a snack break. 

What you eat afterwards is even more important- replenishment is the key to recovery. It doesn’t need to be complicated, but it should have a good mix of all the macronutrients- fat, carbs, and protein. I’d say my usual cravings are pancakes and eggs, breakfast burritos, or protein smoothies with granola.

Q: For those of us without much trail running experience, what’s your best tip for handling terrain that’s so much different from a treadmill or paved path? 

Ali: I’d say it’s a lot like skiing trees- keep your head up so you can always plan your next move, and don’t shy away from the fun of the obstacles. When you’re taking on more technical trails, you’re bound to trip yourself up a little bit, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t feel all that graceful at first. Shoes with good grip are super helpful. 

Q: Can you expand on the gear requirements a little bit? What’s the best thing to wear? 

Ali: The coolest thing about getting into running is that it has such a low entry cost. For shoes, I sometimes just run in my regular street running shoes, which is totally fine for beginners! 

For people who get into more advanced stuff or run mostly on dirt, true trail shoes are really valuable. They usually have more stability and extra traction for mud and rocks. Almost all typical running shoe brands offer some sort of trail shoe, and other brands specialize a little more heavily like Merrell, Salomon, and Altra. As for clothes, I can’t tell you guys how much I’ve loved your spring line. I got the nylon shorts and windbreaker and they are PERFECT for breezy spring days and early summer morning runs. It’s tough to find the perfect not-too-hot-but-not-too-cold running clothes and Halfdays totally nailed it.