Food As Fuel. Who Knew?

My swim workout description today from Coach Mary started with "Eat before you go.  I command you."  Hmm.  I never eat before an early morning workout.  It's a downfall I know but I need to be up at least a half hour before I feel like I can eat anything and even then it's only because I know how important breakfast is.  The mornings that I have a workout generally see me hit the alarm, roll out bed and into whatever clothes are appropriate for the workout, commence workout.  That being said I sometimes feel like I've run out of gas during said workout.  This is especially true for swim workouts.

Evidently my desire to please my coach outweighs my distaste for eating so soon after getting up because I choked down a slice of toast with peanut butter today before heading out the door to swim.  Today was an 1800 metre swim that included 4X50 builds, 4x100 builds, 4X50 kick with fins (LOVE my fins), and other.  I have to admit that one piece of toast might have made a difference.  I was by no means super swimmer today but I did get through the workout without a grumbling stomach and feeling like I had more gas than usual. 

I'm working my way through "Nutrition for Endurance Athletes" in an attempt to learn more about what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat.  This nutrition thing has definately been a mystery to me and I certainly don't want to compromise all of this training I'm doing by not fueling or refueling as the case may be, properly.

Luckily, until I get it together for myself, I have a coach that's on the ball enough after training me for only seven weeks to start my workout description with, "Eat before you go.  I command you."  :-)