PRE-RUN & POST-RUN HABITS THAT WORK FOR ME

Published: 22/10/2025, By: Tommy Trees

With a marathon personal best of 2:29 and a successful run coaching business under his belt, Tommy Trees knows exactly what works for him before and after a run. Over the years, he’s fine-tuned his pre- and post-race routines – from nutrition to gear and everything in between. In this piece, our running ambassador shares the strategies that keep him performing at his best.

Over the years, I’ve developed pre and post run habits that have kept me healthy, energised, and consistently performing at my best. While everyone’s body responds differently, these routines are what work for me and form the foundation of my training philosophy.

BEFORE THE RUN…

When it comes to fuelling, I like to keep things simple and familiar. For most of my runs, my go to pre run snack is a bagel with a thin layer of jam. It’s easy to digest, packed with carbs and it doesn’t sit heavy in my stomach. If I’m heading out for something longer or more intense, I’ll lean towards something with a bit more substance. Usually, a small portion of rice with some chicken. That balance of carbs and protein works really well for me, especially when I know I’ll be on my feet for a while.

The timing depends on the session. If it’s an easy morning run, I’ll eat 30 to 45 minutes beforehand, but for longer efforts or speed workouts, I try to fuel up about 2-3 hours in advance so I’m not running on a full stomach. The goal is to fuel without feeling heavy. Sticking with foods I know avoids stomach issues and keeps energy levels steady for the duration of the run.

Hydration is one of those things that makes a massive difference, but it’s easy to overlook. A good rule for me is a couple of glasses of water in the hour or two before a run. Morning runs are always a bit trickier because you’re starting the day already slightly dehydrated. In that case, I’ll usually have a small glass of water as soon as I wake up alongside a coffee. Just enough to wake me up and get things moving. Evening runs are easier since I’ve had all day to top up. The balance is in feeling hydrated, not heavy.

In terms of kit, I try to keep things simple but consistent. For easy running I’m really enjoying the ASICS shoe range at the moment, super comfortable and supportive. When it comes to faster work, Adidas shoes are my current favourite. Their shoes feel light and responsive, which gives me that extra edge in sessions.

Tech wise, I’ll always take a GPS watch and a heart rate monitor with me on every run. It means I can monitor my pace and effort, track my training properly, and of course upload everything to Strava afterwards.

A few minutes of movement before running makes all the difference in how my body feels once I get going. Now the length of warm up I do for a run really depends on the intensity of the session I’m about to undertake. The faster the speeds I plan to go in the session, the more warming up I tend to do. If you’re someone who goes straight out the door into a hard effort, you’re massively increasing your chances of injury.

My go to is a short dynamic warm up: things like leg swings, high knees, heel flicks and walking lunges to really wake up the muscles. If I’m about to do intervals I will always finish with a few strides as well.

AFTER THE RUN…

To cool down is top of the agenda after a run. How I approach it really depends on the type of run I’ve just done. For an easy or long run, I usually just slow down towards the end, letting my heart rate gradually come down as I finish.

For harder sessions, like interval workouts, I dedicate 15 minutes after the run specifically to cooldown. I will always start with 10 minutes of very slow jogging, followed by five minutes of gentle stretching for the hamstrings, quads, calves, and hips. When I get home, I’ll then jump on the foam roller for a few minutes.

Refuelling properly after a run is just as important as what I eat beforehand. I try to get something within 30 to 60 minutes of finishing, even if it’s just a quick snack. The aim is always the same: replace the carbs I’ve burned and get some protein in to help the muscles recover.

If I’m short on time, chocolate milk is my go-to. On days when I’ve got more time, I’ll sit down to something a bit more substantial like eggs on rice. As you can tell, I’m a big fan of rice. I have the rice cooker on all day!

I keep my post run rehydration simple. The first thing I do is grab some water as soon as I’m back. For shorter, easier runs, plain water does the job. If it’s been a longer effort or a really sweaty session, I’ll go for an electrolyte drink to replace the minerals I’ve lost as well as the fluid.

To track progress, I use my GPS watch and heart rate monitor not just during the run but also to review afterwards. Being able to look back at pace, distance and heart rate helps me understand where I’m at in training.

Uploading to Strava is part of my ritual too. It’s motivating to see the progress build week by week and it adds a nice sense of community. That said, I make sure the data serves me, not the other way round. It’s a tool to keep me accountable, not something to obsess over.