Nursekath,

What I've read and kind of been practicing regarding eating is this, 'You should neither be famished nor stuffed when you head out for a run.  A good rule of thumb for beginners is to drink a cup of water and eat a light high-carbohydrate meal or snack half an hour to an hour before running.  Rich and high-fiber foods often cause stomach distress, especially for beginners, so stay away from any significant intake of fats, protein, salad, and fruit (bananas are an exception - they're easy on the stomach for most people).  Mornings are less problematic, since you'll wake with an empty stomach.  Grab some toast, a bagel, or a banana and coffee if you like and give yourself a little bit of time before running... be sure to wait two to three hours after you've eated a large lunch or one that contains rich or fibrous items, or you might wind up with uncomfortable bloating, By the way, many runners will attest to the fact that as you progress and get used to running, your stomach will most likely become less sensitive to what and when you eat.' (Runner's World-Complete Book of Women's Running)

Water is your best friend, remember to stay hydrated throughout the day!

I think a light meal as described an hour or 2 before a run is optimal.  I run first thing in the AM, however, and don't have time for it.  I don't find myself more fatigued than my weekend runs when I DO eat first though...  That being said I try to eat a lot of LOW glycemic carbs for dinner.  Pre-run meal is coffee and water.  If it is a race day about 2 hours before I like a slice of peanut butter on whole grain bread toast and a banana.  I'll usually drink 32 OZ of Gatorade too just to make sure I don't lose any weight from the race! ha.

I don't eat if I run first thing in the morning.  Normal breakfast is coffee, 1 pb toast, and a fruit medley, if I'm running in 1 to 2 hours.

Oh man, after reading what everyone else eats I am a little embarrassed. I eat 1.5 servings of quaker oats oatmeal with bananas and coffee about an hour and a half before I go running and when I return I eat another 1.5 servings and a carnation instant breakfast. At that point I am ready to begin my day!