Best Energy Coffee for Runners

I am not a morning person to say the least, and my morning runs always seem to start off sluggish because it takes me forever to wake up. That’s why I depend so much on coffee to get me juiced and alert, so I can get the most out of my training session –besides, most road races are in the morning, so I need to be more adept at running in the a.m, this is why I made a list of energy coffee for runners.

Coffee for Runners
I never start a run without getting my coffee fix. One of the reasons I love coffee so much is that it gets me cranked for running, but I also discovered a multitude of health benefits of coffee too, which I share in this post.

Energy Coffee for Runners

I am an energy junkie, that’s why I love trying new coffees to find the one that gives me the biggest perk. But, I don’t want to run on junkie fuel, I need high quality, high-octane coffee. What I love most about caffeine is that it makes running seem more effortless for me, it that it helps run longer and harder. And, research has found that drinking two cups of coffee (caffeinated or decaff) adds years to your life by protecting your chromosomes! How incredible is that?

You can also use coffee to scrub away pain and inflammation on your legs. According to Anthony Youn, M.D., author of The Age Fix, mixing together 1/2 cup coffee grounds (used or fresh) and 1 cup of coconut oil and gently scrub it onto the affected area, will help dilate blood vessels, so it improves circulation of healing proteins.

So, here are my favorite energy coffees for running that you gotta try!

Bulletproof Whole Bean Coffee – A great way to end tiredness and brain fog is with a cup of Bulletproof Whole Bean Coffee because it is rich in anti-oxidants. It really does help you shift gears without leaving you feel anxious and jittery. It’s a nice clean smooth arabica coffee with added pastured butter that actually helps you loose weight. It will give you ample energy both physical and mental and it tastes very smooth and mellow.

Death Wish Ground Coffee – This coffee is very strong and smooth, and doesn’t taste burnt.  1 cup is enough to give you long-lasting energy all day.  It makes a great espresso, too. Oh, and it really lives up to its name. You’ll want to tackle the ultra-marathon, rather than a marathon on this juice.

Coconut Oil Coffee – Coconut oil is full of nutrients, many of which can help burn belly fat and it also contains medium chain fatty acids which improves liver function.

VitaPerk – Spike your coffee with VitaPerk which is full of vitamins and minerals that bumps up your coffee to a whole new level to give you more energy, more mental clarity and is gluten-free. It’s a convenient way to send your energy soaring.

Tim Hortons Arabica Medium Roast – Considered one of the best coffees in the western market, Tim Hortons coffee is Canada’s most popular coffee and is highly reviewed and favored by our American neighbors. Very smooth, bold, rich and distinct flavor and is preferred over Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks by a long shot. It’s addicting, I swear they put crack in it or something! Ha, it’s that good, just check out the reviews on Amazon.

Chock Full o’ Nuts Coffee – Fend of morning fatigue with this delicious brew that’s bold, but not bitter and gives you a high, steady energy level for the day.

DIY Bulletproof Coffee – Bulletproof coffee incorporates healthy fats, so you not only get an instant perk, but you have more reserves of sustainable energy.

Wake up America – This coffee is made of green organic coffee beans that is shade-grown in the Chiapas of Mexico, then they are custom-roasted to rev their natural flavor and richness. Just read the reviews on this stuff. It works better than pills!

Peanut Butter Coffee – Quell hunger with this peanut butter coffee recipe. Great for if you are running a marathon and you want something more hardy and filling.

Dark Roasted, Arabica Coffee – This soft, rich coffee has a clean smooth flavor. It’s not that acidic or bitter, you’ll be hooked after one cup.

Immune Support Blend Organic Coffee – This coffee is of shade-grown arabica beans and the coffee is infused with organic mushroom extract to help boost immune function. It tastes smooth and sharpens your focus for hours, and you can drink it black too, that’s how delicious it is.

Grass-Fed Butter, Coconut Oil – Great for the long runs because it gives you tons of long-lasting energy and it will help you keep the gut-fat off, too!

Valhalla Java Coffee – You need to be very warrior for this coffee because the energy from the caffeine rush is super strong, which is why I love it so much. It is great tasting and will give you energy for at least 8 hours.

Irish Vegan Coffee – This is great to not only perk you up, but warms your body perfectly during the winter. I love that its vegan, so it requires no milk, but still retains a nice, smooth texture.

Caribou Coffee – This coffee is great tasting, even better than most popular brands; it’s not too bitter, but more smooth tasting, and it’s a great upper that tastes and works better than the Starbucks stuff.

Cacao Coconut Oil Coffee  – Here again, we have another great-tasting coffee with coconut oil and in addition to making run you faster, it helps make your gut flatter, too!

Banned Coffee – This is a medium-dark roast coffee that blasts you full of caffeine because it contains 4 times as much caffeine as the normal stuff. You’ll not only enjoy the taste, but the extra, extra energization that it gives.

Shock Coffee – This tastes stronger than the average coffee, but it’s not over-bearing. What I love the most about it is its instant jolt and I really like that it doesn’t give you the jitters or heart palpitations either.

Make Your Coffee Iced

For the summer, I much prefer waking up to iced coffee as part of my pre-run fuel routine.  Below is how I learned to make the best iced coffee which allows for huge taste and energy amplification. It really makes your coffee weaponized for running and will make you bounce off the walls. And to keep your iced coffee going strong, add coffee ice cubes to it.

The Unlimited Health Benefits of Coffee

I hope these coffee suggestions will help you tackle any fatigue that you may have, but one important question to ask is how much coffee is too much? There appears to be more pro’s than con’s if you drink too much coffee, and you’ll appreciate this study on the matter! But, you would think that drinking too much caffeine takes a toll on the heart, eventually leading to hypertension and irregular heartbeats, but these researchers found evidence to the contrary.

It’s also good to know that coffee has protective affects on the liver, especially for those who are regular drinkers. For women, coffee was found to have mega protective effects on the uterus. And although more studies are needed, increased coffee consumption may prevent MS and it may reduce the severity of MS in MS sufferers. Moreover, increased coffee consumption may even reduce the risk of Parkinson’s Disease, too. So drink up!

To add some flavor to your coffee, here are 5 all-natural DIY flavors you can make to give your coffee a nice taste-boost. If you are vegan and you love Starbucks, check out these 10 mouth-watering vegan frappuccinos at Starbucks.

You can also use coffee as a recovery drink. Reflex Nutrition has introduced the world’s first caffeinated protein coffee, so you can nourish your muscles and enjoy a nice perk at the same time! You can create your own energizing post-run recovery drink by spiking your protein smoothie with coffee.

One last point to mention here. There are practices you can do that negatively or positively impacts the energizing effects of coffee. Here are 8 things to help you get the most energy out of your coffee.

More From Run Forefoot:

How to Run Properly

Best Shoes for Foot Strength and Maintenance of Good Running Form

Benefits of Running Without Shoes

Is Heel Strike Running Bad?

Bretta Riches

"I believe the forefoot strike is the engine of endurance running..."

BSc Neurobiology; MSc Biomechanics candidate, ultra minimalist runner & founder of RunForefoot. I was a heel striker, always injured. I was inspired by the great Tirunesh Dibaba to try forefoot running. Now, I'm injury free. This is why I launched Run Forefoot, to advocate the health & performance benefits of forefoot running and to raise awareness on the dangers of heel striking, because the world needs to know.
Bretta Riches

P.S. Don't forget to check out the Run Forefoot Facebook Page, it's a terrific place to ask questions about forefoot running, barefoot running and injury. I'm always happy to help!