When to Have Your Morning Coffee? – A Guide for Female Endurance Athletes
Coffee. For many of us, it's the highlight of the morning. The smell alone feels like it wakes you up before the first sip. But if you're a female endurance athlete - training for a triathlon, chasing a marathon PB, or simply fitting in your morning run before the kids wake up - the timing of that coffee can actually make a big difference to your training, recovery, and even your hormone health.
Today, I want to break down when you should have your morning coffee to get the best out of your training and your day - without sabotaging your performance or your sleep.
Why Coffee Timing Matters for Athletes
Coffee isn’t just a “wake-up drink” - it’s a powerful performance enhancer. Caffeine has been shown to:
Improve endurance
Increase alertness and reaction time
Reduce perceived effort during training
Mobilise stored fat for fuel (while sparing glycogen)
But the magic is in the timing. Too early and you might miss the optimal performance boost. Too late and you could disrupt your sleep or spike your stress hormones.
For women - especially those balancing intense training with work, family, and busy lives - getting this right matters even more. That’s because our hormonal cycle, cortisol patterns, and gut health all play into how caffeine affects us.
Caffeine and Cortisol – The Morning Curve
When you wake up, your body releases a natural spike of cortisol - a hormone that helps you feel alert and ready for the day. This “cortisol awakening response” typically peaks 30–45 minutes after waking.
If you slam back a double espresso the second you open your eyes, you’re doubling up on stimulation - and over time, this can leave you feeling more tired later in the day.
The sweet spot?
For most athletes, waiting 45–90 minutes after waking before having your coffee is ideal. This lets your natural cortisol peak do its job, and then caffeine comes in to extend that alertness without overstimulation.
Coffee and Your Training Schedule
1. Morning Training Before Breakfast
If you train early - especially before breakfast - caffeine can give you a noticeable performance boost.
Here’s what I recommend:
Wake up
Have a glass of water
Have a small carb snack (banana, toast with honey, or half an energy bar)
Then have your coffee 20–40 minutes before starting your session
Why this matters:
You’re fuelling your muscles (no fasted training for female athletes here!)
You’re giving caffeine time to peak in your bloodstream during your session
You’re not hitting your gut with caffeine on a completely empty stomach
2. Morning Training After Breakfast
If your session is mid-morning after a proper breakfast:
Eat first
Time your coffee 30–60 minutes before your workout
This works especially well for Zone 2 endurance rides or long runs, where caffeine can help you maintain focus without going too hard too soon.
3. Afternoon or Evening Training
If you train later in the day, caffeine timing becomes more about protecting your sleep:
Cut off caffeine at least 6–8 hours before bedtime
For most people, this means no coffee after 2 pm
Sleep is your number one recovery tool. Even if you think caffeine doesn’t affect you, research shows it can reduce deep sleep quality without you realising it.
How Much Coffee Is Too Much?
The sweet spot for performance is 3–6 mg of caffeine per kg of bodyweight. For a 65 kg athlete, that’s roughly 200–400 mg caffeine - or about 2–3 small cups of coffee.
But remember:
More isn’t always better - overdoing it can cause jitters, anxiety, and GI issues.
If you’re already feeling stressed or underslept, go for the lower end.
Female-Specific Considerations
Hormonal Cycle
Your response to caffeine can change throughout your cycle:
Follicular phase (day 1–14): Often more tolerant to caffeine, good time for stronger doses.
Luteal phase (day 15–28): More sensitive to caffeine - too much can increase PMS anxiety or disrupt sleep.
Gut Sensitivity
If you’ve ever had a coffee before a run and regretted it mid-session, you’re not alone.
Try a low-acid coffee
Pair your coffee with food rather than drinking it solo
Test your coffee timing during training, not on race day
Coffee and Race Day Strategy
On race day, caffeine can be part of your fuelling plan:
Have your morning coffee 60–90 minutes before the start
Top up mid-race with caffeinated gels or chews if racing longer than 90 minutes
Avoid experimenting - practise your caffeine timing in training
Best Practices for Morning Coffee Timing
Wait 45–90 minutes after waking before your first cup
Have a glass of water first. Then pair coffee with a light carb snack before training
Avoid caffeine after 2 pm to protect sleep
Adjust dose for your bodyweight and phase of your cycle
Practise your race-day caffeine plan in training
The Takeaway
Your morning coffee is more than just a comforting ritual - it’s a training tool. For female endurance athletes, getting the timing right means you can:
Maximise energy for your sessions
Protect your hormone health
Avoid sleep disruption
Support recovery
Bottom line - delay your first cup slightly, fuel before training, and plan caffeine strategically around your workouts and races. Your body (and your performance) will thank you.
Ready to Train Smarter, Recover Better & Perform Stronger?
At Pretty Strong Coaching, we help busy women like you fuel properly, train with purpose, and recover like pros - even with a hectic schedule. Whether you’re chasing your first half-marathon or training for your next triathlon, we’ve got you covered.
Want personalised support from a coach who understands endurance, hormones, and real life? Let’s chat and build a plan that works for you.
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