What kind of foods are the best sources of energy for a runner that also allows you to run with the least food-related discomfort?

This is my own carefully-phrased question because my biggest problem is not the energy portion, it is the running comfortably portion.

My next couple entries are going to be about nutrition from a runner's perspective. I am not a nutritionist, but I do know a fair amount about what a runner should be putting into their body based on my own positive and negative experiences. What works for me might not work for you, but it will at least give you a frame of reference and something to think about.

Ever since I started running about 9 years ago, food and I have had a love/hate relationship. I love it going in, and the energy I receive from it, but I hate the way some foods can affect me in the middle of a run. I have learned that I have to avoid some very healthy foods, especially before a big workout or race, because my body does not handle them well. Foods like: apples, lettuce, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and anything high in fiber is on the *do not eat* list for me the day before a fast-paced workout or race. I still love to eat the foods that I listed, I just make sure that I do it in moderation and not before a race. This might be something to consider the day before the Run for Hungry Children. Fiber is good most of the time, but you might want to lay off the bowl full of raw broccoli on May 14 and have a light pasta meal instead!