5 Tips for Choosing a Pre-Race Meal

Nervous stomachs, adventurous types, and superstitious foodies are all welcome here! See how you can find comfort in your pre-race meal and feel ready to go on race day.

It's the night before your race, yay! Fueling up for the big day can feel intimidating. You want to feel great on the start line, but you don't want to eat too much or too little or the wrong thing or....hold up. I promise it will be ok. Use the tips below to help guide you through your pre-race meal.

Tip #1 - Don't get too caught up in perfection too early

It's easy to have a race on the calendar and go into perfection mode way too early. When we overthink our food it's easy to not eat enough because we're imagining what it will feel like in our stomach during the race. Keep things normal up until the day before if possible so that your body knows exactly what's going on. If you are traveling to your race, bring familiar snacks or go to the grocery store and buy a few familiar things when you arrive to keep yourself in "normal mode".

Tip #2 - Be adventurous...just not the day before your big race

Hard training runs and smaller races leading up to your big race are the perfect time to test things out. These are the best times to take some risks and see what feels the best. For example, maybe you typically eat a big breakfast before your race, but don't feel the best. You might try eating a larger night snack and a smaller breakfast the day of the race. Or maybe you've always wanted to try beet juice, but it makes you nervous to drink that much liquid before you run. We've all heard the saying "Don't try anything new on race day", but if the race is just prep leading up to the big day then don't be afraid to take some risks to see what works. So practice, practice, practice! Then when the big day comes, use all that knowledge that you gained to have a plan that you've tested and feel confident about.

"Don't try anything new on race day." – Every runner ever

Tip #3 - What works for someone else, might not work for you

Just because someone is fast doesn't mean you should imitate them. Everyone is different! Your fast buddy might be able to eat a big bowl of oatmeal before a race, but this might send you straight to the port-o-potty. Or you might need smaller, more consistent meals leading up to your race because you get nervous and can't stomach a lot at one time. Only you know what makes you feel best. Remember to practice your strategy ahead of time so you can figure out what works best for you!

Tip #4 - Carbs are key.

No matter who you are, there is one thing you can be sure of, carbs. Carbohydrates are our body's source of energy. Since races are usually higher intensity or a longer distance than our training, we need extra carbs to get the job done. When plotting out your pre-race meal, make sure that you'll be able to have a good source of carbohydrates. In fact, half of your plate (or bowl) should be carbs in order to set yourself up for success. These can be bread, pasta, potatoes, corn, bagels, english muffins, the options are endless! But remember to watch out for fiber. Fiber is great for our health, but too much fiber for a race can be hard on your stomach. Try to shoot for options lower in fiber, like white rice or pasta, to minimize any stomach distress.

Tip #5 - Pay attention to the clock

How much time you have will dictate what you eat and how much. When planning out your pre-race meal, try to have a full meal around 2-3 hours out from the event. If you want an added boost of carbohydrates or are running low on time, look for options that are almost all carbohydrates. This can be a packet of fruit snacks, sipping on sports drink, applesauce, toast, anything that can be easily digested to give you immediate energy.

Are you ready to race?

Use these tips to give yourself peace of mind about nutrition when you hop on the start line. Need a little bit more guidance? When you book a session with me, we go over all of the nitty gritty of training and race day nutrition and personalize it to you! Click Here to be sent to my services page!