Afternoon Race - What to eat

angf0679

I am running my second ever 5k race this weekend. The race is at 3pm on Saturday. I've been looking into what is the best to eat before race day, but it seems all of it assumes your race is in the morning, mine isn't! I'm trying to figure out what is the best to eat the best timing to eat it, especially come Saturday.

One more thing I should say about my Friday schedule. I go straight from work to a kids program I work at my church. I have NO time for supper until I get home from that around 9pm.

My last run is going to be on Thursday. (Friday's schedule simply doesn't allow me time to run.) Should I do sometime of simple workout at home Friday night?

I'd appreciate any helpful tips.

cwolfman13

chill out on Friday. I would just eat as I normally would. Probably a good breakfast of carbs and protein and something early and easy for lunch...I'd probably make a PB&J sandwich and have some fruit. I'd give myself 3 hours or so to have everything digested. If I was legitimately trying to be competitive I'd probably have some kind of pre-race supplement, otherwise I'd just run it and have an orange or something afterwards.

peachyfuzzle

A 5k won't need that much fuel as to where you need to be concerned with your dietary needs for the run considering you're really only going to be burning off a few hundred calories during your race.

Just eat as you normally would, and you should be good to go.

shrinkingletters

Just don't eat anything that'll upset your stomach, and you're good to go.

SuggaD

Its a 5k. Don't carb load...its just too short a race. Eat normally. On Saturday, have your normal breakfast and a light lunch or lunch afterwards.

arian10daddy

And don't eat anything just before the run...
What I would do is have lunch around noon or 1'ish... Then half an hour before the race I'd have a banana and maybe a small cup of cold or room temperature milk. That's it.

glevinso

For a 5k I would be worried about having anything at all in my belly. Ahead of a morning 5k I won't eat anything at all. For an afternoon race I would make sure to not eat anything a good 5 hours ahead of the event. Then again, my goal for a 5k is to run so hard I puke on the finish line. If you are just out there to run for a finish, it likely doesn't matter at all as long as you don't have much in your belly to get jostled around.

angf0679

Just to let you know the race went great! I had a good breakfast and then a candy bar about an hour before (OK not the best choice but I forgot my protein bar!) My goal had been 35min, as I had been averaging 37-38 minutes leading into it with my training (after not running all winter). I did it in 29:53!!!

jrline

if you are running I would not eat within about 45 minutes of the race. My personal favorite is peanut butter and honey on whole wheat. Good luck and most importantly have fun

runfreer

angf0679 wrote: »

I did it in 29:53!!!

Way to go!!