Race Weekend

angf0679

This coming weekend is my race weekend. I'm running in Martitime Race Weekend and doing what is called the Tartan Twosome. I'm running a 5k Friday night at 7pm and a 10k (my first!) Saturday morning at 8am. I'm looking for two pieces of advice on this race.

1) At that time should I make my last meal before my race on Friday evening? I was thinking of having a pasta lunch around 3pm. This is a local race for me and I'm taking the city transit there so to be there at least an hour early, I have to leave my place by 4pm. Should just eating at that time be good, or should I plan something light to take with me an have an hour before?

2) Right now they are forecasting about 10mm of rain for Friday and another 1-3 for Saturday. (It's better then what it was. It was saying 25-35mm of rain for Friday.) Now being Nova Scotia that can change in either direction easily a couple more times before Friday actually gets here. If Friday's run is in the rain, I'm worried about my sneakers getting to wet to wear for Saturday. Since Saturday is the more important race to me, if it is raining, should I wear last year's running sneakers for Friday night (which are still in good condition) and save my newer ones for Saturday? Or I stuff them with paper, should they dry pretty good overnight? (There is only a space of 13 hours between races)

I'd appreciate any and all advice! Thank you!

ephiemarie

Sounds like a fun weekend! Assuming pasta settles well in your belly, 3 p.m. sounds like a reasonable time to eat prior to the race. Perhaps take a small snack along, just in case (some light and carb-y like a fruit leather or small banana). If the forecast still predicts rain for Friday, I'd save the more comfortable shoes for Saturday's race. I wouldn't want to run a 10K in soggy shoes if I didn't have to! Do you have something like a cap or visor to keep the rain out of your eyes?

Good luck!

ThickMcRunFast

Personally I wouldn't want a heavy lunch before a 5k, even it is a few hours prior to the gun. I would save the majority of my pasta for dinner Thursday, then eat a big breakfast, a light lunch, and have a snack en route. You really don't need to 'carb load' for a 5k anyway, so you're just trying to keep satiated without feeling like you have a brick in your stomach for the first run. Have a meal after the 5k to refuel, then another light breakfast a few hours before the 10k

And as long as your shoes are in good condition, use the older ones for the rainy race, and the better ones for the race you care about more. Though a 10k in slightly wet shoes should be fine, just cover your feet in body glide/vaseline to prevent blisters.

dawniemate

Good luck! ! I ☺

patrikc333

i'll eat normally and have a snack before the 5k

and I'll wear old shoes for the 5k, new for the 10k

7lenny7

patrikc333 wrote: »

i'll eat normally and have a snack before the 5k

and I'll wear old shoes for the 5k, new for the 10k

^ that.

Stick with your normal foods for lunch and don't eat too much. If pasta is a normal food for you, then you're set. If you're eating pasta because you've read about carbo-loading, don't bother because it doesn't do anything for you for a run that of that duration.

I often run about 7pm and have a fairly regular routine of eating a filling breakfast (cereal, bagel, or oatmeal), yoghurt for a morning stack, sandwich or leftovers for lunch along with a piece of fruit...just enough to satiate my hunger..., then perhaps a protein bar around 3 or 4pm. Between then and the run, I eat nothing but will continue to drink moderate amounts of water. But, what works for me may not work for you. Don't make the mistake I did on my first 5K and drink too much water because running with a full bladder is as bad as running with a full stomach.

Now go out there and kick some *kitten*!!

bbinoa

Eat as you normally do for the 5k, just as you've been doing for the training runs. You may want to have something that evening higher on the carb side to replenish post 5k and get you ready for the 10k the next day.

I'd wear the old shoes for the 5k and new ones for the 10k.

Helpful tip... if you expect to be waiting around pre-race either day in the rain waiting to start, bring along a trash bag. A few well placed holes and it's a cheap throw away rain poncho or a dry place to sit. Sometimes big events have a long wait to get started and underway.

Most of all, have a great time!!!

SueInAz

ThickMcRunFast wrote: »

Personally I wouldn't want a heavy lunch before a 5k, even it is a few hours prior to the gun. I would save the majority of my pasta for dinner Thursday, then eat a big breakfast, a light lunch, and have a snack en route. You really don't need to 'carb load' for a 5k anyway, so you're just trying to keep satiated without feeling like you have a brick in your stomach for the first run. Have a meal after the 5k to refuel, then another light breakfast a few hours before the 10k

And as long as your shoes are in good condition, use the older ones for the rainy race, and the better ones for the race you care about more. Though a 10k in slightly wet shoes should be fine, just cover your feet in body glide/vaseline to prevent blisters.

My advice, top to bottom. I run at least 5K every other morning and do it fasted. Your body will have more than enough glycogen stored for the time needed for a 5K and even a 10K, there's no reason to eat anything special before your races. Just make sure to fuel up properly between them. Some of the best racing advice I've heard regarding carb loading is that if you carb load before a race, you're likely to need to "carb unload" during it. Probably not as true for shorter races but running with a tummy full of pasta doesn't sound pleasant to me.

angf0679

I did keep lunch light. With the forecast not looking good I am wearing my old sneakers (that really aren't that old). I got a great new hat with my race kit and am wearing it. . Can't wait to run. Just over 3 hours to gun time.

SueInAz

angf0679 wrote: »

I did keep lunch light. With the forecast not looking good I am wearing my old sneakers (that really aren't that old). I got a great new hat with my race kit and am wearing it. . Can't wait to run. Just over 3 hours to gun time.

Have a great time!!

angf0679

It was great! My 5k time was 31:40 and my 10k time was 1:08:08. Happy with those times. ( and the rain held off for both races!).

ThickMcRunFast

angf0679 wrote: »

It was great! My 5k time was 31:40 and my 10k time was 1:08:08. Happy with those times. ( and the rain held off for both races!).

Congratulations!

dawniemate

angf0679 wrote: »

It was great! My 5k time was 31:40 and my 10k time was 1:08:08. Happy with those times. ( and the rain held off for both races!).

You must be so proud ☺ congratulations

bbinoa

Great job! Congratulations

SueInAz

angf0679 wrote: »

It was great! My 5k time was 31:40 and my 10k time was 1:08:08. Happy with those times. ( and the rain held off for both races!).

Fantastic! You not only have every right to be happy with those times, you now have something to try to beat the next time.