I'm running a 5K on Saturday! (I have questions!)

WandaVaughn

So I'm signed up for the race- first one since the one 5k I did back in 2015- and I'm excited, but I'm wondering...

They say to eat/not eat as usual before a race. I usually don't eat before my training runs, but those are at 6am and the race starts at 8am and is at least an hour's drive from my home. Should I break training and eat? What if it makes me sick? Suggestions for meals?

I usually train M, W, F. Since I'll be running on Saturday, I've changed to T and Th. Should that be ok? Should I do anything on Friday?

What would be a good meal for Friday night?

These may seem like silly questions, but I really would like to know what to do.

Thanks for any help.

janejellyroll

The best way to determine what you can tolerate during race day is practicing before training runs. That said, many people find that a piece of toast or part of a bagel is a safe pre-race snack (not saying it's 100% sure for you, but I and many people can tolerate it well). Do you have time to try something before Saturday? You've got all week.

Same for the pre-race meal? What do you eat the night before a run now? Does it leave you feeling okay in the morning? For shorter races, you don't need to worry about extra carbohydrates or anything like that. You can just eat a normal (for you) meal and it should be good.

BrianSharpe

For shorter distances like a 5K you don't really need to taper but I'd go easy on the pace this week, you're not going to do anything to improve your fitness so just stay loose and relaxed.

As to food, I'd eat something light at least a couple of hours before race time (I hate running with food in my stomach) and stick with foods that you know won't upset your stomach. My typical pre-race breakfast would be toast & PB, a banana and yogurt well ahead of the gun going off, like you I train fasted most of the time. If you don't feel like eating you'll probably ok, your body stores plenty of glycogen for a 5K,

Dinner the night before? Nothing new (not a good time to try out that new Mexican fusion pizza place down the road), cut back a little on the fibre and eat a normal dinner, you don't need to carb load.

Same when it comes to your gear.......nothing new, the last thing you want to find out on race morning is that your new shorts have a seam that chafes etc.

Get a good night's sleep & have fun!

WandaVaughn

The only thing about eating before my usual runs is that I take a medicine that requires I wait 30 minutes afterwards to eat food. I'd have to get up way earlier to accomplish that. I already get up at 5:30. Not sure I could function well to get up at 0500. lol

I'll have to noodle on this...

MoiAussi93

It's a short race, but if you are worried that waiting a few hours longer to eat than usual will impact you, then eat something light in the morning. Eat when you get up...not right before the race. And keep it light...you don't want a big heavy meal an hour or two before you run.

Eat what you normally eat for dinner the night before. You have been running already...no need to change anything for this. It's just another run...just in a different location and with more people.

Since you are an every other day runner, I would not run the day before.

BrianSharpe

Maybe you could make a smoothie to drink while you're on the road? In reality you probably only need to take in a couple of hundred calories (a banana & yogurt) pre-race for a little hit of simple carbs.

slaite1

Can you get up at 5:30 on race day and take the medicine right away? Then have something easily digestible at 6, like a piece of toast with PB, half a banana or even just a few pieces of bread? This still gives you two hours before the race.

Whatever you decide, next time be sure to do a test run on a weekend day that mimics the race. For now, you probably know yourself best. If you think you can run successfully, skip the food. Personally I would feel sick and it would hurt my run if I did not eat. It took trial and error but I have a number of things I can eat before I run without getting sick (candy, plain bread) but everyone is different!

spiriteagle99

The race is a short one, and you'll be driving and arriving early to check in and warm up, so you should be fine with a normal (for you) breakfast. I eat cereal before both races and regular workouts, and sometimes I eat a banana half an hour before a longer race.

Dinner can be a normal one, but it is a good idea to avoid too much fat or fiber, just in case.

smal48

I have my first 5k (park run) this Saturday too
I was having similar concerns about eating, because on the park run website it says make sure you have a good breakfast, and like you I always run on an empty stomach. So I tried a later run than usual yesterday and had breakfast first (quite a big breakfast of toast, egg and mushrooms) 40 mins before I ran, and it was my best run so far! So now I think I actually do better if I run fuelled.
Worth trying it out this week if you can get up early enough to take your medication. Good luck on Saturday!

BrunetteRunner87

Eating before running a race usually helps me (usually pb&j about 2 hours before) but never try anything new on race day - make sure you try it some time this week.

apullum

I would eat something light after you take your medicine. The race is two hours later, so your body should have time to digest a little snack. I usually eat an apple or banana before a workout.

I wouldn't eat anything different than you usually eat on Friday for dinner. Avoid anything new that might cause stomach upset.

Your run schedule this week should be fine. I would recommend doing some light activity on Friday, not enough to make you tired for the next day but enough to keep you from being stiff in the morning. A very brief, slow run or a walk is nice. Having said that, I ran three miles the day before my first 5k just to prove to myself that I could actually do it the next morning. Nothing bad happened, and it probably gave me a nice psychological boost, but it wasn't really necessary. I wouldn't recommend it.

NorthCascades

It would be really ideal if you could get up early one day this week and find out how you'll tolerate some food that's been in your belly a couple hours. We could guess for you, but we could be wrong, and we won't have to suffer the consequences for it.

That said, a small meal with some carbs would probably be a good idea.

CornflakeGirl01

It is very important to eat 1.5-2 hours before the race. Something light, perhaps banana and peanut butter, a yogurt, or make an overnight oatmeal (there are plenty of recipes on Pinterest). Do not eat anything new the night before. It is not a really long race, but you need to fuel before ANY exercise. It is just crucial. It is just the amount and type of food that is important. Have something that won't weight you down.

I would not recommend any heavy running or exercise on Friday. You could do some walking, stretching, or calisthenics.

Good luck and have fun!

oldsoul918

CornflakeGirl01 wrote: »

It is very important to eat 1.5-2 hours before the race. Something light, perhaps banana and peanut butter, a yogurt, or make an overnight oatmeal (there are plenty of recipes on Pinterest). Do not eat anything new the night before. It is not a really long race, but you need to fuel before ANY exercise. It is just crucial. It is just the amount and type of food that is important. Have something that won't weight you down.

I would not recommend any heavy running or exercise on Friday. You could do some walking, stretching, or calisthenics.

Good luck and have fun!

To each their own...I've trained fasted for the last 7+ years. Works great for me.

rybo

You do not have to eat before your race. I strongly urge that you don't and keep your relative normal routine. Getting up early to take your meds eat is not your normal routine and would cause far more problems than just going to the race.
Also you could still run your M,W,F, just go very easy and short friday. If you are still worried do T, Th or M,W,Th.
As far as friday, just eat a normal meal, try to avoid anything that would potentially mess with your system.

lorrpb

WandaVaughn wrote: »

The only thing about eating before my usual runs is that I take a medicine that requires I wait 30 minutes afterwards to eat food. I'd have to get up way earlier to accomplish that. I already get up at 5:30. Not sure I could function well to get up at 0500. lol

I'll have to noodle on this...

You have 2.5 hours from the time you get up (and take med) to the start of the race. Eat a banana and yogurt around 6:30 if you think you'll need something. I do. I usually eat a hard boiled egg too!

JessM822

Congrats on getting back into the game. For 3.10 miles you really don't need to over think it. Just do what you feel like. If you get hungry eat something. Just nothing heavy. Your body can survive that distance without anything. There really wasn't any need to switch around your training days either. Just get to the line and have fun. Only you know your body. Everyone's body is different.

bbell1985

It's a few miles. Eat a banana or whatever you like that gives you energy but won't make you sick.

dbanks80

I eat a regular dinner usually something with carbs. Day of race I eat something light like banana or protein bar. I do not drink coffee b4 the race it goes right through me and it is not fun having to do a number 2 in a porta potty!

heiliskrimsli

oldsoul918 wrote: »

CornflakeGirl01 wrote: »

It is very important to eat 1.5-2 hours before the race. Something light, perhaps banana and peanut butter, a yogurt, or make an overnight oatmeal (there are plenty of recipes on Pinterest). Do not eat anything new the night before. It is not a really long race, but you need to fuel before ANY exercise. It is just crucial. It is just the amount and type of food that is important. Have something that won't weight you down.

I would not recommend any heavy running or exercise on Friday. You could do some walking, stretching, or calisthenics.

Good luck and have fun!

To each their own...I've trained fasted for the last 7+ years. Works great for me.

Same, especially for a short distance like 5K.

I ate four hours before my half marathon and smashed my goal.

cityruss

Assuming you've eaten properly the previous day, there's no need to eat before a 5k, you have plenty of fuel on board.

Misssynth

In the week I run at 6.30am and don't eat before hand, but on Saturday I go to parkrun which is 5k and starts at 9am so I have a small cereal bar which has oats, nuts & seeds in. Keeps me going, good energy but small enough that it doesnt make me feel ill when running. I eat this at 7.30 so an hour and a half before.

Penthesilea514

I train/run fasted in the mornings- I can't stand to have food on my stomach while working out. I also have a tendency to eat most of my daily calories at dinner anyway, so I don't feel like I am running on "empty" to train fasted that way.

But seriously, don't try anything before a race that you haven't tried before. I made that mistake with socks and that a HORRIBLE experience. Don't do it.

But at the end of the day, have fun and enjoy it You have been working hard, you will do great

bbell1985

I think my boyfriend ran 16 miles yesterday without food. He's still alive.

bbell1985

Though, I haven't heard from him since

FatMoojor

I think you are overthinking this a bit. It's a 5k. There just isn't a situation in which you burn though your normal energy stores for a run that distance unless you have been intentionally starving yourself before hand.

Just go about your normal routine, eat whatever it is you would normally eat on a Friday night. If you normally train fasted then just do that, enjoy the run and then have breakfast afterwards.

BrianSharpe

CornflakeGirl01 wrote: »

It is not a really long race, but you need to fuel before ANY exercise. It is just crucial.

Crucial? The 10km I ran this morning fasted might just contradict that.

Your body stores enough glycogen to fuel about 90 minutes of moderate exercise, there are lots of runners who go out fasted every morning. If my run is going to exceed 90 min I'll eat something light a couple of hours before heading out.

RGv2

BrianSharpe wrote: »

CornflakeGirl01 wrote: »

It is not a really long race, but you need to fuel before ANY exercise. It is just crucial.

Crucial? The 10km I ran this morning fasted might just contradict that.

Your body stores enough glycogen to fuel about 90 minutes of moderate exercise, there are lots of runners who go out fasted every morning. If my run is going to exceed 90 min I'll eat something light a couple of hours before heading out.

^^^Cosigned. Very rarely do I eat anything before I run, and never before a 5k-10k race. Tops would be 10oz of Gatorade or something like that.

janejellyroll

CornflakeGirl01 wrote: »

It is very important to eat 1.5-2 hours before the race. Something light, perhaps banana and peanut butter, a yogurt, or make an overnight oatmeal (there are plenty of recipes on Pinterest). Do not eat anything new the night before. It is not a really long race, but you need to fuel before ANY exercise. It is just crucial. It is just the amount and type of food that is important. Have something that won't weight you down.

I would not recommend any heavy running or exercise on Friday. You could do some walking, stretching, or calisthenics.

Good luck and have fun!

I run 5K+ distances all the time while fasted. If someone wants to eat something before a 5K, they should. But it is completely untrue that everyone needs to eat before any exercise.

ValeriePlz

I don't eat before 5Ks either. I do have a protein shake and something light before way longer runs, like 5+ miles.

WandaVaughn

I've decided to keep to my normal habit and go fasting.

This is only my second ever race- the first one being so long ago. I'm excited! I completed C25K on Good Friday and I've been doing practice 5K runs since. I'm new to running, but I'm addicted to it. :-)