Day of 5k tips?

Lizzypb88

I'm running my first 5k that I trained for and I'm so so anxious!! My first one I hadn't even run or prepped for in march, but it gave me the running bug and running is my new love!
Anyways I'm so anxious, it's an 8pm run and my intestines feel tied up, I'm thinking about it too much, so I'm wondering if anyone has some food suggestions for lunch/dinner today that will fill me but not trigger my knot of a stomach? Thanks!

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

Anything you normally eat before running. Don't do anything new.

Enjoy it, relax and good luck

H_Ock12

Don't consume anything new on the day of your run, but maybe do eat an early dinner so your food has had plenty of time to settle before the race.

ericaknight1995

Definitely don't eat anything you aren't used to eating. I made the mistake of eating pizza the night before a 5k a few years back, when I hadn't eaten pizza in several months. Major mistake. Don't eat anything too heavy so you don't feel weighed down. Have fun!

Djproulx

First of all, congratulations on getting the running bug and doing your first trained race!

Here are a few suggestions that my coach gives her athletes when prepping for races. The purpose of these food choice is 1) To avoid stomach upsets either the day before or morning of a race. and 2) To provide proper fuel to support your energy needs during the event.

So for lunch or early dinner, eat bland foods, things such as rice, plain hamburg, toast, etcetera. Oatmeal and poached or hard boiled eggs are good, too. Consume the type of foods that you might eat when recovering from a stomach flu. Avoid acidic foods like sauces(tomato sauce on pizza!) etcetera. Eat a light meal...just enough to stop your hunger.

Secondly, as you get closer to race time, think about consuming simple carbs: Things like half a plain bagel with honey and maybe some sliced banana, perhaps a bit of peanut butter (if you tolerate that) etcetera. You want these foods to be easy to digest and also provide you with quick energy. This way, your body is not working hard to digest the food right before race time, but rather it is absorbing the simple carbs easily and converting them to fuel for your run.

Finally, eat NOTHING NEW on race day. Race Day is not the day to try a new specialty food....do that tomorrow as you celebrate your success in today's race! Good luck.

BrianSharpe

Pre-race jitters are perfectly normal, I have a wall full of finishers medals and am still a total wreck coming up to a race (apparently Adele is still nauseous before concerts). It's been mentioned in every previous post but .....noting new on race day, don't eat too much (especially for a 5K, it'll be over before you know it) nothing too heavy (Dean Karnazes - a famous ultra runner - may eat pizza as race fuel but that would be a recipe for digestive disaster for many of us) nothing too greasy. My go to pre-race meal is usually toast & peanut butter, a banana and a yogurt at least 2 or 3 hours before the gun goes off.

Have fun & remember to smile for the finish line photo!

_runnerbean_

Is your race today? If so don't try anything new today. I hate evening races as it's hard to get nutrition right. I find porridge (ostmeal) made with almond milk about two hours before a run is gentle on my stomach. Then I drink a Powerade/Gatorade drink 30 mins before race. I know they are not necessary for a short race but I get dizzy if I don't eat much or regularly
Good luck with your race and let us know how you get on.

ritzvin

Eat something you are used to, nothing too heavy. If within 40 minutes of the race, and you are hungry, then stick with something really, really easy to digest (I normally have 1-2 packets of fruit snacks - basically gellified starch syrup as in most sports-marketed chews/gels - and a few electrolyte tablets). If you normally eat something in particular close to your runs with no issue, then go with that.

MobyCarp

I concur with the theme of "nothing new, nothing unfamiliar" to eat on race day. I was terribly worried about gastrointestinal issues before my first evening half marathon; I ended up focusing on reducing fiber the day before and day of the race; but other than that, ate familiar foods. It worked out well, and I've made what I did then a pattern for evening races.

curlsintherack

Its a 5k you shouldn't need any other nutrition than your normal daily food.

Reading all the above responses make me realize that I do get the pre race jitters but my body tolerates anything. I ate 2 pieces of leftover taco pizza the morning of my last half marathon and ran a pr.

Lizzypb88

*** thanks everyone, my stomach was still a bit in knots but I think it was just nerves, this was my first race I actually did after doing C25K, I did it in 36min flat (5k in march was 44:48) I was a bit bummed and was hoping for 34-35min but there were lots of hills so it really got the best of me... also anyone end up sobbing at the end of a race or is it just me?! It's so embarrassing I just pushed so hard and the tears flow! Doing another 5k in October, would love to get somewhere in the 35min time by then

lorrpb

That's a great time improvement!

MeanderingMammal

Well done, you've got a significant improvement there.

_runnerbean_

Congratulations, that's a huge improvement. How many times per week do you run? Enjoy a little rest today.

DebLaBounty

Congrats! You've got a new personal best!

Djproulx

Congrats on a huge time improvement!

BrianSharpe

You should be proud of yourself and don't be embarrassed about getting emotional at the finish, lots of people do, especially at their first race.