What to eat beforehand?

__Di__
__Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
Anybody that has run a half marathon race, what sort of stuff did you eat the day before? Also, what sort of breakfast did you have on the day?

I know you have to carb-load for a marathon, but what about a half?

I have three and a half weeks until my first half, want to do this right and give myself the best possible chance.

When I have ran a 10k race I have just eaten something like an orange and a banana and I have trained up to nine miles on just two bananas, sometimes I have done a fasted run too on those sort of distances, but 13.1 miles is a bit different isn't it lol.

I don't want to flake suddenly, it would not be a pleasant sight!

Replies

  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    Breakfast before doesn't change; I still have coffee, banana, whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and since it's longer than 60 min, a handful of Reese's Pieces 15 min prior. The candy is more of a superstition I guess. :)

    Some carb load some don't, it's not required but if your carbs are low it wouldn't hurt. I did for both my previous 1/2 but I was also on lower cals and carbs. Currently I eat almost 300 g daily at maintenance so I will not be loading for my upcoming race. My biggest meal was dinner 2 days prior and lunch the day before, I did not do the typical pasta at dinner prerace bc I would be sick running and don't want a large meal still digesting. I also for personal experience, cut out dairy and high fiber the day before. For me, I'm typically around 50g a day so I cut it down to less than 20 or I'm sick all day.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    Breakfast before doesn't change; I still have coffee, banana, whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and since it's longer than 60 min, a handful of Reese's Pieces 15 min prior. The candy is more of a superstition I guess. :)

    Some carb load some don't, it's not required but if your carbs are low it wouldn't hurt. I did for both my previous 1/2 but I was also on lower cals and carbs. Currently I eat almost 300 g daily at maintenance so I will not be loading for my upcoming race. My biggest meal was dinner 2 days prior and lunch the day before, I did not do the typical pasta at dinner prerace bc I would be sick running and don't want a large meal still digesting. I also for personal experience, cut out dairy and high fiber the day before. For me, I'm typically around 50g a day so I cut it down to less than 20 or I'm sick all day.

    ahh thanks!

    I have bought a couple of energy gels which I am going to experiment with and try out during a 10k race tomorrow. I don't think it is advisable for me to try something too different before the HM, God knows what I might end up doing LOL!
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    If you're going to try them, now would be the time. It's true to not do anything new on race day, such a mental game. Many have success with them but my stomach once again, doesn't care for them so I pack candy to pop in along the way.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    Right, little update.

    Have tried the gels, the first time I hated the taste but I found running on them was good,so I decided that although I detested the taste of the gels, the benefit to my running outweighed the taste and I tried a second time and found the taste of the gels okay.

    Got myself some more and will now use them in my HM :D