What do you eat days before a race (5k, 10K, Half, Full)

RunConquerCelebrate

I am curious to find out if any of you are careful on what you eat days prior to the race. Do you focus on eating clean and getting in good carbs? Do you Hydrate days prior to a race?

What kin of foods do you eat?

redredy9

I try really hard to focus on proper hydration (lots of water, no booze) and sleeping at least 8 hours.

How careful I am about eating depends on how long the race is. The longer the more careful and more simple I keep the food.

Generally while in training I do chicken, brown rice and peas the night before my long runs so I like to that the night before the race too.

Things I will not eat the night before any race are:
- Spicy foods
- Hamburger or other red meat
- Greasy food in general like fries, or chinese
- Heavy foods like mac and cheese or rich desserts
- Beans, brocolli or any other food that might make me gassy

arc918

My biggest concern is not having to make any unwanted porta-potty stops during my races (has never happened in 90+ races - knock on wood). So I avoid eating too many veggies the day before (no giant salads) - no dried fruit or bran muffins - you get the picture.

I just keep it simple, cheese pizza, plain bagels, prretzels, etc. Lots of water, but not the morning of the race (hydrating on race morning is too late).

RunConquerCelebrate

Thanks for the responses this really helps me a lot

twinmom_112002

Its more important to make sure you are properly hydrated in the week before the race (actually always) that it is to try and guzzle water the day before. I usually eat bland food the night before and a granola bar the morning of. I have a nervous stomach so just the start of a race gets me going...I don't need to add food issues.

MinimalistShoeAddict

This is what I did last month before my 25k and what I plan to repeat tomorrow before my Sunday marathon:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1091070-carb-loading-the-western-australia-method

bonjour24

Hiya.

I don't worry too much about a 5 or 10k. For a half and full i will take a palmfull of immodium in the several days leading up to a race. but that's because over the last 2 years, i've learned that this is what i need to do.

as for intake, i really focus on what to eat. 4 days before i'll start to really up my water. i can really notice the difference between doing this and not doing it.
3 days before i'll eat very (consciously) healthily, and veg it up! also yoghurts are ok here.
2 days before i cut fruit and veg and cheese/dairy, and stick with starchy carbs, chicken and tuna.
1 day before, oats for breakfast. PB on toast for a snack. rice and tuna (with a spot of kecap manis for flavour) for lunch. chicken and rice or pasta for dinner. maybe a beer before bed. and about 8-10 immodium tablets!
race morning- peanut butter and banana on toast 2hrs (ish) before race time (timing not hugely specific because i'm soooo bunged up with immodium by now that nothing's gonna shift!).

it's a trial and error thing :-)