Runners...question??

✿KẙMb529✿

I have a question for you runners out there. I am running in my first 10K tomorrow. I've been a member of MFP for 3 weeks or so and I've lost about 4 of those, only 6 more to go to get to my goal weight!.. anyways, I've always heard that the day before a long run or race, you should increase your calories. Is this still true if you're trying to lose weight? If I should increase my calories, for the day, how much do you think would be appropriate? My calorie goal right now is 1200. Any advice would be helpful!

Jourdan_Rystrom

Yeah I'm running a 5k tomorrow...any suggestions for that too?

jillybeanruns

You don't need to carb load or anything, but it's never a bad idea to eat your maintenance calories the day before a long run/race in terms of the 10K. For the 5K, I wouldn't eat at a deficit and maybe eat a bit more than usual. It's most important to eat a good breakfast tomorrow. Nothing heavy or fatty but something that you've had before a run and works for you. I usually go for oatmeal and a banana beforehand.

Good luck!

jimmydeanbakker

I don't know how much you weigh, but you can eat 1500 calories today, and it wouldn't hurt you. Before a race, I usually carb-load on rice or pasta, but don't over do it. You don't wanna feel bogged down by overeating. On the way to the race, I usually eat a banana.

✿KẙMb529✿

I was hoping you'd have an answer for me I just noticed we weigh pretty close to the same right now and have the same goal weight! Maybe we'll meet our goal together!

✿KẙMb529✿

that last msg was for Jourdan

✿KẙMb529✿

Thanks for the help. I weigh 134 right now...going to get back down to 125 soon!! I'm pretty sure I did my math wrong in my post...lol.

HIzara

A 10K race is really short. Well, for me... I run 6 miles, about 3-4x a week as part of my normal workout. When I run my Half marathon, 25K or even 30K races, I don't even "carb up". I try and eat more vegetables (complex carbs) and a little less protein the day prior... but "carbing up" is really a myth... especially on a 10K, a short race. Just eat what you normally do and don't make any drastic changes. That's the worse you can do, make a drastic change to your body before your race. Your body won't know what to do b/c it's never had it before.

For the morning of race day, yes, you should eat either Oatmeal, an energy bar and/or a banana for an extra boost of energy... but the night prior, "carbing up" isn't necessary. Maybe eat a little more than 1200 calories though, 1500 calories? It's up to you. I definitely never needed to eat up to 3,000 calories of starch, is what I'm trying to get at.

For my upcoming marathon, I might eat a bit more complex carbs and add in some starch... but that's only b/c it is 26.2 miles long... Still, I am not going to all of a sudden take in 3,000 calories worth of pasta the night prior though.

HollyMac20

Good luck tomorrow! A 10k is really long if your aren't used tondistance running. Listen to your body. Eat like you normally would, don't introduce any different foods. We were talking about this in my "sick after running" post. If your system is sensitive to begin with, you really want to make sure you don't eat out of the ordinary. Drink plenty of water tonight as well.

LotusF1ower

I have a question for you runners out there. I am running in my first 10K tomorrow. I've been a member of MFP for 3 weeks or so and I've lost about 4 of those, only 6 more to go to get to my goal weight!.. anyways, I've always heard that the day before a long run or race, you should increase your calories. Is this still true if you're trying to lose weight? If I should increase my calories, for the day, how much do you think would be appropriate? My calorie goal right now is 1200. Any advice would be helpful!

Eat some carbs, make sure you have fluid with you, do not restrict your calories the day before too low, you may regret that if you do.

To the person that states that 10k, is really short - I too run 6 miles several times per week and I maintain that 10k is not really short - I have been running for years and years too, I am not some fly-by-night runner.

A bit of humility is called for here, some people are asking about 5k training and how they would love to complete the three and a bit miles without stopping - it is those sort of comments and questions that brings everything into perspective for me.

A 10k may be a piece of piss to you but to others it is like climbing a mountain and is one massive achievement, so how about less of the "that's really short, I do marathons etc etc etc blah blah blah" and more of an encouragement, because for sure, the day will arrive when you will start to find those distances you now piss on getting a little more difficult.

Never, ever take it for granted that your running career is a foregone conclusion, because it is not.

Personally I think it is a privilege and to the OP I say, the very, very best of luck with your 10k, keeping my fingers crossed for you, you have a lot of courage and it shows in your posting xxx

Jourdan_Rystrom

A 10k is a LONG race! I don't know how she can say its short...obviously if you run every day for years & for miles it might be, but think about the bigger picture - the REST OF US (not just yourself).

This morning I ate a banana with peanut butter...it filled me up nicely. I wasn't even hungry after the race like I was at my last 10k...it was weird. I stayed under my calories today which was good.

Haha...anyway that's funny that we are around the same weight, have the same goal weight, AND ran a race on the same day!
We gotta run one together sometime

✿KẙMb529✿

I appreciate everyone's advice and especially the ones that included a reality check.. I decided not to do much of anything different from my regular diet. EXCEPT I didn't drink coffee befire and I ate almonds and a banana before the race. Thanks everyone!

HIzara

I appreciate everyone's advice and especially the ones that included a reality check.. I decided not to do much of anything different from my regular diet. EXCEPT I didn't drink coffee befire and I ate almonds and a banana before the race. Thanks everyone!

Congrats to you! May you have many more enjoyable races in the future! :happy: