Pre Race Diet

DKing33

I am looking for good food ideas to help boost energy pre race day?

I started running 5k's this spring. I have heard you should carb load the day before, but wondering what other people do?

neanderthin

What kind of race, and what would you have eaten 24 hours leading up to the race?

timothyjkiser

I know there will be many disagreeing with my thought on this, but I am still a believer in a huge bowl of pasta w/ meatballs (or chicken...some protein). The key is to make sure the meal is between 15-18 hours before your race...

CakeFit21

For 5 and 10k a good breakfast, (carbs+protein= around 350 cals give or take depending on your daily intake) should be plenty. Make sure you eat well the day before, carbo loading is not necessary for these distances but good hydration is. Please remember that hydration begins the day before, for long races it begins days before.

For my 1/2M the other day I ate a KIND bar and some Justin's maple almond butter, 1 1/2 hours before the start. Total intake close to 400 cals. Lots of peeps eat bananas or peanut butter and bagels or toast. Those don't work for me. You def want to stay away from anything high fiber, it could cause GI distress and you don't want that before your race or worse DURING!

Another thing to remember-- Don't eat anything new! If you wouldn't normally eat a giant bowl of pasta the day before don't do it now! Just eat the things you normally eat. You don't know how a new food is going to react in your system.

Good luck! You are going to do great!