pre-run meal for long distance runners?

JessicaFB

Hello all! I have been an endurance runner for ~6 years and my pre-run/race breakfasts have varied. When I first started, I would have an english muffin with pb & banana. I then proceeded to a Baker's breakfast cookie with a Tbsp of pb on top. The last few years, I've had two Nature's Path toaster pastries. I've always had coffee with my pre-run meals too. The reason for the changes is mainly due to my finicky stomach. My last marathon, I had the toaster pastries and there were problems. This morning, I'm back to the english muffin/pb/banana for a 50K. One more note, I always eat 2-3 hours before I start.

Okay, that's my story....what's yours? I'm curious on what you have before you go running, especially if you have a sensitive stomach. It would be nice to get some more ideas to try for my training runs. Thanks in advance :happy:

bigdawg62

On days that I'm scheduled to run distances greater than 10 miles I usually get up 2 hours ahead of time and eat a wheat toast peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a bannana in it. When I am running a marathon and I'm on the road staying at a hotel room I have power bars and greek yogurt. I find the eating the day before is whats most important. Some people think you need to carbo load and eat a big pasta dinner. I dont do that I simply eat 300 - 400 extra complex carbs.

firegirlred

I'm terrible. The day before a race I always eat pizza. Extra cheese, black olives, no sauce.

The pre race meal is about 1-2 hours before the race (or the long distance run). I have coffee, pb and j on wheat, and sometimes a banana. Then, just before the race, I have a red bull.

My stomach CANNOT handle dyes when I'm doing a long run, especially red dye. I'm wondering if the same thing happened to you. I can only drink water. And you know that pop tart was full of dye...

izobel

I'm afraid my answer won't be of much help but I've done a few high altitude adventure races and three road marathons, and I'm with Bigdawg, eating the day before seems to fuel me best and I swear by Power Bar Gels in endurance races. I took them religiously every 30 minutes in the road races. Breakfast ... hmmmm, probably my usual meusli or sometimes some sticky sweet thing from the convenience store on the way to the race (A treat. I don't usually eat so many useless calories in one sitting). Prior to the 3.30am start of some mad race in the mountains of Mongolia, spaghetti at 2am. I'm afraid nutrition is not a priority for me, and no doubt the reason for my mediocrity! I'm sorry to hear you have a sensitive stomach. Best of luck finding the perfect meal. I do coffee, too.

A little off topic, but ...
I had had really severe back pain training for Mongolia. Pre-race we had to have two medicals. I explained to the first doctor that my back was pretty bad but I really really wanted to finish (only 42km, but 2,500m in ascent and descent). He said "No problem. 500mg ibuprofen and 400mg paracetamol. When the endorphines are released it has a narcotic effect." I'm not much of a drug taker - I like to know where and how much I'm hurting, so I asked the second doctor what he thought. "Oh yes, a very good combination." Not sure how long they thought I'd take to run the race but they gave me 4 doses to take every three hours (I obviously did not look fast!). AMAZING! I was totally stoned the entire 8 hours and 3 minutes - really really off my face. I just felt I was sailing up and down the hills and springing through the wet mossy marshes completely pain-free. Wild! I tried twice back home taking the same combo (I was in pain!), but I was just training alone and probably didn't release the endorphines - absolutely no effect except for killing the pain.

JessicaFB

I appreciate your responses! I had reasonable success on yesterday's 50K with my english muffin/pb/banana combo. I will continue to experiment for my future training runs. I never thought about food dyes...I'm sure it doesn't hurt to cut those out.

As for "carb load" the day prior....What do you usually do? I know one of you mentioned just adding ~300 extra complex carbs the day before. I typically avoid high fiber foods the day before, which includes veggies and grainy carbs. I have linguine with marinara and maybe a cupcake (I know, so bad!). I also try to avoid cheese.

firegirlred

Recent studies are indicating that endurance athletes need fat too. That's why I eat the pizza the day before with the extra cheese and don't worry about the calories.

http://www.active.com/running/Articles/Dietary-Fat-and-Endurance-Athletes.htm

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html

From that article "Fat also provides body fuel. For moderate exercise, about half of the total energy expenditure is derived from free fatty acid metabolism. If the event lasts more than an hour, the body may use mostly fats for energy. Using fat as fuel depends on the event's duration and the athlete's condition. Trained athletes use fat for energy more quickly than untrained athletes."

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/sportsnutrition/a/Fat.htm

There are countless articles on how the current attitude toward carb loading has become calorie loading. Fats and Proteins are found to have a greater role in increased performance.

izobel

Hey congrats on yesterday's race Jessica - 50k is such an achievement. By chance I spent the day with a good friend who is a serious runner/tri-athlete and won a 50k in Korea last w/e in 3.59. He swears by the run/walk combo which he first did in a full-Ironman. I asked him about his breakfasts and he basically said - whatever (and it is true. I've been on three overseas trips with him so I see what he eats.). He said last w/e was all Korean food for breakfast and the previous evening. He took two gels during the race. I know he generally tries to eat fairly healthy stuff and not much meat. A HUGE coffee drinker though and always before a race.

For me, nowhere near the same league and very much a plodder, I love Firegirlred! I eat a LOT of meat (200+gms most days.) Usually pork with fat, sometimes chicken always with skin. I never add oil in cooking and I very very seldom eat processed food and not because I try to be healthy, I've just always bought raw meat and vegetables. I try to avoid pasta as it is so high calorie. Boiled potato is my staple. Seems to work for me. I'll never be fast but I can stay on my feet for a very long time.

Stormakins

I used to be a distance runner too.
the night before the races i always always ate spaghetti with meat sauce and then the day of the race all i would eat was a banana with some black coffee. I always made sure to not eat any junk food or drink any soda for at least 3 days before the race.
mainly i just ate the banana because i can't run with too much food in my stomach... and the potassium helps kill cramps.