For the runners out there: what to eat on race day?

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izzie218
izzie218 Posts: 32 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone, I have a 5k race coming up on the 27th. I'm curious about what you guys eat for breakfast, lunch, and snacks on race day? What gives you the most energy without stuffing yourself?Thanks!
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  • dn0pes
    dn0pes Posts: 99 Member
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    Good for you. Enjoy the race. 5k is a good distance. Running one on November 13th. I usually just eat a banana nothing else prior to a run. If I eat more I tend to have digestive distress and that's bogus on a long run. The constant bouncing up and down. I could tell ya horror stories. Once again enjoy the run.
  • pebble4321
    pebble4321 Posts: 1,132 Member
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    Eat as you normally do on a training day. 5k isn't long enough to need any special food or drink, so stick to regular food and perhaps pay attention to what you eat just before the race so you don't have any belly wobbles.
    Most of the races I've run are in the morning, so I usually eat toast and pb or toast and banana with a coffee - but I know that works for me because I've tried that in training. Late day races are hardest because I rarely run then, so I usually have a good breakfast and a light lunch.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    izzie218 wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I have a 5k race coming up on the 27th. I'm curious about what you guys eat for breakfast, lunch, and snacks on race day? What gives you the most energy without stuffing yourself?Thanks!

    The same as what you eat before training runs
  • Docbanana2002
    Docbanana2002 Posts: 357 Member
    edited October 2016
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    My favorite pre race breakfast meal is oatmeal because it seems to stick with me without feeling too heavy. Especially the way I make it, with soy milk instead of water, some nuts and seeds thrown in, and flavored with Chocolate PB2. Yum, good dose of carbs with some fat and protein mixed in. I usually carry along some fruit to snack on between breakfast and the race start time. Something easy like an apple or banana. This is actually how I fuel for all my more intense training runs (shorter ones I don't really prepare for other than eating something) so it isn't a special race routine. You should experiment in training to see what works best for you, then do that on race day. After the race I let myself eat whatever I want, within reason. No special recovery meal.

    If this isn't just a fun run but I actually want to break a personal record or try to win something, I would eat at or slightly above maintenance in the days before a race, mainly just to be at full capacity energy wise. Weight loss goals can wait a few days.

    I would also encourage you to give some attention to hydration and rest in the day or two before the race, for a longer race like marathon I would stretch that out to a week. Cut out intense exercise the day or two before and get to bed on time for a full nights sleep....it always gives me a little energy boost to run on well rested legs. If just running or walking for fun I might loosen this too, since if I'm still able to go that distance on less rested legs in training it isn't strictly necessary. I just do this so I can push hard and have my best chance to break a personal record during the race.As for hydration, be fully hydrated the day or two before the race. If you are downing glass after glass on race morning it is too late, plus the water + nerves will leave you visiting those nasty portapotties all morning!!
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    izzie218 wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I have a 5k race coming up on the 27th. I'm curious about what you guys eat for breakfast, lunch, and snacks on race day? What gives you the most energy without stuffing yourself?Thanks!

    To an extent it depends on time of day for the race, but in general for a morning 5K I would have a coffee and maybe a banana, nothing more.

    I wouldn't worry too much about the whole day, a 5K is only going to consume somewhere between 200 and 350 cals so replenishing shouldn't be a big deal.

    As above, stick with what you've been doing in training.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    The same thing I do when I train.. Nothing new, nothing different, hydrate the same way too.
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
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    My only suggestion is to eat about 2 hours prior to your run. A friend of mine was "thrown up" on by a lady that ate just before her run! YUCK!! :s

    I prefer to run fasted in the morning, but if it is an evening run I eat as normal just stopping 2 hours before my run.
  • mycoffeeinbed
    mycoffeeinbed Posts: 16 Member
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    For a 5k a cup of coffee (gets things moving :wink:) and maybe a banana, 20-30 minutes prior to race. For races longer than 6miles I eat toast with peanut butter (sticks to the ribs) and banana same as above. I use sport beans during or GU energy gel for a boost during 1/2 or fulls. Everyone's stomach/body is different. During training is when you find what works. Once you find the right one for you, stick with it. Best to try new things when your close to home/potty. Always hydrate well the day before, if you find you are downing a ton of water during your race, its now too late. Being prepared is part of what training is. You will see the poor people who didn't train and just went out there and gave it their all, most times they are puking or slowly fading out of the run. Above all have fun and enjoy it. This should be a no stress sport, unless you are on the prowl to win, well then that's a whole other ball of wax! Take care! WOOHOO!
  • tiny_clanger
    tiny_clanger Posts: 301 Member
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    For a morning 5K, I don't generally eat and have a banana and/or a bit of fridge cake afterwards.

    For longer runs, I eat one of these
    https://naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/trek-protein-flapjacks/trek-cocoa-oat-flapjack/

    The morning of my run. They are sweet, satisfying and provide just enough energy and fuel to keep me going until about 10K, when I start hitting the in run snacks.

    Afterwards, I'll generally have a banana, one of these
    pipandnut.com/squeeze-packs/
    and a bottle of water

    then a full meal about an hour after finishing running, when everything has settled down. I've learned not to try for a full meal immediately after running, it ends up leaving my body quickly, one way or the other :(
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    i just eat whatever i would normally eat on a running day. nothing new so i don't upset my stomach
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    Toast with some peanut butter or half bagel is my go to. For longer races I pack some gummys for a boost. I just haven't been able to try one of those gel shots, I buy them and throw them out.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    A cup of cold coffee
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    I believe you are better off eating at maintenance the day before rather than eating more the day of the race. I also prefer to work out/walk/run fasted in the mornings with nothing much more than water or a pre-workout drink. But the day before you can increase the energy your muscles need by eating around maintenance levels. Most people will tell you that 5k isn't long enough to worry about, however if you are in a heavy deficit normally the lower amount of energy stored in your muscles will make it more difficult, especially if you don't do that long of a run normally or are new to it like me.

    Just a thought. But I wouldn't eat a lot before the race, it can cause stomach upset and/or intestinal upset which can be bad lol.
  • izzie218
    izzie218 Posts: 32 Member
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    Thanks everyone!! You're all very helpful!
  • pomegranatecloud
    pomegranatecloud Posts: 812 Member
    edited October 2016
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    Coffee and a bagel, toast with nut butter, or left overs. Sometimes I'll have nuts or fruit too. I can't run on an empty stomach. You should eat whatever you normally eat before running so you don't end up having stomach issues during the race.
  • n1terunner
    n1terunner Posts: 76 Member
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    Oatmeal. Early morning tea and try to get things moving if it's a half marathon. The best thing ever post running long distances after you've hit the shower... warm chips and room temp salsa!
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
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    most runs of under an hour I do I do fasted, early morning before I've had a chance to realise what's happening. BUT, for my first 7.5k race, knowing that it was due to start at around 11 I knew I'd need to eat beforehand.

    Having asked on here, the recommendation was to eat a couple of hours before. So I ate my usual muesli and yoghurt (balance of carbs and protein that I like in the morning). BUT I had a large portion. Then just before I started the race I drank a bottle of water.

    BIG mistake. I ate way too much and spent the whole race feeling a bit uncomfortable and needing a pee.

    My next race was a 10k, I ate a smaller portion a couple of hours before, didn't drink masses before the race, ignored the first water station (at 2.5k) and had a small sip (most thrown over my head) and a couple of jellybabies at the second and felt much much better.

    Both races they provide jaffa cakes, tunnocks tea cakes, ginger cake etc. at the finish, plus segments of fresh orange. It's the orange I find I want the most after and don't get hungry until a good few hours after.

    enjoy your race.
  • powered85
    powered85 Posts: 297 Member
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    Depends on time of day. If morning, toast or banana and Pb an hour or two prior. If late in day a low fibre, fairly carb focused day. Stay away from carbonated beverages as that can bring on the trots.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
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    girlinahat wrote: »
    most runs of under an hour I do I do fasted, early morning before I've had a chance to realise what's happening. BUT, for my first 7.5k race, knowing that it was due to start at around 11 I knew I'd need to eat beforehand.

    Having asked on here, the recommendation was to eat a couple of hours before. So I ate my usual muesli and yoghurt (balance of carbs and protein that I like in the morning). BUT I had a large portion. Then just before I started the race I drank a bottle of water.

    BIG mistake. I ate way too much and spent the whole race feeling a bit uncomfortable and needing a pee.

    My next race was a 10k, I ate a smaller portion a couple of hours before, didn't drink masses before the race, ignored the first water station (at 2.5k) and had a small sip (most thrown over my head) and a couple of jellybabies at the second and felt much much better.

    Both races they provide jaffa cakes, tunnocks tea cakes, ginger cake etc. at the finish, plus segments of fresh orange. It's the orange I find I want the most after and don't get hungry until a good few hours after.

    enjoy your race.

    What race is this, and where can I sign up?!? And I'll have your teacake if you don't want it.

    It's a fine balance for me between running on empty (which I can't do) or eating too much. I usually just have a slice of toast with some PB, and a very small cup of coffee. I then spend the race thinking about the ginormous mug of coffee I'll have when the race is over.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
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    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    The same thing I do when I train.. Nothing new, nothing different, hydrate the same way too.

    Race-day nutrition is highly individual, so this is about the only advice that is really applicable to you.

    I will add that a 5k probably isn't long enough to put any real strain on your energy stores... so there probably isn't a physical need to eat... it's more personal preference and doing what makes you feel best.

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