What do you eat the morning before a race?

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2

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  • Legs_McGee23
    Legs_McGee23 Posts: 114 Member
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    I usually run fasted (for morning runs and races). Sometimes I'll have a little oatmeal or cottage cheese, or maybe part of a muffin. But I don't eat anything within an hour.
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
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    Some athletes follow a low fibre diet for 24hrs prior to their event to avoid ‘gastric distress’, so you may wish to consider what you’re eating the day before a race too. Eg switch to white bread and avoid fruit & veg.

    Personally I go with porridge or toast or bagel but more than 1hr before. Maybe top up with a snack bar if I left home early.
  • dcresider
    dcresider Posts: 1,272 Member
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    toast, peanut butter and bananas.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
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    I can run fasted (and often do if it's less than an hour to race time and I still haven't eaten), but I perform better if I've eaten something, so about two hours before a race I'll have a small cup of coffee with peanut butter and honey on toast. If it's a half-marathon, I'll carry some Clif Bloks with me for a boost during the race.
  • Burton_Bmc
    Burton_Bmc Posts: 35 Member
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    I follow strict Keto, less than 5 carbs a day. Waking up, I have my bulletproof coffee, homemade recipe. After I go for a run, 15+ km a day, usually around 20.
  • Charlene____
    Charlene____ Posts: 110 Member
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    Any Race Eve: 6oz Spaghetti with two eggs, 7gof parm cheese, 14g of Cabon Bits (sort of a low fat Carbonara), as 2c 1% milk, and as much water as I want. Usually 1c ice cream for dessert.
    5K Morning: I get up early enough to “go” then eat a Frozen Lender’s Plain bagel with 20g Smucker’s made with sugar (no high fructose corn syrup) fruit spread, and 6oz of Earl Grey tea with 30g sugar, 30g milk.
    10K or above Morning: Same as above, add in one Mott’s Applesauce Container.
  • jlscherme
    jlscherme Posts: 157 Member
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    for longer races, I would get up at 2-3 in the morning and have a breakfast, then go back to bed until i had to get ready for the race.
  • bikecheryl
    bikecheryl Posts: 1,432 Member
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    What ever you do - DO NOT try something new the day of the race!

    Test it out beforehand..... trust me on that. :#

    I always had a all grain bagel & peanut butter.

    Good luck - don't forget to smile at the finish line!! Even if it hurts - makes a better picture. ;)
  • cyndit1
    cyndit1 Posts: 170 Member
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    I usually have some sort of carb (toast with a little peanut butter or a piece of a dry bagel) before a double digit long run or race. I usually never fuel during a half marathon but will during a full marathon. I run anything shorter than double digits fasted. It works for me.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    My typical pre-race breakfast is toast & PB, a yogurt & a banana but I have to east at least 2 to 3 hours before the gun time. If I'm running a HM I'll usually also have a gel a few minutes before the start.
  • Cbean08
    Cbean08 Posts: 1,092 Member
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    FL_Hiker wrote: »
    Thanks for all the great responses and ideas! I usually run fasted, but I've noticed as the distances get longer I tend to hit a wall around the 10 mile mark. I'm hypoglycemic which is why I was concerned a bit about sugar... i'm just finally getting a hang of basic nutrition so this is all new to me lol. I still don't quite understand it, but have noticed protein makes the feeling go away longer. I've been eating mostly high protein diet to combat the symptoms so I wasn't sure if that would work before a race.... I used to carbo load for swimming. I used to swim long distances and do triathlons but those movements never bothered my stomach and I could eat anything, for some reason with the running long distances my stomach just gets all in knots. I might try this one fasted, but next is a full marathon and i'm worried I won't be able to make it without breakfast.

    I agree that it is 100% individual. I liked to eat a Lenny and Larry cookie and a zero cal Monster before a long run.

    If you have success running fasted, then start your race that way. At mile 7 or 8, try something that is mostly sugar - small cup of gatorade, GU, a handful of jelly beans or a glucose tablet. I'd That is also very individual though. I can't eat or drink while I run, but it works for some people.

    Try this before the race, not on the day of! Best of luck with your run!
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,675 Member
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    Definitely practice eating something before and during your long runs now, so you can figure out what works and what doesn't. Hitting the wall during a half would just mean bonking, running out of energy and having to walk the last couple of miles. Hitting the wall for real, during a marathon, is a lot more serious It means total depletion of glycogen and can end up with you unconscious on the road. You really want to avoid that.
  • senor_jeff
    senor_jeff Posts: 47 Member
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    I have oatmeal with fresh blueberries and real orange juice. No stomach issue even 30 mins before
  • fit_chickx
    fit_chickx Posts: 571 Member
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    FL_Hiker wrote: »
    Hi y'all,
    I'm trying to figure out what I should eat 30 minutes to an hour before my half marathon next week. I've been experimenting and so far it hasn't gone well let's just say. Last week I tried a tbsp of peanut butter on toast an hour before I ran 12 miles and around the 10 mile mark my stomach had some issues. What are some other things I could try? I bought a banana this week and made Rice Krispie treats, would either of those be too much sugar right before a run? Maybe oatmeal? I apologize for my ignorance... nutrition is not my strong point. Curious to see what others eat!
    Thanks!

    My stomach is sensitive..this is what works for me.

    I carb load for five to seven days up to race day - whole wheat, brown rice, sweet potato. It builds up glycogen for long runs.

    Race day liquid carbs no food. I'm not pluging this product. I'm useing Cytocarb. It's powder form. mix with water.

    I add liquid carbs to my hydration vest to sip while I'm running. If I need a boost. I can tolerate a banana from a route station.

    Hope you find what works for you.



  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
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    If it's early in the morning I go fasted. I'm just not hungry in the mornings.

    I do make sure I ate well the day before, I hydrate beforehand and I bring a couple of homemade protein bars with me.

    Then I'll enjoy a big breakfast afterwards. 😋
  • FL_Hiker
    FL_Hiker Posts: 919 Member
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    Thank you all again for your great suggestions!i did my 12 miles this morning fasted with just a gu in the middle and it worked perfect. Never had a gu before though lol, chocolate syrup in the middle of a run is not as appetizing as it sounds but it did the trick and my tummy was fine ! 😊
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    FL_Hiker wrote: »
    Thank you all again for your great suggestions!i did my 12 miles this morning fasted with just a gu in the middle and it worked perfect. Never had a gu before though lol, chocolate syrup in the middle of a run is not as appetizing as it sounds but it did the trick and my tummy was fine ! 😊

    Salted caramel GU is amazing!
  • Dessilicious
    Dessilicious Posts: 12 Member
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    What works for me is breakfast 3 hours before a race, and rice with honey fits me best.
    An hour or 30mins before, I have a protein/energy bar. No fruit because fiber. No oats either, on race day they always give me issues. I can have them before regular long runs though.

    Good luck!
    I'm running a 22k tomorrow. Yay!
  • FL_Hiker
    FL_Hiker Posts: 919 Member
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    Dessilicious wrote: »
    What works for me is breakfast 3 hours before a race, and rice with honey fits me best.
    An hour or 30mins before, I have a protein/energy bar. No fruit because fiber. No oats either, on race day they always give me issues. I can have them before regular long runs though.

    Good luck!
    I'm running a 22k tomorrow. Yay!

    Good luck and have fun!!!
  • BecMarty14
    BecMarty14 Posts: 351 Member
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    I personally make sure to have 0 chocolate for two days before a race.
    Otherwise, it's a wonderful experiment. You will become ever more of an expert as you listen to your body and grow that mind - body connection.

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