Good Carb Loading

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jason7
jason7 Posts: 20
in Food and Nutrition
Hi Guys,

The mini-triathalon training is going well. But, I realized that the season is almost here and I have one question. Does anyone know of a good breakfast to have the day of the race. I was thinking peanut butter, banana, a few noodles, pancakes (withouyt syrup) topped with fruit. Does anybody have any other suggestions? I'm looking for enough fuel to compete for 1 hour and 30 minutes at full throttle. Any help would be great.

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  • jason7
    jason7 Posts: 20
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    Hi Guys,

    The mini-triathalon training is going well. But, I realized that the season is almost here and I have one question. Does anyone know of a good breakfast to have the day of the race. I was thinking peanut butter, banana, a few noodles, pancakes (withouyt syrup) topped with fruit. Does anybody have any other suggestions? I'm looking for enough fuel to compete for 1 hour and 30 minutes at full throttle. Any help would be great.
  • lizburnsyb
    lizburnsyb Posts: 52
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    Do they provide any sustenance along the way (e.g those jelly beans or gel stuff that provide quick energy)? I'm running a half-marathon on Saturday and I know they will have packets of those at various places. Before races I tend to eat a spoonful of peanut butter and a banana--anything more upsets my tummy along the way. Eat pasta and lean protein the night before. The last thing you want is to be in the race with an upset tummy. If it's your first race-type event, I suggest taking an anti-acid before too. The stress of competition can be a lot for even the digestive system to handle.

    Good luck! I've always wanted to do a triathalon!!
  • icupfunny2000
    icupfunny2000 Posts: 470 Member
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    My mom used to tell me chedder cheese is super good for energy too high in potassium and protein..... but im not a marathon runner im just going by what my mom told me lol
    j~
  • kak1018
    kak1018 Posts: 183 Member
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    Whenever I have a race I make a point to eat pasta for dinner the evening before the event and a hearty bowl of oatmeal loaded with banana's, walnuts, and raisins race day. It gives me tons of energy.

    Good luck!!!
  • rheston
    rheston Posts: 638
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    This is a very important question but not that difficult to answer. I'm not a nutritionist but when I had knees to run with I learned that no one menu is a perfect fit for all athletes, but there are some general rules that everyone can use as a guideline during the final 24 hours leading to your race. The biggest job is hydration. Losing as little as 1 percent of your body weight in fluid can decrease your performance by up to 10 %. A priority should be to start your race day with fluid reserves at full capacity.

    There's no one size fits all meal plan that works for everyone but sticking with a plan that works for you is important once you close in on those last 24 hours. Steer clear of foods that are slow to empty from your stomach like those that are high in fat, high in fiber, or other processed meals. Your last meal should be about 12 hours before the race begins.

    The morning of your race is the big debate I've watched over the years and that's water vs solids for breakfast. More and more athletes are leaning towards a liquid diet on race morning as the calories are more easily digested and you are also aiding in hydration. Timing is less critical with a liquid meal as it will empty from your stomach much quicker than a solid meal with a similar nutrient breakdown. On the other hand if you’ve determined through training that your system prefers and can tolerate solid foods before your event, be sure this meal is finished at least two hours before your start time. Using a 7 a.m. start time would mean your last bite should finish by 5 a.m. In those final two hours before your event, it’s important that you keep your hydration capped. Keep drinking watered down sports drinks right up until the gun goes off.

    You need to be experimenting now with foods that work well with you and add them to your intake about an hour before you start each training day to determine which will provide you the best fuel to sustain you throughout your effort.

    I don't want to be specific because then I might get blamed for suggesting something that won't work for you when you counted on it. Try some of these suggestions and I believe you'll have the best solution for you on race day and you'll kick butt.

    Bob
  • areay
    areay Posts: 463
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    I've done a long marathon (1 mile swim, 26 mile bike, and 6 mile run). Two days before I make sure that I really ate my carbs, then ate a smaller version of it the day before. My mom took me out to an awesome italian restaurant. For breakfast I had a protein bar and a peanut butter sandwhich. Throughout the race I had two gel packs and some sports beans.
    Just make sure the week before you are hydrating yourself throughout the day, it will help with the race day. You won't have to drink as much water in the morning and be water logged. I hope that this helps a little bit.
  • jason7
    jason7 Posts: 20
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    Thanks guys. That is real good advice. I agree with the hydration until the start of the race. My breakfast is pretty close to your suggestions. I like the raisens idea as well. I will carry two packs of "GU" with me and will use them on the bike and running.

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