YOUR RACE DAY PLAN
What do you eat before a run ? When is the ideal time to drink and eat during your race ? Here ’ s what you need to know to fuel a good run as well as your recovery after you cross the finish line ! – BY CHRISTINE PETERS , REGISTERED DIETICIAN
If you ’ re looking to plan your perfect race-day eating plan , you need to understand that there are four main stages to your race day nutrition , and you need to focus on each stage in order to get your race day nutrition right .
1 . BEFORE THE RACE ( 2-3 HOURS )
If running a morning race , your meal shortly after waking up will be your last substantial meal before your race . This is your opportunity to top up the glycogen stores , which would have been partially depleted from your overnight fast . After eating , you should allow 1 to 3 hours for digestion before the start gun is fired .
Recommendation :
1 to 2g per kilogram of body weight ; Low in fat and fibre ; High carbs ; Moderate protein .
Ideal Meal / Snack :
Porridge or cereal with low-fat milk or yoghurt , and white toast with peanut butter or jam . Don ’ t forget to drink some water , diluted fruit juice , low-fat milk or your sports drink to top up fluids . If you lack an appetite in the morning , you can choose 500ml of carbohydrate drink and a sports or cereal bar .
2 . JUST BEFORE THE START
If your nerves allow , you should have another small and easily digested carbohydrate-based snack in the hour before you start , so grab a small banana , half a sports bar or some sports drink . Consuming a carbohydrate drink may prime the stomach and improve gastric emptying . This will give you a little push in the beginning stages of your run .
3 . DURING THE RACE
Start eating and drinking early in the run ( within 30 to 45 minutes ) and consume 30-60g low-fat and fibre carbohydrate each hour . During ultra-endurance events lasting more than 2½ to 3hours , you can consume up to 90g an hour . Remember , your race strategy should be well rehearsed before the actual race day , so practise it in training first .
Recommendation :
0.7g carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per hour OR 30 to 90g of carbohydrate per hour . The body can oxidise 1g of carb per minute . Start drinking early and continue drinking small amounts regularly . Combination carbohydrates increase oxidation ( glucose , fructose , sucrose and maltidextrin are recommended , but not large amounts of fructose because of gastrointestinal discomfort ). Drink to thirst : Draw on your experience of hydrating from your training and races , and be aware of the weather conditions – hot and humid weather increases sweat-loss , which means you might need to adjust your drinking patterns , being careful not to overhydrate . A very basic guideline is to drink between 500ml and 2 litres per hour . Try ingesting frequent small amounts of fluid ( 150-200ml ) every 15-20 minutes .
Ideal Meal / Snack :
Every 30-60min , try having 20-25g carbohydrates depending on size , intensity and duration : ½ sports bottle ( 375ml ) of carbohydrate drink ( 6-8 % carbohydrate solution ); 1 sports bar / cereal bar ; 200ml Coca-Cola ; 1 energy gel ; 4-5 jelly babies ; 1 large banana ; 4-5 baby potatoes ; 1 marmite sandwich ( 2 slices of white crustless bread ); 45g dried fruit .
4 . AFTER THE RACE
Refuelling assists with recovery and repairing muscle after exercise , and a good recovery snack or drink should consist of carbohydrate and protein to replenish muscle glycogen stores , fluid , energy and electrolytes .
Recommendation :
0.6-1.5g carb per kilogram of body weight during the first 30min , then again every 2 hours for 4-6 hours . This is especially important if another bout of exercise is to be done within the next 24 hours . Adequate fluid , electrolytes , energy and carbs ; Small , regular snacks ; Compact carb-rich foods ; 20-25g of high-quality protein .
Ideal Meal / Snack :
A sandwich with cold meat , tuna or cheese ; Low-fat flavoured milk ; Low-fat drinking yoghurt ; Fruit smoothie ( with low-fat milk or yoghurt as a base ); A handful of lean biltong with an energy bar .
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