The key to a good strong race or workout is what you eat. Have you ever wondered what to eat the day before a race? Have you ever eaten 20 minutes before a race and then realized that it was incredibly painful to race? Check out the helpful charts below to find out what and when to eat before your next race or workout!
1. The Afternoon Interval Workout, what to eat...what to eat...
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| MEAL 1: | MEAL 2: | Things to Stay Away From: |
| turkey or chicken sandwich | pretzels | pizza |
| a bagel | crackers | meats |
| a cup of lowfat yogurt | a banana & orange | dairy products |
| a cup of light soup | milk | greasy foods |
2. First thing in the morning, first event, what to do...what to do?Ok, you're going to a big meet, the bus is leaving at 7:00am and your race is at 9:00am, what are you going to eat? So you say to yourself, "Ok, I can either skip breakfast or I can scarf a cereal bar on the bus!" WRONG!! The best thing for you to do is get up around 6:00 and eat one of the meals planned out below. Doing this will give you enough time to digest the food and will give you the energy that you need to compete well in your race.
Here are some combinations that you might try:
| BREAKFAST | MEAL 1: | MEAL 2: |
| TIME: 6am | a bagel | bowl of cereal |
| toast | toast | |
| fruit juice | fruit juice | |
| a banana | a banana | |
3. The all-day invite, but your race isn't until 2:00pm blues...That's right, it's another one of those infamous all-day meets where you sit around all day cheering your teammates on while you wait for your late-day race. You ask yourself what you should eat and when you should eat it, but you are confused by what everyone has been telling you. Well, be confused no more, here are the proven facts!
| PLAN 1 | ||
| DINNER-- night before | BREAKFAST | 3.5 hours before race |
| pasta with tomato sauce | cereal | a turkey sandwich |
| tossed salad | orange juice | fruit |
| dinner rolls | fruit | a sports drink |
| Plenty of fluids | yogurt |
| PLAN 2 | ||
| DINNER-- night before | BREAKFAST | 2 hours before race |
| pasta with tomato sauce | cereal | plain bagel |
| tossed salad | orange juice | some dry cereal |
| dinner rolls | fruit | a sports drink |
| Plenty of fluids | yogurt |
4. You've been placed in THREE events at ONE meet..."GULP!"Your coaches have decided to run you in three events at the state meet because they feel that you can get some points for the team. So what this means for you is that you have to plan ahead and eat right so that you will have enough energy to make it through the 1600m at 10:00am, the 800m at 1:00pm and the 4 x 800m relay at 4:30pm. Again, DON'T PANIC!! Follow the simple eating plan below and you will be set for the challenges the day has instore for you!
| BREAKFAST | Snacks-- after every event | On the ride home |
| cereal | 100-200 calorie snacks can include: | drink plenty of fluids |
| banana | energy bar | an energy bar |
| bagel | half of a bagel | more fruit |
| fruit juice | apple sauce | ANYTHING else you want!! |
And there you have it, four scenarios that you could potentially find yourself in SOLVED!! We advise that you visit this section often because it really covers all that you need to know about nutrition before a race. Now all that you have to do is focus on your running!
Mail to:
3049@thinkquest.org
Copyright Runner's Oasis, 1996.
Last updated: 8/15/1996
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