Ah, race days – what you’ve been working for all training season! You know you want a good breakfast to fuel your performance, but what exactly does that mean? Find out how to put together your best race day breakfast with these four tips…
1. Don’t try anything new on race day.
This is the cardinal rule of racing (for all aspects, not just your fuel), and for good reason. New foods may not settle well in your stomach causing gastrointestinal upset, or might have a different nutritional profile that doesn’t provide adequate carbohydrate to fuel your body. Practice with several options during training to find out what works best for you, and use that on race day.
2. Choose meals rich in carbohydrate with a little protein as well.
You’ll want only small amounts of fat in your meal (it takes longer to digest) and minimal fiber. A few suggested options that tend to work well for runners & triathletes:
- Cereal with milk and a sliced banana
- Oatmeal with fruit
- Bagel with a little peanut butter {I’m a bagel girl myself!}
- Peanut butter, honey, and banana sandwich
- Quinoa or rice with 1 to 2 poached eggs
The specific amount you should eat depends on your body weight and how far in advance you’re eating, with larger portions of the carb-rich items needed if you’re eating several hours out and smaller portions if you’re eating closer to the start time.
3. Eat 1-4 hours before your event.
The best time will vary based on your individual preferences. Some people prefer eating a larger meal several hours before training/racing, and having more time to digest. Others prefer a smaller but still adequate meal about an hour before. And others will eat several hours before the race, and then top off their energy stores with another snack 60 minutes before the start. I personally think the 1-2 hour window tends to work best for the majority of people I’ve worked with. But again, practice during training to figure out your optimal race-day strategy.
4. Give grains another thought.
For everyday eating, I recommend choosing whole grains over refined grains – whole wheat bread compared to white bread, for example. Before a long training session or race, though, you may find that a refined grain like a plain white bagel sits better in your stomach. Whole grains have a higher fiber content. That, combined with the fact that physical activity aids in moving along digestion, might have you rushing for a porta potty mid-race. By practicing with different options during training, you’ll know what works best for you. Some people with “regular” digestive systems prefer whole grains because they know they’ll have a predictable bathroom break before the race begins. Others with a less predictable system may not want to take the risk of having a fiber-full stomach during the race.
Share with me: What’s your favorite race day breakfast?
Chrissy Carroll
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Great tips! I hadn’t thought about not having whole grains before a race but I do OK with PB toast or a Kashi waffle with PB. I usually bring PB crackers or a granola bar to eat at the race venue about 1/2 hour before the race if I have to get there early.
It’s so individualized. I know some people that eat whole grains no prob, and others that need the white products before. All about finding what works for you!
The longest races that I’ve raced are half marathons, and sprint triathlons, and about 2-3 hrs before I almost always have a green smoothie in morning when I wake up (spinach, almond milk, scoop of almond butter, and typically pinapple/mango/banana with cinnamon, ginger fresh, and fresh turmeric and water). and about 30-60 mins before, if i feel the need, i’ll have a few bites of banana (but rarely feel the need). Not sure this will work for longer races, but it works for the 1-2:30 hr ones (FYI, i have a similar green smoothie every morning- but vary the greens and frozen fruits daily)
That sounds like a delish pre-race option! And you’re getting some healthy carbs in the fruit plus some protein in the almond butter. Great idea! For a longer race, some people might need to eat a little more total beforehand, but sports nutrition is totally an individual thing. 🙂