Nothing new, solely tried and true–that’s the mantra runners observe relating to deciding what to eat the morning of and through their race. However determining what “tried and true” is for you will be unexpectedly difficult. Use the following pointers throughout your coaching that can assist you decide what works finest on your physique, so your hopes for a brand new PB don’t get dashed by mid-race abdomen cramps.
Use a journal
Write down what you ate earlier than (and through, in the event you’re coaching for an extended race) your run, together with notes about the way you felt through the run. Did your abdomen really feel unsettled, or was it easy crusing? Did you are feeling energetic, or such as you have been dragging your ft? (Remember that if the climate is unexpectedly heat, that might gradual you down considerably and have an effect on your vitality stage, which can be unrelated to your fuelling.)
Plan forward
Determine what you’re going to eat earlier than your run, and ensure you have every part it’s essential put together it. If potential, make your pre-run meal the night time earlier than, so it’s straightforward to seize within the morning, or at the least,assemble your components, so it’s fast and straightforward to make. That is particularly necessary in the event you’ve obtained an early morning run on the calendar. Saving a while on meals prep permits you to loosen up a bit earlier than you head out, which might enhance your digestion and enable you to really feel higher throughout your run.
Begin small
It’s necessary to gas earlier than a run that’s longer than 60 minutes, but when that is your first time coaching for an extended race and also you’re not used to consuming earlier than you run, begin with one thing small, like crackers or half a banana. As you proceed to practise pre-run fuelling, your abdomen will develop into extra accustomed to it. Attempt to eat at the least an hour earlier than your warmup.
Check in your straightforward day
Lengthy runs are the proper time to check new meals or fuelling methods; so are restoration runs. Keep away from experimenting with something new earlier than a key exercise.
Know what you want
Most runners ought to eat about 50-60 grams of carbohydrate earlier than a future to prime up their glycogen shops. A cup of cooked oatmeal with a banana will put you proper across the 50-60 mark, so will a few slices of toast topped with jam or honey.
Bear in mind, completely different meals work for various runners, so simply because one thing works on your operating buddy doesn’t imply it’ll give you the results you want, too. At all times take the time to check out new meals forward of time, and put together upfront to ensure you have what you want on race day.
