Nothing new, solely tried and true–that’s the mantra runners comply with in terms of 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 will help you decide what works greatest 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 case 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 clean crusing? Did you are feeling energetic, or such as you had been dragging your toes? (Take into account that if the climate is unexpectedly heat, that would gradual you down considerably and have an effect on your power degree, which can be unrelated to your fuelling.)
Plan forward
Resolve what you’re going to eat earlier than your run, and ensure you have all the pieces you have to put together it. If doable, make your pre-run meal the evening earlier than, so it’s simple to seize within the morning, or not less than,assemble your substances, so it’s fast and simple to make. That is particularly essential in case you’ve acquired an early morning run on the calendar. Saving a while on meals prep means that you can chill out a bit earlier than you head out, which might enhance your digestion and provide help to really feel higher throughout your run.
Begin small
It’s essential 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 not less than an hour earlier than your warmup.
Take a look at in your simple day
Lengthy runs are the right 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 long term to high 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, totally different meals work for various runners, so simply because one thing works on your working 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 prematurely to ensure you have what you want on race day.
