FITNESS@LUNCH

By Megan Smith

Hours and hours of intense training go into your preparation for your
big event. When the final day arrives you want to be on top of your
game. You want to feel like you’ve done every possible thing to
facilitate peak performance. One key element to performing your best
on race day is your pre-race nutrition. Eating the right, or wrong
foods for that matter, can make a big difference in the way you
perform.

Night Before
Two to three days before you race, as you begin to taper your
activity, you want to increase your carbohydrate consumption. Of the
three macronutrients that food are made up of, fat, protein, and
carbohydrates, Carbohydrates will be the best form of energy for you.
Carb-loading helps to increase your muscle glycogen stores. Foods such
as breads, pastas, and fruits are high in carbohydrates and are best.
You should avoid high fiber foods such as, vegetables, beans, and
bran-filled grains the day before to lighten the bowel load. The day
before the race you should consume 10 grams of carbohydrates per
kilogram of your bodyweight. (1 kg = 2.2 lbs). Since you should be
basically resting the few days before your event your body doesn’t
need as much protein for muscle repair.

Morning Of
Ideally, you should eat two to four hours before your big event,
allowing proper time for digestion. With most races beginning in the
wee hours of the morning this can be difficult. Getting up early
enough to allow proper time for digestion might take away from sleep
time, which is equally as important. This is where you need to find
the balance that works for you. Your pre-race meal should be about
300-500 calories, with 80% of your calories coming from carbohydrates.
Your goal should be to eat enough to give you adequate energy for your
race, but not make you feel uncomfortable as you are racing. Avoid
foods that are high in fiber, protein, and fat. Choose foods and
drinks that are easily digested, and easily consumed. Some good
options are Bagels; primarily made up of carbohydrates, topped with a
low fat cream cheese or eaten plain. Bananas; containing more than 20
grams of carbohydrates, they are easily digested and contain potassium
which is lost in sweat while you work out vigorously. Energy bars such
as Powerbars and Clif bars are made specifically to be a pre-race
food. Be careful here to avoid the bars high in protein. Most of them
are low in carbohydrates, and will not have the same advantageous
effect on your body. Oatmeal is another great pre-race meal. It is
made up primarily of carbohydrates, is easily digested, and will help
you feel full. Another key factor is to make sure you’re adequately
hydrated. Beginning hydrated will help you to maintain a proper fluid
balance throughout your race.

The most important thing to remember here is to stick to what you
know. The morning of your big race is not the time to try out new
eating regimens you’ve heard work wonders. The time to figure out what
is going to work best for your body is when you’re in training. Find
the foods that your body digests well, and that give you sufficient
energy. Putting the time into making sure your pre-race meal is
satisfactory will be well worth your while, and can give you the boost
necessary to ensure top performance!