By Karim Damji, CSCS, CSUN Dietetic Intern Cohort 2019-2020 

Whether you signed up for your first 5k, a marathon, or an obstacle course, the key to enjoying race day lies in your preparation. The time between the moment you register your name, and the moment you start the race, is an opportunity to gradually build up your endurance and speed. However, it also presents an opportunity to apply practical nutrition strategies that will help you optimize your performance in your race. 

There are many different nutritional strategies for training. These strategies play an important role in sustaining a successful training program. However, it is easy to overthink this process. Remember the goal of your workouts: to improve. While there are many different strategies around timing of nutrients, consider that it is difficult to improve your speed or endurance if you are too hungry to enjoy your workout. On the other hand, it is also difficult to feel comfortable during a run immediately after stuffing your face with a bread bowl of clam chowder. 

So what does balance look like? The amount of fuel you take in before a workout depends on when you workout. Ideal meal timing is a factor that varies considerably from person to person. Athletes who train at high intensities, in extreme heat, or who are prone to nausea or decreased appetite around workouts, should allow at least a 3-4 hour window between a meal and a competition.¹ On the other hand, if you find yourself getting distracted because you are hungry, or find yourself feeling weak and tired during your workouts, you may want to eat as soon as 30 minutes before your workout. If you eat within an hour of your workout, a light snack like a piece of fruit should help. However, if you eat 3 to 4 hours before a workout, you’ll likely benefit from having a whole meal.²  

Now that you know when to eat, you’re likely wondering what you should eat. Once again, this varies from person to person. For example, if you are prone to gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort during workouts, you may want to avoid extra spicy foods pre-workout. Go with what you tolerate well. If you are having an entire meal hours ahead of your workout, you can enjoy a balanced meal with some extra carbohydrates to fuel your working muscles. However, less than 25% of the calories in your meal should come from fat, as this can cause GI symptoms and may slow digestion.¹ Think of this as a satisfying breakfast – oatmeal with milk and fruit. On the other hand, if you are working out shortly after eating, then a piece of fruit or half a bagel should be enough to fuel you.  

The Actual Event 

The days leading up to your event may be the most enjoyable days of your experience. You have already optimized your speed and endurance, and now you can shift your focus to rest. As you taper the intensity of your workouts, your new focus is on approaching the race well rested, hydrated, and nourished.  

While hard workouts in the training period may leave you drained, the days before your event should focus on recovery and preparation. One method of preparation you may have heard about is carbohydrate loading — a method in which runners can fuel their muscle’s glycogen stores with carbohydrate intakes up to 8 grams/kg of bodyweight per day.¹ While this has shown benefit in some athletes, individual tolerance may vary. Before stuffing your face the day before your competition, it’s worth experimenting with carbohydrate loading in your training sessions. This way, you can learn what your body is able to tolerate.  

Whether you are counting the grams of carbohydrates, or playing it by ear, the same principles apply. Show up feeling well rested and well fueled. 

Resources

For more information on sports nutrition and recipes geared towards athletes, check out the Sports Nutrition Quick Guide (https://www.csun.edu/sites/default/files/Sports-Nutrition-Quick-Guide_0.pdf) and Athlete’s Cookbook (https://www.csun.edu/sites/default/files/Athlete-Cookbook.pdf) written by the Nutrition and Food Experts at CSUN.

References: 

1. Mahan LK, Raymon JL. Krause’s Food & The Nutrition Care Process. 14th ed. Elsevier; 2016. 
2. Haff G, Triplett T. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 4th Edition. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2016;48(10):2073. doi:10.1249/mss.0000000000001081