Pre-event Meals

by: AndreaDow
Total views: 1938
Word Count: 338

Carb loading before your half or full marathon or long bike ride? Well, you can certainly eat more than just spaghetti with sauce to prepare you for a race. Thanks to Tufts Health and Nutrition Letter (www.healthletter.tufts.edu), we can all follow some basic tips for best results.

Do not try any new foods the morning of your event. You do not want to risk your digestive system having a bad reaction to a new food. This includes nutrition bars or gels you have not experimented with during training.
Many people have trouble eating the morning before the event. If that is true for you, have a larger than usual snack the night before the race. Avoid eating too much before bed to assure a good night's sleep.
Eat carbohydrates the days leading up the race. Your body relies on available glucose which is stored in the muscle and available in the bloodstream.
Skip the donuts, cookies and other carbohydrate foods that are high in sugar and low in nutritional value. Make sure that partially hydrogenated oils are no where on the nutrition label, too.
Choose carbohydrates such as oatmeal (my favorite choice), whole grain toast, cereal, brown rice, low-fat granola or whole grain english muffin.
Avoid sugary foods like honey and candy.
People mistakenly think that high protein foods before a race are a good idea. Wait until after your event to consume a meal mixed with low fat, protein and carbohydrate rich foods. Take peanut butter and red meats off the pre-event meal list and replace them with lower protein sources like hummus and cottage cheese.
How much time do I need to digest?
3-4 hours for a large meal
2-3 hours for a smaller meal
1-2 hours for a liquid meal; half-hour for any type of snack (fruit, yogurt, piece of toast)

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