what to eat on race day
Question
Hey, I am running my first half marathon in two weeks. I have run the distance before but I am unsure what to eat prior to the race and if I should eat during.
Any advice?
Answer
I remember when I ran my first, the night before I ate pasta. The fact is, for any running event, you can never go wrong with pasta the night before.
If you want to eat anything else, this is what you shouldn't eat...NO FIBER(unless you want to be in the bathroom the whole race) LITTLE PROTEIN(also not good for your stomach, but you want some to run off after you have used all your carbs) NO FATTY STUFF(takes a long time to digest).
Most importantly, eat carbohydrates: bread, pasta, cereal, whatever is easy on your stomach, and you have eaten the night before a long run.
DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING ON RACE DAY.
DON'T CHANGE WHAT YOU EAT ON RACE DAY.
If you have eaten something during your long runs, then you may eat it during the race. However, if you haven't, DON'T. This is the biggest rule in running a race. Personally, I didn't eat anything (before any length of race). Whereas, I have a friend in cross country ( 3 miles) and she eats beans before her races. It is all about what you do/did in training. I think, If you were doing a longer race, (like I will be doing a marathon soon) then you would want to incorporate it into your runs, but if you are still training and want to, then it will be fine. Just...
DON'T DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT ON RACE DAY!!!
(Sorry about the boldness, but I have read a lot of stories about ruined races this way, and I have experienced it in a 10k.
Oh, and be careful with hydrating, don't drink 3 hours prior unless you are willing to use the potty during the race (for longer races it is advised, but I think if you hydrate A LOT the night before, you will be fine).
If you have any other questions, don't be afraid to ask.
Hope I helped! =)
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