This coming Saturday, August 13th, I'll be running my first race. As a kid, I suffered from chronic asthma and would very quickly get winded just watching someone else run. Thankfully, I no longer sound like a donkey-duck hybrid when I run but it has been a struggle. As you know, I am somewhat obsessed with goals so about a year ago I decided that I would run a 5K.
Two weeks before the race, I over-worked my calves and couldn't run. But now I'm fully recovered, faster than I was and ready to go. Well, I'm almost ready: I still have to eat breakfast Saturday morning.
And, at the risk of being a nag, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
So I've been doing a considerable amount of research about how I should prepare for my race. My friends, here are my findings.
First off, let's address the issue of "carb loading." There is definite truth to the importance of carbohydrates for endurance athletes. Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of fuel, especially during the early phases of exercise when they provide 40 to 50 percent of your energy. Carbohydrates are broken down and turned into glucose, the fuel, and stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. So packing on the carbs makes sense, right? Within reason. If glucose is your fuel source then the muscles and liver where it is stored are your gas tank. Just like a real gas tank, they have a threshold. Remember that just because you aren't running a mile, doesn't mean your muscles aren't working. Your body is perpetually creating, storing and burning fuel. If you eat a healthy, balanced diet, you generally have enough fuel. On top of that, it takes a considerable amount of time, around 24 hours, for carbohydrates to be properly broken down and stored. This means that chowing down on a pound of pasta the morning before the race won't do me any good. Also, the typical running time for a 5K is somewhere around 30 minutes or less and the muscles really don't require excess amounts of carbs for anything less than 90 minutes of intense activity. I do not plan on my measly 3.1 miles taking anywhere near 90 minutes.
Another common practice is to eat extra sugar or honey before a race for a quick boost of energy. This is not a good idea. Excess water is used to move the sugar into your cells and athletes of any sort cannot risk dehydration. Also, all that extra sugar forces your body to respond with extra insulin which will then cause a sharp decrease in blood sugar levels. Running with low blood sugar will make you feel slower, dehydrated and nauseous. None of those are good experiences on race day.
That's a lot of "don'ts". Here are the "do's".
DO drink somewhere around 8 glasses of water before the event but no more than 30 minutes before you start running. Too much water too soon will slow you down, make you feel bloated and possibly lead to stomach cramps.
DO eat a small meal 3 to 4 hours before the event. This gives your body ample time to process everything, get it where it needs to be and settle your stomach. Eat a meal consisting of complex carbohydrates like bread, cold cereal, pasta, fruits and vegetables. Starches break down easily and are put to work quickly. Avoid sugars, caffeine and fats.
DO eat foods you enjoy and know that you tolerate well. There's undeniable value in eating food you like before you take part in an event. The importance of going into a race happy should not be ignored.
For example: My race begins at 9:30 so I will wake up at 6, pass on the coffee and begin drinking enormous amounts of water. I will then eat a giant bowl of rice with some egg white (no yolk to limit the amount of fat) and a piece of fruit.
That's it. A 5K is a relatively short endurance race and doesn't really require any special diet. Just eat a hearty breakfast of complex carbohydrates you enjoy and remember that race day is not the day to experiment with a new food or supplement. This article from Colorado State University is the source of most of my material here and is worth a read.
Enjoy your run!
