What to eat before a race?

[Deleted User]

I am running a half marathon this Sunday = any tips on food to eat beforehand to improve performance?

[Deleted User]

Nothing to heavy and something your used to. Personally I go for toast and honey washed down with a cup of tea.

Scrambled eggs on toast is meant to be a good one but I find that hard to stomach first thing in the morning.

[Deleted User]

On race day itself an easily digestible carbohydrate snack a couple of hours beforehand (my usual is a bagel with honey and a banana, a handful of jelly babies and a mug of tea or coffee).

[Deleted User]

Sorens Malt loaf...

toast and honey...

[Deleted User]

don't try anything you haven't tried in training is a pretty good maxim.
generally speaking it's not nearly as significant as for a marathon but that doesn't mean you go mad the day before and booze it up!:-)
if you are looking to improve performance, and really i think you mean help your performance as improvement comes with training,then slow release sugars are best.these are found in:
rye bread
yoghurt(unsweetened)
wholegrains
legumes including kidney beans,lentils and chickpeas
apples
all raw root vegetables.
this can also be balanced out by some moderate release sugars which include:
dried fruits
brown rice
pasta
bagels
the quick release sugars which include sweets and chocolates,baked potatoes,french bread,white rice will provide a sugar release but deplete the body's energy reserves very speedily leaving you feeling even more tired than before.
it might take some getting used to but the benefits in long races are great.

Tmap

I eat 6 toasts the night before, then 4 toasts about 3-4 hours before, with a cup of strong coffee, then a whole pack of Lucozade tablets less than half an hour before, washed down with a bottle of lucozade. After much experimentation that's what seems to do it for me.

Having said that, one of my best, most effortless runs was the morning after a cheese fondue washed down with a fair bit of wine.

[Deleted User]

Porridge for breakfast.

With a snack about half hour before (energy bar or banana)

[Deleted User]

porridge.. nana.. golden syrup.

everytime.

Unknown

Porridge, every time. and a banana about 45 minutes b4 the start.
Good luck!

Tmap

Porridge is the food of Beelzebub.

Toast, with butter and jam. Mmmmmm...

(hungry now)

[Deleted User]

Thanks a lot guys!!

All the great advice I can get!

Naomi

[Deleted User]

Scrambled egg on toast

[Deleted User]

Oh my god, suprised about the amount of food runners eat! I try to avoid to eat too much only keeps the stomach busy. The more lbs you have to carry around the slower you get. I started using CHO powder recently. Seems to work great, only posted PB's so far.

Calf

Carefull trying anything new!

My father tried honey on toast before a marathon a few years back after someone had suggested how good it was.
His slowest time, and had to knock on peoples doors to ask if he could use the toilet, trap 2 problems!