Pre Race planning.

shels4ever

Hi All,
Just wondered what you usually do for early morning races, Its been a long time since i've done a race in the AM. I'm running this Sat and the early start is going to be a bit new to me.
The last few months all races I've done bar one have been at 7 pm is. The one early run i got it way wrong and eat to close to the race.

I usually find 3-4 hours before I would eat , but this may mean a 6 am start on Sat for a feed, then jsut something small 1.5 hours before ie banana ..

Anyone got a good suggestion for the morning, Not planning on running any crazy times but enjoy planning of my race day.

Woddle

Hey shels, I'm sure a few will disagree with me, but for the 3 morning races this year and all my Sunday long runs, I actually have my breakfast at 11:00 the night before just as I'm going to bed, I also bring up a pint of water and drink it through the night and in the morning when I wake I drink another pint and then sip on some lucozade just till before the race,
It works for me, I like running with no possibilities of number 2 problems.
After the race I eat what thee hell I like and get happily drunk as currently off the beer except for post race days.
Beware not everybody can go without food for that long but it was always a habit I was in so I find it easy.

bo-sco

I always get up three hours before and have fruit and a large bowl of porridge which I'll have finished by the time it's two and a half hours before the start. Works a charm for me anyway.

shels4ever

I am thinking of a large is dinner the night before and then porridge at 6:30 , & AM on Sat.
I dont think i can eat with a feed the night before, i've given up the late night eating and seem to be all the better for it.

geoff29

i don't eat anything! I wake up about an hour before kick off, jump in the car - usually arrive just when the start is on... I never warm up either.

daymobrew

I feel strange saying that I'll be having my 3 Weetabix and cup of tea at around 8:30-8:45, only 75-90 mins before the 5 mile race. Works for me.

I think it's all about what works for you.

hawkwing

For the 1000 races i get up at 630 an reheat a pasta bolgnese from the previous day,have 2 bananas then about 830 and some club or lucozade.have a fear of hunger and energy loss towards the end and this seems to do the trick as my 2nd half is always better, but i'm still WAY off the pace:(

Racing Flat

daymobrew wrote: »

I think it's all about what works for you.

+1

For me, ideal prep is lots of brown rice and vegetarian chilli the night before, maybe a bit of fish as well and water. Off to bed early enough if possible (ideally 10pm, but 12 is probably more realistic). Porridge and banana at around 7.30am, pint of water, back to bed for hour, then head down to the park. Sip away at water or energy drink between breakfast and race, but careful not to overdo it. Don't want to feel too full, so won't eat/drink too much. About half hour before start do 15-20mins very easy jog to warm up. Change into Racing Flats:) do 3-4 more mins jogging with a few sets of 20-30m strides quite fast just to get the legs ready. Line up. Race. Warm down. Gorge myself on food. I do this for all races up to half marathon. For marathon I proabbly wouldn't do any warm up, because 1 race pace isn't that fast ie isn't that much of a shock to the system, 2 I want to save every last bit of energy, 3 usually have to queue up and hold my place beforehand anyway.

Edit - forgot secret PB ingredient!!! Sprinkle mixture of sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and raisins over the porridge to add a bit of protein to the complex carbohydrate - improves it's energy giving capacities for want of a more knowledgeable description as well as taste. Also porridge is water based, less likely to irritate stomach than dairy/milk made porridge.

shels4ever

Thats one part of my diet i need to improve on, more seeds. i'd say porridge is the best too, iv'e switched to that about 2 week ago and feel great .