Well, Melissa, since carbs are our main energy source for working muscles, your friends are on the right track. You should all be sure to eat plenty of carbs the night before, and again the morning of your race. Although you DO need carbs, the source of your carbohydrate intake is up to you. Too many runners think they MUST eat pasta, only to get sick of eating past halfway through their running career. Your pre-race dinner meal may consist of the typical “runner’s meal”: pasta with tomato sauce and bread, or a large baked potato with a small piece of chicken, a rice-based dish (such as risotto) or even pancakes with syrup and fruit, if your parents approve.
To fully fuel your muscles, you will also want to eat some carbs in the morning before your race.
If you only have an hour or so, you will want to stick to liquids/ sports drinks such as Gatorade; if you have 1-3 hours, you can eat real foods as tolerated. Try cereal and milk, a banana, toast with peanut butter or any other carb of your choice.By fueling up before your race, you can ensure you will be energized to run the best race you can! Good luck and fuel up!
Bio:
Lauren Antonucci, MS, RD, CSSD, CDE, CDN, is the founding director of
Nutrition Energy (www.nutritionenergy.com), a nutrition consulting
practice in NYC. She is a Registered Dietitian, certified as a
specialist in sports dietetics and is herself an athlete, having
completed 10 marathons and numerous triathlons, including three Ironman
triathlons. She is a nationally recognized nutrition and fitness expert
helping both youth and adult athletes reach their sports performance,
fitness and health goals for 10 years. Lauren is a member of the ING
NYC Marathon nutrition team, NYC Triathlon Medical Advisory Board,
Gatorade Sports Nutrition Network and often serves as a nutrition
expert for both print and television media.
