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Timing is perhaps the most important consideration in pre-race meal planning. The ideal time for a pre-race meal is about four hours before the race, because it's early enough to digest and store a large amount of energy, yet late enough that this energy won't be used up by race time.
Many races start early in the morning, and since sleep is also important, it's often impossible to eat a full breakfast four hours before the horn sounds. That's okay. It's usually possible to eat at least two hours out. While you won't safely be able to eat as much this close to race time, you can still eat enough. If your category races later in the morning or afternoon, eating four hours before race time can be easier. The closer your pre-race meal falls to the race start, the smaller it must be. If you're able to eat four hours out, you can safely consume up to 1,000 calories. If you eat just two hours before the start, eat a smaller meal of 300 to 400 calories. |
