What to eat before a race?
You're in the starting blocks for your next race. One last thing to take care of: the pre-race meal. Here are some recommendations and meal suggestions to help you be in top shape.
What to eat 3 hours before a race?
The last meal before a race is important because it generally occurs in the morning, after 8 to 12 hours of fasting.
Muscle and liver glycogen reserves have decreased, as well as hydration levels.
It is therefore very important to eat easily digestible foods that will replenish glycogen stores and to regularly drink small amounts of water (one glass at a time, 150ml).
This last meal should ideally be consumed 3 hours before the start of the competition and contain foods with low to medium glycemic indexes.
What is the ideal meal before a race?
What to eat before a race that starts before 1 p.m.?
In this case, it will be a breakfast taken 3 hours before the start of the race, ideally composed as follows:
- Hot or cold drink: coffee, tea, mate, chicory.
- A Flapjack energy bar or oats, muesli, pancakes or homemade pancakes, bread + butter + honey / jam / agave or maple syrup or a energy cream Carbo Start (2 doses).
- Low-fat dairy, animal or vegetable.
- Cooked fruit, fruit compote or puree, very ripe bananas.
- Cooked or raw ham and/or hard cheese (Gruyère, Emmental, Beaufort, etc.) – optional
The different foods can be combined according to your desires.
A carbohydrate-rich, easily digestible energy cream to refuel before exercise.
Healthy, gluten-free ingredients! 90g breakable flapjack energy bar with oat flakes...
What to eat before a race that starts after 1 p.m.?
Since the start is early afternoon, you will start the day with breakfast (see point 1/ above). Three hours before the competition, you will eat the following meal:
- Lean meat, ham or lean fish.
- Cereals and/or non-wholemeal bread, potatoes or sweet potatoes.
- Dairy products (same as in the morning) or cheese.
- Cooked fruit, compote.
Avoid eating eggs as they take longer to digest.
What to eat before a race that starts after 6 p.m.?
For a late afternoon departure, you will have breakfast (see point 1/) and a midday meal (see point 2/). Finally, three hours before the competition, you will have the following snack:
- Drink: still water or Booster + energy drink diluted to half
- Flapjack energy bar, homemade pancakes/crepes, energy cream, gingerbread, rice pudding, porridge.
- Dairy (same in the morning)
A glycogen-boosting exercise drink . Isotonic, it contains amino acids (BCAAs),...
Healthy, gluten-free ingredients! 90g breakable flapjack energy bar with oat flakes...
Article written in collaboration with our dietitian-nutritionist
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