Pre/Post Race Nutrition

Often athletes experience stomach and intestinal distress during races. Watching your diet for 3 days before the race will often help alleviate this problem. Many foods contain a large volume of residue, including healthy options such as whole grains and nuts. These “high residue” foods fail to clear your intestinal tract resulting in distress during races. You should taper back on these foods prior to your races.

Pre-race Foods to AVOID Pre-race Foods to EAT Whole-grain toast Special K Oatmeal Milk, cheese, cottage Bran muffins Bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew, Raw vegetables Watermelon, peaches Fruits w/ skin (ex. Apples, plums) Pasta Legumes Shrimp Juices with pulp Juices with no pulp Tough Meat and Rib-B-Q Chicken Nuts and seeds Smooth peanut butter Caffeine White rice

Depending on when your race is scheduled, you need to plan your nutrition. For a morning race, eat 2 to 3 hours before your race time. Some suggestions include toast or a bagel with peanut butter, a ClifBar or PowerBar. Be sure to drink 8 to 10 oz. of water with your breakfast.

If your race is in the afternoon, eat a typical breakfast. For lunch try to eat an easily digested meal, like a chicken or turkey sandwich with a banana and 8 to 10 oz. of water. Bad lunch choices include Rib-b-que, Pizza, Buffalo Chicken, etc. plus the items listed in the table above.

Assuming a race start after 4:00 PM, eat ½ of a ClifBar or a PowerBar with 8 to 10 oz. of water about 1 to 1 ½ hours before the start of the race, if you are hungry.

After the race or workout and your cool down, you need to eat within 1 hour to spark rebuilding and recovery. Yogurt, fruit or a sandwich, with water are good choices. An excellent yogurt product is Kefir, by Lifeway (available at most grocery stores). Kefir contains probiotics (healthy bacteria) which boost your immune system and ease stomach issues. One cup of Kefir has as much muscle fueling protein as three egg whites and 30% of your daily calcium needs. \

Rehydration after a workout or race has been the topic of recent studies. They compared Powerade, cow’s milk, soy milk, Sustagen Sport. Milk-based drinks are more effective rehydration options compared with traditional sports drinks. The additional energy, protein, and sodium in a milk-based liquid meal supplement facilitate superior fluid recovery following exercise. Milk is recommended, chocolate milk is preferred. Both protein and probiotics have been shown to help althletes recover from workouts. An excellent post race/workout snack is Kefir layered with berries and low fat granola.

Bad choices after a race include cookies, crackers, chips and sodas. Your body wants to rebuild and these choices will delay the process. Eating properly after a workout or race will give you an advantage over anyone who does not eat properly.

There are no magic foods for runners, but there are certainly foods that will SABATOGE your hard work! Hydration

You should have a daily goal of at least 12 glasses of water, including a glass of water as soon as you get up in the morning. You can get water from many sources, such as fruits and vegetables, to get your 12 glasses.

There is an app for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad called “Absorb Water” ($1.99 on iTunes) which allows you to track all sources of fluid intake, and will calculate your level of hydration. It also includes a “Mellow Yellow” chart to monitor your urine color to be sure you are getting the necessary amount of water.