Pre-competition meal that doesn't retaliate

The pre-race meal is the last nutritional input before a long event. If done well, it replenishes liver glycogen, keeps blood glucose stable for the initial hours, and avoids stomach issues during the event. If done poorly, it can destroy weeks of preparation. This article discusses an evidence-based approach to planning a pre-race meal for ultrarunners.

Physiology of the Pre-Race Meal

During sleep, liver glycogen is depleted due to the brain's continuous need for glucose. After eight hours of sleep, liver glycogen stores can be 50 to 80 percent depleted, even if muscle glycogen has remained intact due to carbohydrate loading. The main purpose of the pre-race meal is to restore liver glycogen and stabilize blood glucose before the start.

Muscle glycogen does not significantly change from a single meal. If carbohydrate loading has been done correctly in the 36 to 48 hours before the race, muscle stores are already at their maximum, and one meal will not increase them further.

Timing

The best window for a pre-race meal is two to four hours before the start of the race. This timing allows the stomach to largely empty before the onset of high-intensity running, allows blood glucose to stabilize after the post-meal insulin response, and leaves time to address any unexpected stomach problems.

Eating within an hour before the race significantly increases the risk of stomach issues. If the race starts early and the two to four-hour window forces you to wake up at 3 AM, a smaller meal closer to the start is better than a full meal too close to the start. If you have less than two hours, consume one to two grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight in an easily digestible form, adjusting the amount to the time available.

Composition

The pre-race meal should be high in carbohydrates, low in fat, low in fiber, lower in protein than usual, and familiar.

Aim for one to four grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight, depending on timing and individual tolerance. A 70 kg runner with three hours before the start can consume 200 to 280 grams in this meal.

Fat slows gastric emptying. A high-fat pre-race meal can mean that food is still in your stomach when the race begins. Keep fat under 15 grams.

Fiber increases bowel fullness and motility. In the wrong direction at the wrong time, it causes race-day stomach issues. Avoid fibrous vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and bran in the last twelve hours.

Protein requires more digestive work than carbohydrates and does not contribute acutely to energy intake. Keep it moderate – under 20 or 25 grams.

The most important criterion is familiarity. Any food you eat before a race should be something you have eaten multiple times before long training runs. New foods introduce unpredictable variables.

Practical Options

Oatmeal with honey and banana is easily digestible, familiar, high in carbohydrates, and low in fiber and fat if the oats are rolled oats and not steel-cut. White rice with a small amount of salt is extremely low-residue, high in carbohydrates, and practically fat-free and fiber-free. White toast with jam or honey is quickly absorbed and low in fiber. Banana with plain rice crackers is portable, familiar, and a low-risk choice.

Avoid eggs, avocado, high-fat dairy products, bacon, high-fiber muesli, raw vegetables, and high-fat pastries.

Coffee and Caffeine

Caffeine before a race is backed by strong performance-enhancing evidence. The pre-race window is an appropriate time for caffeine consumption for athletes who are accustomed to it.

Coffee, specifically, stimulates bowel movements in many runners. Allow sufficient time for this response before the start of the race. Consuming coffee two to three hours before the start, rather than thirty minutes before, allows the bowel response to pass before running begins.

Pre-Race Hydration

Start race morning already hydrated. Consume five to seven milliliters of fluid per kilogram of body weight in the four hours before the start. For a 70 kg runner, this is 350 to 490 milliliters – about one or two glasses of water – sipped steadily rather than drunk all at once. Avoid large quantities just before the start. Too much fluid in the stomach at the start increases sloshing and stomach discomfort in the first few kilometers.

Summary

The pre-race meal is not where performance is built – that work is done in training. But it can ruin a performance if handled incorrectly. Keep it simple, familiar, high in carbohydrates, and low in fat and fiber. Eat two to four hours before the start. Hydrate steadily. Save experiments for training.

References

Burke LM, Hawley JA, Wong SHS, Jeukendrup AE. (2011). Carbohydrates for training and competition. Journal of Sports Sciences. 29(Suppl 1), S17–S27.

Hargreaves M, Hawley JA, Jeukendrup A. (2004). Pre-exercise carbohydrate and fat ingestion: effects on metabolism and performance. Journal of Sports Sciences. 22(1), 31–38.

Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: nutrition and athletic performance. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 116(3), 501–528.