Suggestions for the day

Bananas are the best food!

Green ones contain lots of starch, which is good for slow release energy, so eat them well before the race. Bananas with brown are riper, the starch has turned to complex sugar, these are better for recovery straight after the race.

Morning Event
Try to eat a breakfast at least 2 hours before you race to give it time to digest.

It is important to have something to eat as it starts your body up, and also replaces the energy used overnight when you were sleeping.

Toast or cereals are probably best, or cereal bars. Avoid fatty or acidic foods such as cooked breakfast or yoghourt.

Try to drink at least a large bottle of energy drink between waking up and the start.

Afternoon Event

In many ways this is more difficult as the question is how much lunch to have?

A large breakfast may be too early, and lunch wont have time to digest, which may cause discomfort or a stitch.

The best bet is to have light snacks with high carbohydrate content, such as pasta, cereal bars, jam sandwiches. More examples can be found on the City of Sunderland ASC website.

Avoid chips and/or bacon butties before racing. By all means have them after the race, but they can make you sick if you try to bike or run! The high fat and protein content make them difficult to digest so they sit in your stomach.

Keep drinking energy drinks. If the weather is hot these should be ISOTONIC, as these replace sodium lost by sweat and may prevent cramp. If its not hot any type of energy drink will do.

Avoid fizzy drinks or milky drinks before the race whenever it is. They are likely to make you sick!

If you find something which works stick with it! Do not experiment on race day!

More

 

 Drinks
 

Types of Energy drink

ISOTONIC

These have a composition which is designed to be absorbed quickly and includes salts to replace those lost by sweating as well as complex sugars for progressive energy replacement

Examples are Isostar, Lucozade (Still)

ENERGY

These contain complex sugars (partially hydrolysed starch) in order to gradually release sugars into the blood and maintain energy levels

Examples are Hi5 Energy, PSP 22

RECOVERY

These are more sugary to replace energy and/ or high protein to aid recovery and repair muscle damage.

Examples are Rego, although a milk shake is possibly as good as an option

Try the drink first in training, not on race day!!!!!

Some people find that some drinks make them feel sick, however there are so many types and flavours there will be one to suit you buy a small sample first.

WATER

Apparently it is possible to drink concentrated water!

However, it has recently been found that you can drink too much! Water is fine in moderation, however, if its very hot or the race is very long it is safer to have an isotonic drink.

REMEMBER TO STERILISE DRINK BOTTLES REGULARLY AND THROW AWAY ANY UNUSED DRINKS WHICH HAVE BEEN AROUND ALL DAY. That is unless you like being sick.

COFFEE/TEA

Generally fine, however watch out for the milk, and drinking too much which can make you "hyper".


Bad Stomachs

A tip is that if you have a runny tummy before racing, assuming your parents allow it, to have a dose of loperimide (such as Immodium) 30 mins before the race. This slows down your intestines and may help you. This is not 100% but has been recommended to runners.

 

More Information on nutrition

Dictionary of Terms