Nutrition remains a major challenge, and a difficult one for athletes to get right. It is a fairly empirical field where you test things without really knowing, and without being able to easily measure the consequences. And yet its impact on performance and wellbeing is enormous! Here are some basic tips on what to eat before and after a run, whatever the distance.
What to eat during the preparation phase before a race?
A race requires preparation several weeks in advance — both for physical training itself and for nutrition.
Before an event, you should switch into "diet monitoring mode" during the two weeks leading up to race day. This is important to help your body understand the habits being formed and to adopt a new way of eating without suffering a shock. It goes without saying that this should be adjusted according to the nature of your race. A 5-kilometre race requires far less nutritional preparation than a half marathon!
A first phase involves eating slightly more carbohydrates than normal. The simplest way to do this is to consume starchy foods. You will find them in cereals (rice, wheat, wholemeal pasta, wholemeal bread, etc.) or in
legumes (lentils, chickpeas, etc.).
It is not about consuming only these, but starchy foods should make up the majority of your diet during this phase — without going to excess.
In the 3 days before the event, avoid all fat and alcohol. Add lean proteins to your starchy carbohydrate intake — such as certain fish, chicken or grilled meat (without sauce) — along with some vegetables. The key is to slightly reduce your overall intake and eat a little less than on previous days. Finally, the evening before your race, if you are preparing for a fairly long endurance event, don't hesitate to eat a good portion of pasta. If your mileage is shorter, this intake can be reduced.
What should you eat on the morning before the start of a run?
The key takeaway is that you should not eat a large breakfast right before heading out. The longer your race, the earlier you need to eat to avoid a digestion peak during your effort. Ideally, leave two hours between breakfast and your race start.
As for the menu, strike a balance between fluids (avoiding dairy), cereals (not too sugary), fruit and, why not, protein. Your sugar intake can come from eating one or two pieces of fruit. Sports cakes are also good foods to consume before the start and can replace your breakfast (but try them before an important event to see if they agree with you).
What to eat after a race?
Very often after a tough event, hunger kicks in and you want to treat yourself. That is of course allowed, but within reason. Otherwise you risk losing all the health benefits of your race.
Focus on 3 essential post-race intakes: fluids, carbohydrates and protein.
Protein promotes muscle recovery and helps prevent muscle soreness. If you enjoy meat, now is the time — go for it.
Carbohydrate intake will replenish your body's energy levels. That doesn't mean diving into pastries or sugary bars, but a small fruit-based dessert will be perfect alongside some starchy carbs like chips, for example.
Hydration is a major key: you can drink still water or sparkling mineral water (which helps eliminate acidity from the body). It is of course fine to treat yourself to one or two beers or a glass of wine, but without going overboard.
Overall, while enjoying the feeling of recharging your batteries and treating yourself, it is important to keep your food consumption in check after a race. In particular, don't stuff yourself before bed — opt instead for a good meal the following lunchtime.
Finally, as with all dietary advice, both before and after a race, aim for a healthy and balanced diet. Varying your foods is an essential key: it prevents major imbalances and a certain monotony. Your body also adapts quickly to certain intakes. When they are constant, a dependency effect sets in quickly and can be hard to shake!
