Nutrition remains a major challenge, difficult to pin down for athletes. It's a fairly empirical field where you try things without really knowing and without being able to easily measure the consequences. Yet its impact on performance and wellbeing is enormous! So here are some basic tips on what to eat before and after a running race, whatever the distance.
The first phase involves eating slightly more carbohydrates than usual. The simplest way to do this is to consume starchy foods. You'll find them in cereals (rice, wheat, wholemeal pasta, wholemeal bread, etc.) or
legumes (lentils, chickpeas, etc.).
The idea isn't to eat only these foods, but starchy foods should make up the majority of your diet during this phase — without going overboard.
In the last 3 days before the event, avoid all fats and alcohol. Add lean proteins to your starchy foods — such as certain fish, chicken, grilled meat (without sauce) and some vegetables. The key is to slightly reduce your overall intake and eat a little less than in the preceding days. Finally, the evening before your race, if you're about to take on a fairly long endurance event, don't hesitate to eat a good portion of pasta. If your distance is shorter, this intake can be reduced.
The key takeaway is that you shouldn't eat a heavy breakfast just before heading out. The longer your race, the earlier you should eat to avoid a digestion peak during your effort. Ideally, leave two hours between breakfast and your race start.
For the menu itself, strike a balance between fluids (avoiding dairy), cereals (not too sugary), fruit and — why not — some protein. Sugar intake can be covered by eating one or two pieces of fruit. Sports cakes are also great foods to eat before the start and can replace your breakfast (but try them before an important event to make sure they agree with you).
Hydration is a major key: you can drink still water or sparkling mineral water (which helps eliminate acidity from the body). It's of course fine to enjoy a beer or two or a glass of wine — just don't overdo it.
Overall, while feeling like you're recharging your batteries and treating yourself, you need to be sensible about your food intake after a race. In particular, don't stuff yourself before bed — instead, aim for a good meal the following lunchtime.
Finally, as with all nutritional advice, both before and after a race you should aim for a healthy, balanced diet. Varying your foods is essential: it prevents major imbalances and monotony. The body also adapts quickly to certain inputs — when they're constant, a dependency effect sets in quickly and can be hard to break!
What to eat during the preparation phase before a race?
A race requires preparation over several weeks in advance — both for the physical training itself and for nutrition. Before an event, you should enter "diet monitoring mode" during the two weeks leading up to race day. This is important to help your body understand the habits it's adopting and adjust to a new dietary pattern without experiencing a shock. It goes without saying that this will need to be adapted to the nature of your race. A 5-kilometre race will require far less nutritional preparation than a half marathon!
The first phase involves eating slightly more carbohydrates than usual. The simplest way to do this is to consume starchy foods. You'll find them in cereals (rice, wheat, wholemeal pasta, wholemeal bread, etc.) or
legumes (lentils, chickpeas, etc.).
The idea isn't to eat only these foods, but starchy foods should make up the majority of your diet during this phase — without going overboard.
In the last 3 days before the event, avoid all fats and alcohol. Add lean proteins to your starchy foods — such as certain fish, chicken, grilled meat (without sauce) and some vegetables. The key is to slightly reduce your overall intake and eat a little less than in the preceding days. Finally, the evening before your race, if you're about to take on a fairly long endurance event, don't hesitate to eat a good portion of pasta. If your distance is shorter, this intake can be reduced.
What should you eat on the morning before the start of a running race?
The key takeaway is that you shouldn't eat a heavy breakfast just before heading out. The longer your race, the earlier you should eat to avoid a digestion peak during your effort. Ideally, leave two hours between breakfast and your race start.
For the menu itself, strike a balance between fluids (avoiding dairy), cereals (not too sugary), fruit and — why not — some protein. Sugar intake can be covered by eating one or two pieces of fruit. Sports cakes are also great foods to eat before the start and can replace your breakfast (but try them before an important event to make sure 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's perfectly fine — within limits. Otherwise you risk undoing all the health benefits of your race. Focus on 3 essential inputs after a race: fluid intake and carbohydrate and protein intake. Proteins will aid muscle recovery and help prevent muscle soreness. If you enjoy meat, now is the time — go for it. Carbohydrate intake will replenish your body's energy levels. That said, don't throw yourself at pastries or sugary bars — a small fruit-based dessert will be perfect alongside some starchy foods 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's of course fine to enjoy a beer or two or a glass of wine — just don't overdo it.
Overall, while feeling like you're recharging your batteries and treating yourself, you need to be sensible about your food intake after a race. In particular, don't stuff yourself before bed — instead, aim for a good meal the following lunchtime.
Finally, as with all nutritional advice, both before and after a race you should aim for a healthy, balanced diet. Varying your foods is essential: it prevents major imbalances and monotony. The body also adapts quickly to certain inputs — when they're constant, a dependency effect sets in quickly and can be hard to break!
