# Pre-race meal



## carboneater (Mar 16, 2007)

I have always eaten 2 hours prior. Breakfast included 2 pancakes, 2 eggs and a 1/4 cup of oatmeal. After reading some info on the Hammer Nutrition site that suggests eating 3 hours prior, and only taking in 200-400 calories, I am confused. They also say don't get up REAL early just to eat. Instead fast until 10-15 minutes before the race, have a gel, and then start your normal fueling during the race. Whats worst, not getting extra sleep or not eating a good meal 3 hours prior? Give me some of your pre-race meals and procedures. Thanks!


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## NealH (May 2, 2004)

I think you should.....

just eat a good meal the night before so, it will have time to fully digest and max out the glycogen stores. Then, you don't need more than 200-400 calories in the morning because your system is loaded and, you can't process more than about 200 cal per hour anyway. 

Eat a big spaghetti dinner the night before the ride and, in the morning orange juice and a bannana. If you don't want to eat right then a gel or two before the start will help - or might help. 

As I said earlier, I think. I am not an expert so take this with the usual grain of salt.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

I do all of those- eat a good dinner the night before, wake up early and have as much breakfast as I can stand before the race, and fuel during the race. This is for long (5-7 hour) races. Shorter races are ok with just a normal breakfast. But I would never skip it. That sounds like a recipie for failure to me. Getting enough food is always a problem for me during a long race, and skipping breakfast would put me behind on my food intake before the start. 

However what works for me may not work for you and vice versa. Losing a couple hours sleep doesn't bother me at all, but missing a meal means bonking. Some people need sleep more and food less than I do.


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

I would NEVER eat that much before a race. Usually oatmeal or a similar hot cereal, milk, coffee (d'oh!), juice and or fruit, and that's about it. Maybe yogurt instead of milk. Then I'll drink something like Heed, G20, or Cliff shot sport drink on my drive to the race. But then, I just do crits and cross, and I'm fairly new to this, so there's the disclaimer.


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## Andrea138 (Mar 10, 2008)

Depends on when the race is and what type of race it is. 
If it's a road race, I'll go with my usual bowl of cereal/yogurt with some nuts & dried fruit plus something extra like half a peanut butter bagel (or 1/2 a peanut butter waffle if the hotel has a waffle-maker!). I'll also have a gel at the start line. 
If it's a crit (or other <1hr race), I'll just stick to the cereal and have a gel about 15-20 min before the race starts. 
For any race, if it's going to be more than 4 or 5 hours between breakfast & the race, I'll usually add a clif bar or something about 1.5 hours before.


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## moab63 (Aug 7, 2006)

*Dont think of calories, think more about*

grams of carbs for pound of body weight. Also you have to replenish your muscles days before. Depending on the duration of the event, the choices of (fuel) food will be different. Long rides(races) you will want slow energy release which means a slower glycemic index foods.

Is all about keep a constant level of blood sugar, in your system food, drinks, gels and so on will do that the combination you must figure out.

Never try anything for a race that you havent tried in training before you could be very sorry.:thumbsup:


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## trangkista (Aug 14, 2007)

30 minutes before the start I eat 2 pieces of whole wheat toast with butter and a little cinnamon sugar + a cup of strong coffee.

During the race - sports drinks, gels and fig newtons.


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## chuckice (Aug 25, 2004)

If start is before 9AM then just 2 Hammer Espresso gels.


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## Doctor Who (Feb 22, 2005)

Lately I've been having appetite issues and I don't get hungry until about 10 AM, even on race days. I train mostly in the morning, and since I'm a CXer, I train for intense, short efforts. I found that if I can get a banana, some coffee and maybe a bottle of strongly-mixed Heed into my stomach, then I'm good to go for late morning CX race or hard training ride of about 1.5-2 hours. 

I come home after doing workouts like that and I'm famished. So I eat.


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