eating before race.

Above sounds fine, but what is the distance of the race? I imagine its 5k or 5 miles - in which case just eat normally, 4 or 5 and light would be ideal.

good luck.

Sounds sensible. I would avoid heavy foods - like proteins, fat and fibre. They can make you feel heavy and give stomach issues. Something nice and light at about four sounds like a good plan - fruit, white bread, white pasta that sort of thing. Remember to drink plenty of water up to about an hour before the race.

Good luck!

I am running a half marathon tomorrow afternoon starting at 18:00. Makes it a bit tricky to eat properly and of course I will be more tired after a day's work than I would have been had the run been at a weekend.

I plan to eat healthily at lunch with salat and rye bread and then a light mid afternoon snack.

ope the race went well Tony

Hi all, eating before a race or training session can be very tricky and the timing of that meal is crucial. Your bodies’ choice of fuel during exercise is carbohydrate so foods like pasta, rice, bread, potato are likely to pop into your head first. However, as you probably already know you wouldn't want to have a bowl of pasta too close to the start of you run!

• 3-4 hours before a run foods with a low glycemic index are advised – apples, pears, carrots, peas, pasta, muesli, fruit loaf.
• 1-2 hours before medium glycemic index food are advised – bananas, apricots, sweetcorn, muffins, crumpets, rice, cous cous, raisins.
• Less than an hour before your run high glycemic index food are advised – bagels, weetabix, coco pops, corn flakes, jelly beans, energy bars, sports drinks.

Glycemic index refers to how food affects our blood sugar levels, therefore how quickly the food is absorbed.

Remember that everyone’s digestive systems are different so what works for your friends might not work for you, never try anything new before a race and practice makes perfect. The following breakfast for athlete’s factsheet will provide you with some additional information.

I also noticed that SP13 mentioned drinking plenty of fluids in the build up to your run which is great advice. Ensuring that you are hydrated before your race will put you at a great advantage. If you start your race dehydrated then your heart rate and core temperature will be increased, which will cause your performance to decline. The easiest way to monitor your hydration status is through monitoring the colour of your urine:

You should be aiming for your urine to be pale/clear during the build up to your run. I hope this isn't invading anyones privacy!

soulmate – that’s an interesting comment about the colour of your urine. I was unaware of this. How did you find that out? I have heard of certain foods can affect the colour of your urine. A high concentration of vitamin c, betacarotene or B-vitamins in your body can cause you to excrete the excess in your urine. Foods such as oranges, carrots, cantaloupe melons or asparagus can cause your urine to be yellow in colour.