The ULTIMATE pre-race breakfast?

Hey guys, whilst injured something that's really interested me is sports nutrition and I've been learning all about it. A few gaps in my knowledge though.

I understand glycogen, glucose, high GI/low GI etc, simple and complex carbs... to an extent. So how do I translate this into the ultimate pre-race breakfast has been on my mind for ages. I run mainly 10k races, sometimes half marathons. Before my injury (undiagnosed long-term shin pain which is currently being treated), I didn't tend to fuss too much about what I had, usually bananas and malt loaf.

So, if I need to replenish my glycogen stores quickly, but also have a complex carbohydrate so I have a supply of energy rather than a short boost, I was thinking of porridge with honey, so that you get a mix of both simple and complex sugars. I usually have peanut butter in it when I have it too, so that it lowers the GI and stops it giving too much of a sudden boost. I usually wake about 2.5 hours before a race, and with my bananas and malt loaf I never really had a problem with digestion.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone explain this whole system to me in more detail?

Thanks in advance...

Running Rodent wrote (see)

The answer to every running breakfast question is always porridge. Porridge, porridge, porridge. Try it with agave syrup if you want to lower the GI.

Absolutely right! 

I love porridge! Rather keen on peanut butter too. But mixed together?? NEVER!!!!!

Have you had it made with milk?  Make sure you put a little salt in, too.

Then in the bowl add more milk (or cream ), and either honey, maple syrup, golden syrup, strawberry jam, or whatever takes your fancy.  I like a little sprinkle of brown sugar 

Cinders - its a subtle taste but best enjoyed naturally, no sugar, salt or anything else. Just oats with 50/50 milk and water. Yummy! I most enjoy mine though made with oat milk, even more porridgey!

Peter Everitt wrote (see)

I love porridge! Rather keen on peanut butter too. But mixed together?? NEVER!!!!!

Mrs Diamonds introduced me to the delight of peanut butter in porridge recently: It's....alright.

My preference though is 50/50 milk/water; no sugar but dried mixed fruit and sunflower seeds; maybe a little bit of marmalade stirred in.

it  needs honey in it.......

cinders .the solution to the problem of when it starts to get cold........is imple.eat it whilst its hot.don't take so long eating it

I'd happily have any kind of wholegrain cereal, so long as it's not too high in fibre.  You might have to experiment according to your own tolerances but for me that generally means avoiding bran flakes and All-Bran but other than that anything will do really - porridge, Shreddies, Shredded Wheat, toast and jam...

Sussex Runner (NLR) wrote (see)

You don't need anything for breakfast if you are racing a 10k. You body should have more than enough calories stored to get through 6 miles and a bit.

Also, this is kind of true - the energy demands for a 10k aren't great, so it's not really worth sweating the details beyond making sure whatever you eat doesn't upset your tummy.  I usually do my weekend training runs unfuelled these days, but I do like to get some brekky in before a race, but only because it's usually a good few hours between waking up and getting to the start line.

2 bananas. Every time. 5K to IM.

Though I was the most impressed by Cake's large bacon butty half an hour before kick off!

Porridge is fit only for putting up wallpaper.

It's a 10K not an ultramarathon. Have your usual breakfast a few hours before the off. The breakfast that you usually have, that you know doesn't upset your stomach or repeat on you during the race.

It's only a 10K and the calorie demands are not enough to warrant a special nutrition strategy.

I have two of those instant porridge pots - you just add boiling water and stir - before a marathon, if I am having to stay away from home pre-race. I presume, though, that they are just porridge, milk powder, and some sweetener or other: might experiment making my own.

*Edited * Just googled it, and someone suggests blitzing ordinary porridge oats in a blender with powdered milk and some sugar. Sounds plausible.

Porridge with cinnamon, banana and maybe a touch of fruit syrup. Or can do the same with wetabix and hot milk. Very comforting stuff! 

2 slices of hovis seed sensation with peanutbutter,honey and chopped banana on top!superb!