For some strange reason, I’m committed to running in a 5K race in a few weeks. Back in my college days, this sort of thing was no problem for me as I was generally very active phycially and didn’t have to train, and I could still finish in the top 10% of a 5K. But now I sit at a desk during most of my waking hours and I have to think about ways, other than scheduling time to run and get into shape, to fair well in this upcoming race. Really, it shouldn’t matter how fast I run, as long as I can finish and not have to go to a hospital when I’m done. But my competitive side wants me to win the whole gosh darn race and be famous for a few minutes when I am recognized as a world-class athelete.
So anyway, I’m looking for some advise on what I should eat on race day that will give me that competitive edge. And I’m not talking about drugs or anything of that sort. The race is at about 7:00pm. What I’m wondering is if it is better to eat, say steak for breakfast and lunch. Or maybe I should just drink Powerade instead of solids. Are carbohydrates in pasta good or bad before a race? What about good ol’ Wheaties? Should I snack during the day?
What do the Teeming Millions have to say to help me in this matter? I must taste victory!
I hate to sound snotty, but we’re talking about a 5k here (3.1 miles), not a marathon. I’d just make sure I was well hydrated and didn’t eat anything too strange the day of the race. It’s your training leading up to the race that will determine 99% of your results. Diet on race day isn’t going to make that much difference unless you’re an elite athlete at the peak of training fitness.
The short answer is … there is no food you can eat that will give you a significant competetive advantage during your 5k, though there are many foodie ways you can balls up your race - such as eating 18 doughnuts on the start line.
Steak would be a pretty useless choice as a fuel for (long distance) running. Carbs are generally good - Wheaties, Pasta, fine. However, in a 5k race, running out of glycogen ain’t a concern; you’ll only be using 300kcal or so!
Basically, you should feel ‘comfortable’ and well-hydrated at the start. It’s best to toe the line with a stomach tending toward empty - so, avoid eating within a coupla hours of the race. For a 5k, there is absolutely no need to tweak the diet. Certainly don’t start experimenting with new and exciting foods on race day, after all, your stomach may find them exciting in unexpected ways…
yeah, John is right…the race will be over in a half hour. I’d stay away from anything heavy or fried…maybe oatmeal a couple of hours before hand.
If you want to try a drug, caffeine is often consumed by distance athletes. In a nutshell, it increases lung capacity and makes you use more fat for energy…which means lactic acid is not the byprodcut of the energy being used.
Old cross-country saying: “Anything you eat on race day should taste good going down, taste good coming back up, and look good laying on the sidewalk.” In other words, nothing, or close to it. This generally isn’t a problem for morning races, but since yours is at 7:00pm, eat light meals throughout the day. Try not to have a lot in your stomach at race time.
If it’s an open entry road race, there will very likely be people there who run 10 minute miles (or more). The winner will cross the finish line long before a half hour, but not the final person, at which time the race will be over.
You’d expect the winner to come in around 13-15 minutes.