What should you eat before a race? And afterwards? Are oats good before training? What should you make for recovery? What should your hydration strategy be?
Hey, runner.
If you have asked yourself these or similar questions, this post is for you.
And if you haven’t, and all you want is to bound around the hills like a mountain goat when you train… it is for you too.
As we grow older, we lose that wonderful, instinctive ability to question things: to avoid taking them for granted or simply accepting what we are told. That desire to know. That need to understand. That curiosity about why things happen.
We know you enjoy running. Shaving off tenths. Crossing the finish line. Giving every interval your all.
The key to improving is not simply being told what, when, how or how much to eat. The key is understanding why.
It is about understanding how your body works. So here are clear answers to some classic questions we runners ask ourselves.
Which carbohydrates should you eat before a race?
Creamy, liquid or blended foods can be a good option because they may be easy to digest, helping nutrients reach the intestine for absorption so energy is available when you need it.
Digestion increases blood flow to the digestive system. A large meal close to exercise can cause discomfort, so allow enough time to digest and find what works for you.
That is why smooth cereal porridges can be useful for getting carbohydrates, a key fuel for your runs.
Immediately before a race, it may help to limit high-fibre carbohydrate foods, since fibre can be harder to tolerate. Complex carbohydrates are not all high in fibre: white rice and pasta also contain starch.
Do I need to eat pasta in the days before a race?
A question we hear a lot.
Pasta, rice and other grains (wheat, oats, rye, maize, millet, barley, bulgur, spelt…) are rich in carbohydrates.
Digestible carbohydrates supply glucose, some of which is stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. On race day, having well-stocked muscle glycogen stores matters: they provide energy, the fuel your body needs to keep going.
Glycogen stores play a fundamental role when preparing for a longer race. We cannot rely solely on the glucose we consume during the race in bars or gels, because intestinal absorption has a limit. It cannot absorb an unlimited amount.
How should you hydrate for a race?
Your body’s water is distributed both outside and inside its cells.
Drinking water before a race contributes to hydration, but fluid distribution, including intracellular hydration, takes time. When you lose extracellular water through sweat and urine, water can move between compartments to help maintain balance.
This matters because intracellular water provides the environment for the chemical processes that keep your cells, organs and muscles working. Dehydration can undermine even good training, nutrition and rest.
Dehydration can affect performance, so pay attention to hydration before, during and after training, while avoiding drinking beyond your needs.
Should I lose weight to run?
It helps to look beyond body weight to body composition: body-fat percentage and muscle-mass percentage.
You may not have lost weight yet still have improved your performance.
Why?
Because you may have gained muscle mass, which also contributes to your weight.
Depending on your starting point, reducing excess fat and maintaining muscle may help. A lower total load means less force for joints to support, but weight loss is not necessary or appropriate for every runner.
What should you eat after running?
You need to replace what your body has used and repair what training has stressed. If you do not recover well over the next 24 hours after training or competition, your body will feel it sooner or later.
Recovering well is the best way to prepare for your next session.
Foods rich in protein (meat, fish, eggs…) support muscle repair. Salmon, nuts, olive oil and avocado provide fatty acids that contribute to a balanced recovery diet and normal inflammatory regulation; they do not guarantee prevention of a sports injury.
Alongside fat and protein, rehydrate with water, obtain vitamins from your diet and eat carbohydrate-rich foods (pasta, rice, quinoa, wheat, oats…) to replenish your glycogen stores.
Should I take supplements after a race?
Use supplementation as a tool that can sometimes make life easier, with an appropriate plan.
Sometimes sports supplements can help, but they should have a clear purpose rather than being used automatically throughout the season.
4 options for post-race recovery
A good post-race meal can include healthy fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and, of course, protein. Protein can come from animal foods (meat, fish, eggs, dairy) or plant foods such as pulses or seitan:
- Wholemeal toast with Serrano ham and olive oil
- Salmon and mozzarella sandwich
- Smoothie bowl with whipped fresh cheese, strawberries, banana, coconut, protein powder and chia
- Cottage cheese with apple and walnuts
All these recipes are available in the INDYA app. If you add a meal after training, your assigned sports nutritionist will take it into account and choose a recipe suited to your recovery needs and energy expenditure.
Take a look at our plans if you want to transform your sports performance and prepare for your next race. Our nutritionists are runners and will help you design the eating plan your body needs.
