Breakfast of Champions

As I prepare for my 8k tomorrow, I'm preparing my race gear and facing down the age-old question of runners everywhere: what to eat? Most veteran runners have figured out their perfect pre-race meal, but newer runners often struggle with figuring out a filling (but not too much) and quick meal that won't make a reappearance of any kind during the race itself. We've all been there, right?

I'm experienced enough with shorter-distance races that I know what I can and should eat before a race. 5k breakfasts take almost no thought. I have a banana and part of a protein bar, plus a cup of coffee to get things moving along, intestinally-speaking. K and I call this our race breakfast tradition. I try to eat all this about an hour before the race. But as I only have one Half and a 10k under my belt when it comes to long-distance races, I'm sometimes still not sure what to eat.

Before a long-run, I have about half a protein bar. But that's a slow, easy run. So what's a good go-to for race-day foods?

If you have time to cook, eggs in a basket are good for race days.

The rule of thumb is to have enough protein to keep you full, and to eat your carbs the day before. Those carbs shouldn't be too full of fiber; we all know how our stomachs tend to react to the nerves and adrenaline of a race, and fiber can really make a mess, to say the least. This is a good time to actually eat your white pasta and white bread.

This article breaks down foods to eat or avoid depending on how much digestion time you're giving yourself, but for some reason there aren't many breakfast foods listed. Since most of my races are in the morning, this isn't really that helpful, especially now that I'm a morning runner. (Who knew I'd ever call myself that?)

While I have pretty much stuck to my banana-and-protein-bar combo, I've also had success with two egg whites (no cheese). Peanut butter toast is great, too, and oatmeal is a solid bet as well. (I really love eggs before a race, but cooking takes prep time, and I'm rushed enough as it is. Back to the drawing board.)

Eating more than an hour before a race allows for bigger meals.

Foods to avoid include high-fiber fruits or vegetables, anything with a ton of dairy, and nothing. The first is kind of obvious, as I've already touched on that. Dairy can be heavy, and depending on your tolerance for it, it can really cause stomach issues you didn't realize you'd be facing. I'm very tolerant of dairy, but if I have too much over a week, suddenly my body rebels. The morning of a race is not the time to spin that roulette wheel and hope my intestines aren't going to just decide to hate on the milk I've poured on my cereal.

Case in point, M ran a race with K and me last spring after drinking a protein shake. The weight of the shake, plus the dairy, left him feeling sluggish, over-full, and completely nauseated. He could hardly keep up a jog toward the end, and it was only a 5k.

Eating nothing before a race can be detrimental. You're more likely to push through your race strong, with energy to spare, if you eat something before getting to the starting line. I don't mind being hungry suddenly halfway into a race, but I hate starting a race feeling starved. There's a perfect balance I strive for.

Finding the perfect breakfast combination can be annoying; it's pretty much trial-and-error. The most important tip I can offer is to test new foods during training so that you're ready on race day. Eat, digest, run at race pace, and really monitor how you feel.

What are some foods you've been successful with? What were some bad choices that led to sticky situations? Be brave; share!

ABK

Lovers Key Turtle Trot 5k

May's 5k was a little different than the last two I've done. Not only did I not really "train up" for it, but I knew going in I'd enjoy it for another reason. The Turtle Trot takes a route through a beautiful state park, over leaf-shaded trails, and ends at the beach. I decided not to aim for a PR. The purpose of this race was to remind myself that races are fun. It also helped remove the mental block inflicted by the past couple weeks' worth of setbacks.

Case in point: I almost purposely overslept for this one, because of my self-doubt.

M and I met K at 7:30 for packet pickup. She has about 7 1/2 weeks left on her pregnancy, and is seriously a superhero. I had to laugh at all the incredulous looks and questions she received. "Did you run today?!" Why yes, yes she did. My running buddy is unstoppable!

Anyway, I've never run a trail race before, and the last time I ran a trail was while camping two years ago. This was the main reason I decided not to stress about my time. The race started in a parking lot, went over some soft sand, and then into a shaded area where the trails are mostly packed sand, some shell, and some dirt/grass. I did turn my ankle a few times on some soft shoulders (nothing serious), and the biggest problem was that slower runners were difficult to get around because of the narrow and tree-lined trail.

Can I just mention that I think races should email, along with your signup receipt, some basic race etiquette reminders? Like: If you're running intervals, plan to walk, have a slower pace, or are pushing a stroller, start in the back of the group. Also, if you're running in pairs or keep a slower pace, be considerate to those trying to pass you - move over. I never start right at the line because my pace is barely under 10:00! I know people will overtake me, and I don't want to be a nuisance. This is common courtesy.

The race included a few small bridges (did I mention this state park is a beach park?), which I actually killed! I don't have a lot of hills to practice on, but for some reason I always seem to be able to pick up my pace on short bridges, and that's where I do a lot of my passing. The humidity took a bit of a toll and left me wishing I'd worn a Breathe Right strip. M, K, and I all ran separately, but I caught up with M at the end and we finished the last 1.5k together. The day was very sunny and warm, and the last half mile wasn't shaded, so that was brutal. Longest last km of a race EVER. But we ended on the beach and didn't do too badly.

K, me, and M at the end! Nice beach view!

My final stats were consistent with how I usually do. I seem to always fall just inside the first half of finishers for all categories. (Although here I just missed that by 5 people in the "overall" section.)

Time: 30:35 (Very pleased with this. I wasn't aiming for a specific goal, and the run was so beautiful, I was in no rush. This is consistent with my daily running pace.)

Ranking: 74/200 women, 198/386 overall, 13/28 in my age group.

Pace: 9:51

Now to look up some IT band stretches, because although my feet and legs mostly feel great, my right knee is giving me trouble as usual. I'm so glad for this race...and only a week and a half left of the school year! Summer brings a new goal: learn to become a morning runner. Florida heat in the evenings - even when totally dark out - is killing me!

ABK