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Race day food?

yuroshek

Turbo Monkey
Jun 26, 2007
2,438
0
Arizona!
As we all know food is our fuel (I know some of you are gonna say beer is your fuel) so what are some of your favorite race day foods?

One of my favorites is peanut butter honey sandwich. What do you eat?
 

fred.r

Dwangus Bogans
May 9, 2006
842
0
I juice for race weekends. You guys might laugh but I'm kinda a non-processed kinda dude.
I make two juices. One for work, one for recovery.
Work: 3 beets, 6 apples (granny smith and pink lady), 4-6 carrots, left over celery, ginger root, and garlic. Beets aid in endurance, and ginger and garlic are kinda just give you some 'pep.'
This one is kinda changing all the time, but generally this is what I use. As long as I keep beets, ginger, and garlic. The rest can vary.
Recover: 2 cucumbers, 6 apples (GS and PL), 4 celery sticks.
This one is always the same.
Then I'm always drinking coconut water and regular water. I don't touch Gatorade or Redbull or any of that crap.
As far as food. Whole wheat pasta with veggie's and tomato sauce. And peanut butter, w/ banana and agave.
 

rockofullr

confused
Jun 11, 2009
7,342
924
East Bay, Cali
Banana!

Has always been a #1 pre-comp food for me ever since I was a little kid playing peewee football.

Won't make you slow like carbs and has lots of staying power, plus fights cramps.
 

Total Heckler

Beer and Bike Enthusiast
Apr 28, 2005
8,171
189
Santa Cruz, CA
I have a really bad race day menu. I pretty much eat whatever on race days. I am allergic to most fruits and vegetables, so my meals usually don't have any of those things.

Any suggestions for someone like me?
 

Tdiddy

Monkey
Apr 8, 2009
222
1
I think that if you are keeping proper nutrition on a regular basis that race day food shouldn't be important. A meal or two won't fix bad habits sustained throughout training. That being said, I would think eating to ensure recovery from practice the day before would be more important, so enough complex carbs, slow and fast absorbing proteins and sleep so that your muscles are well repaired and have the fuel come race day.
 

yopaulie

Monkey
Jun 4, 2009
165
7
NH
The night before is the most important...especially right after practice. I dont think race day matters much unless you are going off late in the day.

I like PB&J....go race...finish line...then direct to the beers!
 

fred.r

Dwangus Bogans
May 9, 2006
842
0
I think that if you are keeping proper nutrition on a regular basis that race day food shouldn't be important.
This...
I juice regularly. Only eat fish if I eat meat at all. Whole grain everything, etc...
 

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
I still tend to get race day butterflies a bit so try to keep it light.

String cheese stick, some fruit and a peanut butter bagel for breakfast; pack a sack with bananas, Peanut Toffee Buzz Clif Bar(s), PB&J sandwich, gatorade/powerade, then eat what of that collection I feel like that day.

Oh, and a Clif Shot chased with fluid 15 minutes before my run.
 

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,698
1,053
behind you with a snap pop
I eat on race day the same way I eat everyday.
All I eat is Fruit, vegetables, eggs, unprocessed meat, and nuts.
I started eating this way for a specific health reason as opposed to training, but I quickly saw the benefits of not eating all that carb garbage.
I do not eat any bread, pasta, grains, rice, sugar, processed foods, milk etc...
It works great for me and I feel better with more energy.
My go to pre ride food is natural peanut butter mixed in a bowl with honey, and two apples.
 

ricod

Chimp
Mar 23, 2010
20
0
Toronto
Try not to eat within 45 min of your run but you should have something just before then so that you have something to burn for energy. A little bit of carbs (maybe some whole grain toast w. peanut butter) and some simple sugar (fruits) will definitely be the best option.

Right after practice you should have some fast absorbing protein and that night lots of carbs and before bed a slow releasing protein, that'll hopefully help you to recover as much as possible

A day or two before races I start to ramp up my carb intake and I find myself with lots more disposable energy. As a wise aussie once said "pasta makes you fasta"...just be sure to bring your carb intake back down afterwards, bringing it down is the hardest part

oh, and STAY HYDRATED, that is just as important if not more so than anything you can be eating
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
sugar free red bull, 5 hour energy, sausage egg and cheese, and some Gu
Sugar Free red bull is the worst advice possible. It dehydrates you and if you take it too early (for some people it's not 5 hours it's 30-60mins energy) you will be on the downslope not the upslope. I tried it on a pedaly track and I wasn't far from tasting blood that day. Wanted to just lay down mid track and die.



But there is some good advice in this thread:
Stay Hydrated
Bananas
Some more complex carbs earlier.
 

TheTruth

Turbo Monkey
Jun 15, 2009
3,893
1
I'm waving. Can you see me now?
oatmeal with honey, hummus, veggies, fruits.

and shotguns of coors light or PBR
Oatmeal with hummus sounds repulsive. Is it one of those "don't knock it till you try it!" foods? It sounds like I'd rather knock it and not try it.

Anyway, I eat lobster and nutella for breakfast on race day. That or steel cut oats with fruit/egg whites with spinach and sriracha.
 

MetalMayhem

Chimp
May 17, 2008
64
0
east coast
I eat on race day the same way I eat everyday.
All I eat is Fruit, vegetables, eggs, unprocessed meat, and nuts.
I started eating this way for a specific health reason as opposed to training, but I quickly saw the benefits of not eating all that carb garbage.
I do not eat any bread, pasta, grains, rice, sugar, processed foods, milk etc...
It works great for me and I feel better with more energy.
My go to pre ride food is natural peanut butter mixed in a bowl with honey, and two apples.
+1 for paleo!


Agreed. I eat every 2-3 hours everyday to keep my metabolism steady. Race day is just another day.
Have to put in the counter argument for this...
http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html
 
Last edited:

frankthetank

Chimp
Feb 20, 2010
38
0
NY/NJ
As we all know food is our fuel (I know some of you are gonna say beer is your fuel) so what are some of your favorite race day foods?

One of my favorites is peanut butter honey sandwich. What do you eat?
same except I always add a banana ,extra nutrients and seems to be a little more substantial.
 

ricod

Chimp
Mar 23, 2010
20
0
Toronto
+1 for paleo!




Have to put in the counter argument for this...
http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html
Though this guy's website seems pretty legit and his theory well supported, eating constantly through the day helps in that you are eating more directly before and after workouts. By doing this, you are training your body to be able to work harder because your body has more fuel to do the job as opposed to being at risk of running out. Think of it as a formula one car with just enough fuel to make it around the track vs. one with a little bit extra, the one with more can be hard on the gas all the time but the other has to be conservative in order to finish
 

MetalMayhem

Chimp
May 17, 2008
64
0
east coast
I do not see your logic that eating THROUGHOUT THE DAY means eating more "directly before and after your workouts"? The linked program involves eating MAINLY before and after your workout. I do agree that the program may not carry over directly to endurance/cardio training seeing as it's mostly a bodybuilder site; however, I do not think that your argument for that is valid.
One main thing that "leangains" is pointing out is that the "2-3" hours between meals to "keep your metabolism going" is NOT a rule that you need to follow, and that missing meals or even purposefully skipping meals will not be bad for you at all. (And even beneficial.)
 

AlmostHeaven

Turbo Monkey
Jun 8, 2005
1,164
0
VIRGINIA
All I eat is Fruit, vegetables, eggs, unprocessed meat, and nuts.
I do not eat any bread, pasta, grains, rice, sugar, processed foods, milk etc...
I've always wished I could function optimally on that and eat healthier, but even being a skinny fvck myself, I don't know how you survive :eek:
 

ricod

Chimp
Mar 23, 2010
20
0
Toronto
Metal, you are right that my logic sort of seems flawed. But on a practice day you are working out continuously throughout the day. We are still talking about race weekends right?
my bad not mentioning that in my last post
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I do not see your logic that eating THROUGHOUT THE DAY means eating more "directly before and after your workouts"? The linked program involves eating MAINLY before and after your workout. I do agree that the program may not carry over directly to endurance/cardio training seeing as it's mostly a bodybuilder site; however, I do not think that your argument for that is valid.
One main thing that "leangains" is pointing out is that the "2-3" hours between meals to "keep your metabolism going" is NOT a rule that you need to follow, and that missing meals or even purposefully skipping meals will not be bad for you at all. (And even beneficial.)
He claims something different and I think you misunderstood his post a bit. I think its common knowledge now that the 3hour rule is bs and you can it less often but you wouldn't want to eat anything "heavy" on a race day and while you ride you burn quite a lot calories - hence you need to refuel and it's not like all the flies you eat mid run are enough. A good idea is a banana but energy for them is only good just now, not after time. I also eat bananas before heavy gym workouts and it helps not to get on the downslope during training.
 

BikerBoy28

Monkey
Jul 3, 2006
733
0
Bellingham, Wa
I have to force my self to eat food race day morning, butterflies make it almost impossible to eat anything. A small bowl of cereal and maybe a Clif bar and I'm done. Anyone else have this problem?
 

Tomasis

Monkey
Feb 26, 2003
681
0
Scotland
Try not to eat within 45 min of your run but you should have something just before then so that you have something to burn for energy. A little bit of carbs (maybe some whole grain toast w. peanut butter) and some simple sugar (fruits) will definitely be the best option.

Right after practice you should have some fast absorbing protein and that night lots of carbs and before bed a slow releasing protein, that'll hopefully help you to recover as much as possible

A day or two before races I start to ramp up my carb intake and I find myself with lots more disposable energy. As a wise aussie once said "pasta makes you fasta"...just be sure to bring your carb intake back down afterwards, bringing it down is the hardest part

oh, and STAY HYDRATED, that is just as important if not more so than anything you can be eating
that..


im not riding race but for active riding, i only eat carbs dipped in olive oil (lots). proteins is saved for after riding and non riding days.

to eat meat and ride aftewards would kill my stomach :shocked: also my skull when I get sloppy from digestion and met the tree :D
 

SuspectDevice

Turbo Monkey
Aug 23, 2002
4,157
359
Roanoke, VA
I eat on race day the same way I eat everyday.
All I eat is Fruit, vegetables, eggs, unprocessed meat, and nuts.
I started eating this way for a specific health reason as opposed to training, but I quickly saw the benefits of not eating all that carb garbage.
I do not eat any bread, pasta, grains, rice, sugar, processed foods, milk etc...
It works great for me and I feel better with more energy.
My go to pre ride food is natural peanut butter mixed in a bowl with honey, and two apples.
Dude- that sounds ****ing tasty.
 

MetalMayhem

Chimp
May 17, 2008
64
0
east coast
Metal, you are right that my logic sort of seems flawed. But on a practice day you are working out continuously throughout the day. We are still talking about race weekends right?
my bad not mentioning that in my last post
Yep sorry, I agree that eating smaller meals more frequently may be a better option when riding all day for race weekends since stopping to eat a big meal = less practice time. Race days are different, I was talking more in terms of average/training days.
 

yuroshek

Turbo Monkey
Jun 26, 2007
2,438
0
Arizona!
turned out to be a decent thread for once, picked up a few things here and there. Thanks for your input guys keep it going!
 

- seb

Turbo Monkey
Apr 10, 2002
2,924
1
UK
I'd love to be able to eat paleo as I completely believe in it, but I just love bread pasta and dairy too much :(