Pre-Race Nutrition

Almost every athlete completely blows the pre-race meal by eating too many calories in the critical 3-hour window before their race starts. Correct this mistake and you'll be way ahead of your competition before the race even starts.

Eating within 1-2 hours of race start promotes faster depletion of muscle glycogen and inhibits fat utilization. If your race is longer than 60-90 minutes, this combination of accelerated glycogen depletion and disruption of your primary long-distance fuel availability will devastate your performance. Pre-race fueling must be completed at 2.5-3 hours prior to the start to allow adequate time for insulin and blood glucose to normalize. 

Following these simple steps will give you the big advantage:

• Consume 200-400 calories three or more hours prior to the start
• Focus on complex carbs, starches, and a little protein
• Avoid high fiber, simple sugars, and high fat