First Race - Advice Please (Read 614 times)

Hopefully more of the seasoned runners will chime in, but based on my limited experience (couple 5ks, one half marathon and one marathon), here is my advice. As to what to eat and when. I ate a peanut butter and honey sandwich about an hr to 45 mins prior to both HM & Marathon. Provides good energy and settles in the stomach, no problem. I also drank about 20 oz of gatorade at the same time. This gives enough time for one last "pit-stop" before the race. I've also heard pop-tarts and bagles are good pre-race eats. On all the races i've ran, the water/hydration stops are very abundant compared to what I was used to in training, so my recommendation is to not carry any water with you. Water stops were about every mile and a half to two miles apart, or about every 15 - 20 mins which was about right. Good luck with your race!!

Congrats on getting yourself prepared for your first race. For a race of this distance, its not necessary to load up on food, either the evening before or the morning of. In fact, you are better off eating less than more. Your body has more than enough stored energy to complete the run without need for carb-loading or anything similar. Have a small, light meal the evening before the race. If you like, have a very small breakfast .. something all carbs like oatmeal, dry toast or a bagel. Some people have an energy bar. Avoid fats and protein because they take longer to digest. Try to eat no closer than 2 hours before the race. If you normally drink coffee or tea in the morning, then go ahead, but don't over-indulge on caffeine either. I don't know the setup of your race, but as long as there are water tables every 1-1.5 miles, you should be fine. If you don't know about the frequency of the water tables, then bring a bottle of water. You can ask about the water details at the race, and if you don't need the bottle, then leave it behind. Finally, remember to start out at a comfortable pace. Its very easy to get caught up in the nerves, adrenaline and crowd. If you go out too fast, the second half of your race will not be fun. However, if you keep to your pace, then you will have the energy to finish strong.

I think several have posted good advice here. If the race is in the morning, I would eat an early, simple breakfast: maybe something like a bagel with butter or cream cheese and some juice. For me, I have found that for five-mile races I need to limit my fluid intake and, especially, make sure that I don't drink anything after downing a cup of juice or tea two hours prior to the start. Otherwise, I'm looking for shrubs instead of running the race! Great job in running through adversity. I admire anyone who runs, especially someone who is overcoming a significant obstacle. Good luck, and have fun!

Did you just tell her to have a good dump?

Did you just tell her to have a good dump?

Something along those lines.... it is essential to get rid of weight that might slow you down. Take it easy and put on the sunscreen.

An hour before racing, I usually drink a pint (16oz) of water about and have a small bowl of high fiber cereral.

I'm not too sure about the "high fiber" cereal, that might cause you some discomfort. Go with a banana, bagel, something like that.