48. WHAT SHOULD I EAT ON RACE DAY? PRE AND DURING RACE NUTRITION BY JEFF ROTHSCHILD PhD

Photo by Georg Arthur Pflueger on Unsplash

Hi there!

After giving useful practical indications about optimal nutrition for different training sessions (Read More Here), I asked Jeff Rotschild PhD to give us practical guidelines for pre and during race nutrition for different races’ duration. You can find Jeff and the many interesting things he is working on his website.

Gabriele Gallo, PhD in Exercise and Sport Sciences

Founder of Knowledgeiswatt

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Jeff giving one of his presentations at a congress.

The right nutrition on race day can be the difference between hitting the wall and bringing out your best. Fueling properly ensures you have the energy to power through, maintain focus, and recover quickly.

Imagine your body as a high-performance engine. Without the right fuel, it won't run efficiently. Proper nutrition:

• Maximizes energy stores: Ensures your muscles (and liver) have enough glycogen (stored carbohydrate).

• Enhances endurance: Delays fatigue during long races.

• Aids recovery: Reduces muscle damage and speeds up healing post-race.

Let's dive into nutrition strategies for different race durations to help you perform at your peak. We’ll look at different types of races, and the context which should be considered to make the best choices.

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Short-Duration, High-Intensity Events (Under 1 Hour)

• Examples of Races: Time Trials, Track Cycling, Cyclocross

• Pre-Race Nutrition

  For short, intense efforts, muscles rely heavily on glycogen stores. Very short events (~30 min or less) will not be glycogen-limited but depending on diet and activities over the prior 24 h (e.g., hard training or racing), performance in events closer to 1 h may become limited by glycogen availability.

  • 12-24 Hours Before Race Time:

    Increase carbohydrate intake to support glycogen storage. A full ‘carb-load’ probably isn’t necessary but aiming for 5–8 g carbohydrate per kg body mass could be a suitable target. However, needs may be higher if there has been high-intensity exercise in that window, for example during cycling stage races.

  • 3-4 Hours Before Race Time:

    This meal should typically include a mix of carbohydrates (e.g., oatmeal with banana and honey) to top up glycogen in both the liver and muscles, aiming for 1–3 g/kg carbohydrate. Aim for the lower end of the range if you are generally on a lower carbohydrate diet or have consumed a very high carbohydrate diet for the past 24 h. Aim for the higher end of the range if you have been on the lower end of the range the prior 24 h or have performed high intensity exercise and don’t have sufficient glycogen stored. Fructose does a really good job of filling liver glycogen, while glucose goes to both liver and muscle.

  • 1 Hour Before:

    A small carbohydrate-based snack can be helpful to maintain elevated blood glucose. This can be something like a banana or jam sandwich, aiming for ~0.5 g/kg carbohydrate.

  • 10-15 min Before:

    A gel or sports drink can be used as a final top-up if desired (~15–30 g carbohydrate).

• During the Race

  Fueling is generally unnecessary due to the event’s short duration. Hydration could be considered depending on weather and feasibility of carrying and/or reaching for drinks. If the weather is hot then some fluid may help not only from a hydration standpoint, but also from a heat-perception standpoint.

• Tip

  Avoid heavy, fatty foods before the race as they can cause sluggishness and stomach issues.

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Medium-Duration Events (1-3 Hours)