Pre-Race Food Tips
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There are many ways that people manage their food on race day. I don't think there is one "right way" to do it. Here are a few tips, how you put them together will depend on you. Think about what your plan will be and what you think will work well for you. Try it out at a practice race or a practice ride, and then pay attention to how it works and adjust as makes sense through the season. By the end of the season you should have a routine and timing that you have found gives you pretty consistent results. Paying attention to your body and using your brain to dial this in can have a much bigger affect on your race than riding for miles and miles in training.
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Nothing new on race day
You're always better to stick with food you're used to or that you know how it affects you. I'm always amazed at how often something new on race day works against you. Experiment at a practice race or before a long saturday ride, not on the morning of a NICA race. This also applies to equipment as well.
Not too little
Probably the most common mistake we see is racers not having enough food or water before the race, and when you "run out" of food or water during your race you bonk. Bonking is when you suddenly only have half or less of your usual energy and power. It's no fun. Stay well hydrated a full 24 hours leading up to the race, and make sure you've eaten enough.
Not too much
What is too much? In my experience it's something that is too heavy too close to the race start. If the food is very calorie dense and takes a while to digest, it's heavy. Bacon is heavy and a gel (while calorie dense) is not. Speaking of bacon, I was talking to another coach last year who said that one of his racers swore by bacon as the perfect pre-race food. But also he observed that the same racer almost always was sick before or at the finish line, so he wasn't convinced.
Taper to the start
Here is something I've found works well for me leading up to a race
- T-4:00 - Be done with classic heavy foods like meats, eggs, cheeses, etc
- T-3:00 - Be done with your "easy digest" meal and be full. From here, you taper.
- T-2:00 - I like things like a clif bar or bagel and some nuts. Don't get hungry!
- T-1:00 - I like a banana and maybe something with some chocolate. I like chocolate a lot, but that's probably more of a personal problem. For longer races (over an hour), maybe a granola bar or even a bagel. For shorter races just a banana, maybe even half a banana
- T-0:15 - I like a shot blok, which is like 1/3 of a gel. And water to match. Always water.
No Caffeine!!!
NICA rules are very strict on this, no caffeine on race day, in any form. From the NICA rulebook:
- Students need to be very careful as many energy drinks contain these substances. Students are responsible for knowing the ingredients of the products they consume. Pleading ignorance will not constitute a defensible position.
- This rule applies very broadly to the entire day of race day, both on site and off site.
- Consequences: 1st offense 5 minute penalty. 2nd = 10 minute. 3rd = disqualification.
- This rule applies very broadly to the entire day of race day, both on site and off site.
No Dairy for 24 Hours?
Many people find that avoiding dairy (butter, milk, cheese) for 24 hours prior really helps clear up their airways and makes them faster for the race. some people say that they can't tell the difference. if you don't know how it affects you, consider avoiding it for CCCX to see what happens. Or try it before a long saturday ride. But remember, nothing new on race day.
Don't Spike & Crash
Some foods really rev up your metabolism then you can crash after that. A gel is a very fast acting thing, but if you have it 45 minutes before the start you may find yourself coming down hard mid-race. Be aware that anything high in sugar and lacking "real food" content can have this effect. And remember, nothing new on race day!
Shot Block and Gels
Keep an eye on the calorie count of these things. I can't handle the 100 calorie gels, they hurt my stomach. Pay attention to your stomach, if it hurts after a gel you need to try something different. the shot blocks are much smaller doses and work really well for a lot of people. While there is a lot of debate about shot bloks and gels, and everyone generally agrees these are not great foods, it is still very common for people to use them. I personally find shot bloks to be effective, but I really don't use them for anything but races and really strenuous or extra long rides. It is always best to rely primarily on real food. Also remember you need enough water to go with a blok or gel, or your body can't process it and it will pull you down instead of helping you out. If you are running low on water, avoid the shot blok. During the race it is common to have a shot blok about every 30 minutes, for gels it's more like one an hour.
Water and Electrolyte
Speaking of water, you should have a water plan. Keep an eye on the weather, the hotter/sunnier it is the more water you'll need during the race. You can run dry for a while, but it will catch up with you and bring you down hard if the race is too long. How much electrolyte you need depends on how much you're going to sweat and how much you're going to get from the shot bloks. I use margarita shot bloks (with salt and no caffeine) and straight water. That way I can control my proportions of salt to water as I race, and I often find myself wanting/needing only water later in the race. I blew a couple of races because I had only electrolyte drink when what I really needed was plain water. Again, pay attention to your body and figure out what works for you. It is likely to be different than what works for me.
