How should your approach to pre-race fueling and hydration change for a later start? Sports Scientist Emily Arrell explains all...
"}},"slug":"how-to-fuel-before-a-late-race-start","blogTags":"Nutrition","featuredPost":false,"author":{"name":"Emily Arrell","slug":"emily-arrell","facebookHandle":null,"twitterHandle":null,"instagramHandle":"https://www.instagram.com/emily_arrell/?","linkedInProfile":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyarrell/","stravaProfile":null,"bio":{"childMarkdownRemark":{"html":"Emily is a Sports Scientist who graduated from the University of Bath with First Class Honours in BSc Sport and Exercise Science.
\nEmily spent her placement year working on the Sports Science team at Precision Fuel & Hydration, and she made such an impression on the team that we employed her on a full-time basis as soon as she finished her studies.
\nAs well as being the best soccer player at PF&H, Emily works closely with elite and amateur athletes to help them nail their race nutrition strategies. And she plays a central role in research and in the analysis of Athlete Case Studies.
"}},"title":"Sports Scientist","headshot":{"file":{"url":"//images.ctfassets.net/428xzyjdw7rf/5Zc47Vg4CvPN4JpYXO6ekf/c999517a1d0a162b7f58e447df3ac852/Emily.png"}}},"scientificallyReviewed":null,"image":{"resize":{"src":"//images.ctfassets.net/428xzyjdw7rf/5x5QcoiekDX2kLIVx7PChO/9d396e82615e847b97df6b0b6c33d995/PFH_Lottocamp_Spain_Jan25_Antday1-199-ezgif.com-optijpeg.jpg?w=1200&h=630&q=70&fit=fill","width":1200,"height":630}},"socialMediaImage":null,"body":{"childMarkdownRemark":{"excerpt":"Many athletes are accustomed to preparing for a morning race, but there’s surprisingly little guidance on what athletes should eat and drink before events that…","html":"Many athletes are accustomed to preparing for a morning race, but there’s surprisingly little guidance on what athletes should eat and drink before events that start later in the day.
\nThe American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have shared guidelines for how to fuel in the build-up, but how should you apply these recommendations when your event starts in the afternoon or evening?
\nNearly 1 in 10 races in our Athlete Case Study Database start later in the day (from 2pm to the very early hours of the morning). So, if you’re gearing up for a late race start, should your pre-race fueling and hydration be different from ‘normal’? And what else do you need to consider to perform at your best?
\nWe crewed ultrarunners at Madeira Island Ultra Trail (MUIT), where athletes were preparing for a midnight race start. They were inevitably wondering how best to fuel and hydrate throughout the whole day to ensure optimal energy levels when they eventually got to the start line.
\nWhen I’m working with an athlete, the first step in planning and optimising their pre-race fuel and hydration is to work backwards from your race start time. The approach will then depend on:
\nThink of it like setting your morning alarm; first you decide what time you need to be somewhere, then how long it takes you to get ready and travel there, and finally factor in how many times you’ll want to hit snooze.
\nThe key to nailing your pre-race fueling is timing and dosing your intake so that you start with maximal liver and muscle glycogen stores (the body’s stored form of carbohydrate, which is the main energy source used during endurance exercise). This is why your pre-race meals and snacks should be carb-rich, with moderate protein and very low amounts of fats and fibre.
\nRead more: Should you eat a gel immediately before exercise?. Your final pre-race meal acts as a final top-up of your glcoygen stores and should be consumed within 4 hours of the race. The general recommendation is to to eat 1-4g of carb per kilogram of body weight (0.45-1.8g/lbs), 1-4 hours out from the start. There's plenty of evidence showing this can enhance performance. Athletes preparing for a late race start should aim to stick to their usual meal routine, but make small adjustments to timing, portion sizes and food selection, rather than making drastic changes, such as skipping meals. The more time you have to digest the food, the higher your intake can and should be to maximise those energy stores. For example: This meal should contain carb-rich foods and be low in fat and fibre. The closer you are to the start, the more beneficial it is to use faster-digesting carbs (also termed high glycaemic index carbs), such as white bread, ripe bananas and energy chews, to reduce the risk of stomach discomfort. The type, timing and amount of food you consume should be well tested and individualised based on your experience and tolerance. The biggest difference for a late race start is that this final meal may be coming at lunch or dinner time, but there’s nothing wrong with sticking to your usual pre-race breakfast food (just aim to eat it later in the day). Read more: What should you eat during the final hours before training and races? For an evening race start, your final pre-race meal will be around dinner time. So, will follow on from your carb-rich lunch, as well as afternoon snacks, such as chew bars and bananas. For a late afternoon race start, your final pre-race meal will be around lunch time. These should follow one of the most important meals on race day, breakfast. As with any race day, your breakfast should aim to top up your liver glycogen stores which are depleted overnight. To do this, aim for ~2-4g/kg (0.9-1.8g/lbs) of carb (including both glucose and fructose sources). The biggest difference for a later race start is you may choose to include more slower releasing carbs (also termed low glycaemic index carbs) to provide steady energy and not spike your blood glucose at this point in the day. Consider foods like porridge oats and wholegrain foods. Although research is still needed to look at the optimal breakfast when you have more time before a race start, this breakfast could also include a moderate amount of protein as evidence suggests protein alongside carbs can reduce your body’s glycaemic response. As is the same with early race starts, your fueling strategy in the days leading up to the race should be tailored to the duration and intensity of the exercise you’re going to undertake. The longer, more intense your event, the more important it is to ensure your glycogen stores are fully topped up before you start. If your race is longer than 90 minutes, your body is going to rely heavily on stored glycogen, so carb loading is essential in the 24-48 hours before race day. To do this, increase your carb intake to ~8-12g per kilogram of body weight per day (3.6-5.4g/lbs/day) while reducing fat and fibre. You could do this by adding greater portions of pasta, rice and bread to meals, and drinking a few bottles of PF Carb Only Drink Mix. Read more: How to carb load before your next race. If your race is less than 90 minutes in duration, full-on carb loading isn’t as necessary. Instead, there should be an even greater focus on your race day fueling, in particular that final pre-race meal to ensure you’re starting well-fueled. Your pre-race fluid and electrolyte intake is key to optimising your hydration status before races. How hydrated you are when you get to the start line can significantly impact your performance, especially for races that are long and hot. This is particularly important if your race begins in the afternoon as race temperatures are more likely to start higher. Preloading with a strong sodium-based electrolyte drink - rather just plain water - ahead of your race increases your blood plasma volume, general cardiovascular function, temperature regulation and muscle function. Our recommended preloading protocol should still apply to your late race start. Drink 1 x packet or tablet of PH 1500 electrolytes in ~500ml (16oz) of water 90 - 120 minutes before the race. Finish this ~45 minutes prior to the start to give your body time to fully absorb what it needs and pee out any excess. 73% of athletes in our Case Study Database preload. It's worth testing it out ahead of your long and hot training sessions before implementing it on race day. What should you drink throughout the day when you’re preparing for a late race start? You don’t want to drink excessive amounts of plain water. Instead, you should continue to drink as you normally would in and around meals. Have a bottle with you and sip on it regularly throughout the day, especially if you’re travelling to the race location. If it’s hot, and you feel dehydrated at all on waking up, then adding an electrolyte tablet will help to avoid building on this dehydration. Or you could consider using PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix, which would contribute towards your carb-loading numbers and help ensure you start hydrated. Again, the general preloading protocol still applies. Drink 1 x packet or tablet of PH 1500 electrolytes in ~500ml (16oz) of water the evening before your race (such as with your dinner). This will pre-empt the respiratory losses you’ll have overnight, and act as a solid foundation for your race day hydration. Solution: 5. Mistiming your caffeine intake Caffeine has a half-life of 4-5 hours, so just having a morning coffee isn’t quite going to do the trick for an evening ultra race. Solutions: \"I keep this more or less the same for an evening race, except for the meals, where I have a normal breakfast and then lunch 3 hours before the start.” \"In Madeira, all my food was plain, including neutral beige carbs. I find eating loads of food throughout the day just makes me feel heavy and lethargic, so PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix is a useful addition to keep the carbs coming in!” If you need help putting together your pre-race fuel and hydration plan ahead of a late start time, you can book a free one-to-one video consultation with one of our team, or drop us an email at hello@pfandh.com.1-4 hours before
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\n4+ hours before
\n24-48 hours before the race
\nHow to hydrate before a late race start
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\nHow elite athletes fuel before late races
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