What to eat before half marathon?

[MrsMagridge]

Ok, so I'm not quite doing a half marathon, but a half marathon relay (10k + 11k). I'm probably doing the 10k.

I do intermittent fasting, and generally have lunch about 1.30 then stop eating around 7.30-8pm.

I've done a few 11k runs (time of around an hour and 5 minutes, which I'm quite pleased with!) sometimes in the morning (while fasting) and sometimes in the later afternoon.

So my question! What's best to eat before the race? It should start at 12.30pm, so when I'd normally not be eating, but I guess it's probably better to have something on board before a race with nerves, additional adrenaline, etc, going on?

What do you think? Decent breakfast with eggs? Should it be carb heavy? I haven't done a race before so I'm a bit clueless!

Thanks! 🙏

It's quite personal but if I was doing this race on this schedule I'd probably have avocado on toast around 9am to fill me up and then a double espresso and a gel just before the race to rev me up a bit, assuming you're planning to push the pace a bit.

Different things suit different people, so you need to practice eating before running and see what suits you.

I wouldn't have anything other than coffee before a half marathon and certainly not before a 10k. Before a full marathon I force myself to eat a Weetabix.

But others would feel faint and dizzy if they took that approach - so you really do need to trial it.

Aa long as you don't eat right before the race you'll be fine with breakfast or nothing. I'd probably not eat before. I force myself to eat before a marathon, othen at 4am but no need for 10km

I think that if you are already comfortable with running fasted at a similar start time to the race, then I wouldn't try and force food down just because you feel you should.

Ah, I just sort of assumed that I should probably eat beforehand! But maybe it's not so unusual not to bother!

I would say from runners I know, it would be far more unusual to eat before a short race than not to eat.

Whereas most runners will force something down before a marathon even if it means getting up several hours earlier.

I fast too and don't eat before a 10k, even a race.

Interesting responses. I'm a long distance cyclist and if I tried to do a reasonable 20 miles without eating, I'd burn out half way. So I carb load with beans, cheese and eggs on toast at least 2 hours before. Perhaps running fuel is different?

I think you need to try running at that time of day before eating and see how you feel. I can just about manage 10k first thing in a morning before breakfast but I that's for an easy paced run, I couldn't race later in the day without food. But then I'm the sort of person who wakes up hungry and often eats straight away! You don't really need to "carb load" for that sort of distance, eggs on toast type thing should be fine.

I couldn't run a fast half marathon fasted, but I would need to do so at least an hour or so before the race.

It's a personal thing, but I find 3 rice cakes with chopped banana and peanut butter is enough so that I'm not hungry anymore, but light enough so that I am not feeling sick at any point of the run.

There's plenty of advice online on what to eat on the morning of a race. They seem to suggest similar items; oats, bagel, banana, blueberries etc

Thanks everyone! I'll have a think about it and see how I get on!

I've got no clue about intermittent fasting I just eat 3 regular meals a day, sometimes a snack in between. But here is what I think

For a 10k run or race at 12.30 I'd definitely make sure I've had breakfast. I personally prefer toast or bread with jam or honey. I wouldn't eat eggs before a run and find avocado too much fat before a race. I find weetabix has a bit too much fibre (don't want to be running to loo for a number 2 during the race) but then I don't eat it that much. I also find oats before a run seem to roam around in my stomach. But everyone is different you need to try what is best for you.

Have you tried anything out yet?