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When doing a race like the News and Sentinel Half Marathon, your body is basically an engine burning fuel. What you put in your fuel tank beforehand can and will have a direct correlation to how you do during the race.
Everyone reacts differently to different foods. The secret to doing well is knowing how your body is going to react to what you put in it. Take advantage of your training runs to make sure the food you eat and drink on race morning is going to sit well with you and power you through the race.
You wouldn't do a race with shoes you have never worn; you should not do it with foods that you haven't tested either.
The experts agree that there are things that you should not eat before you run.
Stay away from spicy foods, they will likely not sit very well with you.
Stay away from high fat foods, they take longer to digest so you will end up carrying them around without being able to use any of the stored energy.
Stay away from high-fiber food. Fiber helps you 鈥� well you know. The middle of Camden Avenue is neither the time nor the place that you want this to happen.
Eating the right food beforehand can help you power though the tough spot. There are some foods that are recommended, but again, make sure you test the food that you plan on eating beforehand.
Popular foods include:
* Peanut butter
* Pretzels
* Granola bars
* Boiled potatoes
* Bananas
* Oat meal
* Avocado toast
* Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Throwing a few energy gels in your pocket and making sure you drink some Gatorade are also good ideas. Whatever you eat, keep it simple. You want your body to be able to convert it to energy as quickly as possible with the least amount of effort.
Just as you train your body to be able to run long distances, you should train your digestive system to be ready.
Most people who do our half marathon enjoy the pasta dinner that we serve the night before. Pasta is an excellent source of carbohydrates. Your body converts carbs to glycogen which when you run is converted to energy. Once you deplete the glycogen it will start burning fat. This is a lot less efficient and is why runners hit a wall late in a race where they will feel like they have nothing left. The carb loading though works best if it is over a longer period. Eating two plates of pasta the night before the race may not be the best idea.
Just like running, pace yourself with the pasta.
Art Smith is co-director the News and Sentinel races and is online manager for The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. He can be reached at asmith@newsandsentinel.com. His column about the races appears each weekend.