What Should I Eat and Drink the Day Before a Long Run?
Whether you’re a seasoned marathoner or preparing for your first long-distance run, optimal nutrition and hydration are key to enhancing your performance and ensuring your body feels its best during and after the race. One of the most critical times to ensure you’re adequately prepared is in the days leading up to your run. The food and drinks you consume the day before can have a significant impact on your energy levels, muscle function, and overall comfort during the race.
At Neurohealth Wellness, we understand the importance of a holistic approach to health and performance, including how nutrition plays a pivotal role in optimizing athletic output. As experts in musculoskeletal health and rehabilitation, we advocate for evidence-based practices that support both the body’s immediate needs and its long-term resilience. So, let’s dive into the essential considerations for fuelling your body before a long run.
1. Carbohydrates: Fueling Your Energy Stores with an Evolving Perspective
Carbohydrates are often seen as the primary source of fuel during long-distance exercise, but there’s an evolving perspective on how we use carbs in endurance running. Traditional advice has focused on carb-loading—a strategy that ensures your glycogen stores are maximized. This typically includes foods rich in complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and squash. The goal is to top off glycogen stores, as they are the muscles' preferred fuel during sustained, high-intensity activity.
However, prominent sports scientists and endurance athletes, such as Tim Noakes, advocate for a shift in focus toward fat adaptation. Noakes, in his book The Lore of Running, discusses the idea that fat can be a more sustainable source of energy for long-distance athletes than carbohydrates. This is particularly important for events lasting several hours, as glycogen stores can become depleted. The concept of run on fat suggests that the body is capable of burning fat more efficiently, enabling athletes to avoid the dreaded "hitting the wall" when glycogen runs low.
In light of this, it’s worth considering incorporating healthy fats into your diet the day before a race. Rather than focusing solely on carbohydrates, you might also look to fats for their slow-burning energy potential. Avocados, nuts, seeds, and oily fish like salmon are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids that not only fuel the body for endurance but also aid in reducing inflammation, supporting muscle repair, and promoting cardiovascular health. Cereal Killers, a documentary that explores the health benefits of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, also highlights how reducing carb intake and increasing fat intake can help train the body to rely on fat for fuel, enhancing long-term endurance without spikes and crashes in energy.
While carbohydrate loading can still be useful for shorter races, especially those under 90 minutes, understanding and experimenting with fat adaptation can provide a more sustainable, energy-efficient approach for longer endurance events.
2. Incorporating Healthy Fats for Endurance and Recovery
While carbohydrates are essential for short-term energy, healthy fats play a key role in providing sustained energy and supporting overall health. Unsaturated fats, such as those found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and oily fish, are especially important for endurance athletes. Fats help reduce inflammation, promote recovery, and support joint health, which is crucial during long-distance running.
In addition to boosting energy, polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, are valuable for reducing inflammation and supporting overall cardiovascular health. These fats can help mitigate muscle soreness post-run and support the heart and blood vessels, ensuring efficient circulation during prolonged physical exertion.
By shifting the focus to fats alongside carbohydrates, you not only optimize your energy stores but also equip your body to handle the strain of prolonged exercise with greater ease. This approach is especially effective when combined with a proper hydration strategy.
3. Hydration: Pre-Race Fluid Management
Hydration is often overlooked, but it's absolutely critical. Dehydration can significantly impair both your physical performance and your ability to recover. The day before your run, make sure to stay on top of your fluid intake to ensure you’re adequately hydrated when race day arrives.
How much water should you drink?
A general guideline is to consume 37 millilitres of water per kilogram of body weight daily if you're not exercising. This recommendation may vary based on environmental conditions, sweat levels, and individual hydration needs. If you’re preparing for an especially hot or humid race, consider drinking more to account for the extra fluid loss.
It’s not just about water either – ensure you’re drinking fluids with electrolytes to maintain fluid balance. Avoid alcohol the day before your race, as it can lead to dehydration and disturb your sleep patterns. Good quality sleep is equally important for preparing your body for peak performance.
Electrolytes: Vital for Muscle Function and Hydration
Electrolytes are minerals like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium that are essential for fluid balance, muscle contraction, and nerve function. During exercise, you lose electrolytes through sweat, and it’s important to replenish them before, during, and after your race to maintain optimal performance.
- Sodium and Potassium: These two electrolytes are critical for muscle function and hydration. They help maintain fluid balance in and out of your cells. Low levels can lead to cramping, dizziness, and fatigue. Sodium, in particular, helps retain water in the body, ensuring that your muscles stay hydrated and perform at their best.
- Magnesium: An often-overlooked electrolyte, magnesium is essential for muscle relaxation after a contraction. Low magnesium levels can lead to cramps and tight muscles, a common issue post-run. To prevent these issues, aim for 300-400 mg of magnesium daily, particularly from magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
- Calcium: While not always discussed in detail, calcium is another key electrolyte that helps muscles contract and relax properly.
One product to consider for maintaining optimal electrolyte levels is Electraate. Designed to support both hydration and muscle function, Electraate contains a scientifically balanced blend of sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which ensures that your body maintains the electrolytes it needs to support muscle function, prevent cramping, and enhance endurance. As we sweat during long runs, we lose these key minerals, and replenishing them is crucial for continued performance and recovery.
Electraate is particularly effective because it provides these essential electrolytes in forms that are easy for the body to absorb, making it an excellent choice for pre-race hydration. By staying on top of your electrolytes, you’re supporting better muscle function, reducing the risk of dehydration, and ensuring that your body can perform efficiently throughout the race.
4. Pre-Race Hydration: The Final Touch
The importance of hydrating properly just before the race cannot be overstated. Aim to consume 500-750 millilitres of water about 1 hour before the start. This helps ensure that your body is well-hydrated without feeling bloated during the race.
Just before you start the run, take a few small sips (no more than 150 millilitres). The goal is to top up your hydration levels without overloading your stomach. Keep in mind that your body can only process so much liquid at once, so don’t drink excessively right before the race.
5. Post-Run Nutrition: Protein for Muscle Recovery
After a long run, your body is in recovery mode, and adequate protein intake is crucial for muscle repair and rebuilding. During the run, your muscle fibers undergo stress, and once you stop, there is an increased turnover of amino acids as your cells work to repair and build those fibers back up. However, your muscles can’t repair themselves without the right building blocks—this is where protein comes in.
Aim to consume around 20-30 grams of protein within 30 minutes to 1 hour after your run. This window is particularly effective for maximizing muscle protein synthesis, which promotes muscle recovery and reduces soreness. Protein-rich foods like chicken, turkey, eggs, and plant-based sources such as legumes, tofu, and quinoa are all excellent choices.
Whey protein shakes can be a quick and convenient post-run option, though whole foods are always the preferred choice for comprehensive nutrition. The post-run period is crucial for building strength, so make sure you’re fueling your body with adequate protein to support this process.
6. Additional Tips for Race Day Preparation
Beyond food and hydration, there are several other key elements to consider for race day. Ensure your gear is comfortable and try to get enough rest the night before. Mental preparation is just as important as physical readiness—set clear goals and practice positive visualization.
Conclusion: Prepare with Neurohealth Wellness
By following these principles for nutrition and hydration, you’ll give your body the best chance to perform optimally during your long run. At Neurohealth Wellness, we focus on a holistic approach to health, including optimal nutrition, exercise, and recovery strategies. Whether you’re looking to improve your athletic performance or recover from an injury, our team of experienced practitioners is here to help guide you every step of the way.
For tailored advice on how to improve your running technique or address any musculoskeletal concerns, contact us at Neurohealth Wellness today! We’re committed to helping you live without pain, regain mobility, and achieve your fitness goals.
References:
- Noakes, T. (2012). The Lore of Running. Human Kinetics.
- Volek, J.S., & Phinney, S.D. (2012). The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance. Beyond Obesity.
- Maughan, R.J., & Burke, L.M. (2012).
