Pre Race Dinner

In light of yesterday's post, of what we DON'T want to eat the night before a race, the question arises, what SHOULD one eat the night before a race?

Of course, I always default to include yam in the meal, and it's quite similar, if not identical, every single race!  Call it silly, or even superstitious, but I always have to have the same dinner the night before a marathon, ironman or endurance run.

Whether I'm racing locally and cook dinner at home, or am staying in a hotel and need to eat out, it's ALWAYS:

Roast chicken, baked yams, green salad with olive oil and steamed broccoli.  (I bake yams in a glass dish of water a few days before the race so that I can add small amounts of starch to my meals to maximize glycogen storage in the liver and skeletal muscle.)  I'll add salt to this meal as I'll be sweating profusely the next day and, in addition to consuming electrolyte tabs, a little extra table salt won't hurt, either!

Beverage of choice?  Water, water,water!

Early to bed?  Perhaps, but I'm also a firm believer in getting a great night's sleep two night's prior to the event, as race jitters are often a natural part of the night right before.

This formula has worked tremendously for me for years, now, and no, I do not miss the pasta parties one bit.  Aside from the fact that the wrong calories are being served (and many of the attendees feel they should literally stuff their faces!), I find being amidst all the chaos of the pre-race function to be too hectic and stressful.  I'd rather chill at home with Chris, watch a silly film with my feet up and be mellow!

Having just had a great race at LA yesterday, after following the same repertoire once again, I'm confident I'll keep this pattern going indefinitely!