Race Week Nutrition That Actually Makes a Difference

Race week nutrition advice has gotten complicated with all the conflicting information flying around. As someone who’s raced everything from criteriums to stage races for ten years, I learned everything there is to know about what genuinely moves the needle versus what’s just noise. Today, I’ll share what actually works.

Carb Loading Is Real But Misunderstood

Probably should have led with this section, honestly. You don’t need to eat pasta until you burst. Proper carb loading means increasing carbohydrate percentage of your diet while keeping total calories similar. Swap some protein and fat for more carbs. Your muscles store extra glycogen without the bloating that comes from simply overeating.

Two to three days of elevated carbs is plenty. Starting a week out just makes you feel sluggish and puffy with no additional benefit.

The Water Weight Trick

Every gram of glycogen stores with 3 grams of water. Proper carb loading adds 2-4 pounds of scale weight. This isn’t fat — it’s race fuel plus the water to use it. The weight comes off during the race anyway.

If you feel heavy on race morning, you probably loaded correctly. That weight becomes energy when you need it.

What I Actually Eat Monday Through Thursday

Normal eating with slightly reduced training load. Nothing special. Whatever I typically eat during the season. Big changes stress my system more than they help.

I focus on sleep and hydration more than food tweaks. Consistently sleeping 8 hours does more than any supplement or special meal.

Friday and Saturday for a Sunday Race

This is when carb emphasis starts. Breakfast adds an extra serving of oats or toast. Lunch includes more rice or pasta than usual. Dinner features a larger portion of carbs, normal portion of protein, reduced fat.

That’s what makes this approach endearing to us who’ve tried extreme methods — it’s sustainable. I keep fiber moderate. Enough for normal digestion, not so much that I feel heavy. White rice instead of brown. Regular pasta instead of whole wheat. My gut thanks me on race day.

The Night Before

Familiar meal. Whatever has worked before. This isn’t the time for the restaurant special or anything adventurous. I’ve eaten the same pre-race dinner for years now: grilled chicken, white rice, small salad, and a roll.

Eat early enough to digest fully before bed. Around 6pm works for me. Going to sleep on a full stomach hurts sleep quality and I feel it the next morning.

Race Morning by the Clock

Three hours before start: main meal. Plain bagel with honey, banana, small glass of juice. Around 400-500 calories, almost all carbohydrates. Minimal fiber, minimal fat, minimal protein.

Two hours before: stop eating solid food. Just sipping water or dilute sports drink from here.

Thirty minutes before: half a gel if my stomach feels empty. Sometimes nothing. Depends on how the morning feels.

Five minutes before: full gel with water. This tops off blood glucose right as the race starts.

Caffeine Timing for Races

I stopped drinking coffee in race week. Sounds extreme but caffeine works better when you’re not habituated to it. Three to five days without caffeine makes race-day caffeine hit harder.

Race morning: 200mg caffeine with breakfast, usually from a pill for precise dosing. Another 50-100mg from gels during the race if needed.

Hydration Leading Into the Race

The pee test matters. Clear to light yellow means you’re hydrated. Dark yellow means drink more. I check every time I use the bathroom during race week.

Avoid overhydrating the morning of. Sip, don’t gulp. Too much fluid dilutes your electrolytes and sends you to the bathroom at the worst times. A water bottle in the two hours before start is plenty.