Eat wisely before a 5 km ... or 25 km race! (+ our runner’s customizable chia pudding)

There's something magical about this time of year when warm temperatures make us want to start running (or get back into it more consistently). The good news is that with a little nutritional planning, you can easily do better!

Here are my tips for eating wisely before a 5K ... or 25K race!

Eating in "RPM" mode

The first thing is to determine your goal for the day: the distance you want to cover. As you may have guessed, running a 5K does not require the same nutrition/preparation as running a half marathon, a marathon or even more! However, before we talk about specifics, regardless of distance, a common rule of thumb applies - which I affectionately call "RPM".

R

• 1. R for remain well hydratedby drinking water or a rehydration drink as needed.

P

• 2. P for pick familiar foods that you know will be well tolerated by your digestive system (you'll thank me later!).

M

• 3. M for must eat wisely

• Carbohydrate (sugar) and protein rich foods should be favoured. Carbohydrates are our allies for good performance, since they are the main source of energy for our muscles.
• Foods that are too high in fat and fibre are much harder to digest, and ideally should be avoided before running.
• There's nothing like an example! I'll share a recipe at the end of this article for a runner's chia pudding that you can customize perfectly for the occasion.

What to eat when running 10 km or less (or less than 60 minutes)

Next is the fine-tuning stage. For a 10 km race or less:

Before the race:

Drink 400 to 600 ml of water in the two hours before the run and make sure you eat something based on the time you have before the race. Here is a small chart to help you make the right choices.

Pre-race time	What to eat
More than 3 hours	Standard meal
2 to 3 hours	Light meal
1 to 2 hours	High carbohydrate, low fat snack (like our chia pudding for runners)
Less than 1 hour	High carbohydrate snack (e.g. banana, fruit bar, etc.)

During the race:

The goal is to drink 150 to 350 ml of water every 15 minutes, or according to your personal tolerance. If the race lasts more than 60 minutes, it is best to consume a sports drink in addition to drinking water. The objective of a drink specially designed for athletes is to compensate for water, energy and electrolyte losses through sweat.

For a homemade sports drink recipe: Water or sports drinks? Making the best choice at the right time

After the race:

Choose carbohydrate-rich foods to replenish your energy reserves and protein-rich foods to repair your muscle fibers. For optimal recovery, it is best to eat a meal as soon as 30 minutes after exercise. If this is not possible, try to have a snack and eat a meal within two hours. And above all, drink water (and a sports drink if necessary)!

Some ideas for post-race snacks: Protein and sport: all you need to know to make smart choices

What to eat when running longer distances (over 10 km or 60 minutes)

Some planning is required for distances over 10 km (or more than 60 minutes of endurance). However, this little extra effort may pay off! Except for a few details, this way of eating applies equally if you decide to run a distance equivalent to 15 km, 21 km, or 42.2 km.

2 to 3 days before the race (in a sport performance condition):

You' re doing what is called a glycogen overload, which means that you want to maximize your carbohydrate consumption in order to maximize your muscle energy reserves. The more muscle glycogen reserves you have, the less likely you are to burn out quickly. Hence, sports nutrition guidelines suggest eating 9 to 12 g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. And most importantly, avoid drinking alcohol, which can significantly impair your performance.

Before the race:

Drink 400 to 600 ml of water in the two hours before exercise and make sure you eat well. One recipe I love is my athlete's choice omelet! It has all the nutritional balance you need and is easy to digest.5 basic tips to optimize your diet before outdoor training

What to eat	The best time
Standard meal	More than 3 hours before the race
High carbohydrate and protein, low fat snack	1 to 2 hours before the race

During the race:

Drink 150 to 350 ml of water or sports drink every 15 minutes, depending on your personal tolerance. A sports drink as well as water is essential. Learn more and get a recipe for a homemade sports drink: Water or sports drinks? Making the best choice at the right time.

It is also advisable to consume between 30 and 60 g of carbohydrates per hour. Depending on your digestive system's tolerance, it can be with solid foods (cookies, bars, jujubes, etc.) or semi-solid foods (e.g. gels).

After the Race

Choose carbohydrate-rich foods to replenish your energy and protein reserves to repair your muscle fibres. For optimal recovery, it is ideal to eat a meal 30 minutes after the race. If this is not possible, try to have a snack and eat a meal within two hours. Drink water alternating with a sports recovery drink if you feel dehydrated.

Runner's customizable chia pudding (eat 1 hour before running)

For 1 serving
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Refrigeration: Minimum 30 minutes
Can be kept for 3 days in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

125 ml (1/2 cup) milk or enriched soy beverage
60 ml (1/4 cup) high-protein vanilla Greek yogurt
30 to 45 mL (2 to 3 tbsp.) chia seeds, white or black (the more chia seeds added, the thicker the pudding)
Your choice of fresh and dried fruits (dates, banana, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, coconut, peach, mango, etc.)

Preparation

Mix the milk, yogurt and chia seeds in a Mason jar. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the chia to thicken.

When serving

Add the topping of your choice.