What (or Not) to eat the night before an event

[stratus5]

All the food information available on how to prepare for an event can be a bit overwhelming and contradictory.

 

As a 'fun' cyclist its not that easy to have planned meals on a Friday night especially when you have to go to work functions, friends etc. It's fairly easy to stay off the alchohol, but possibly there are some things that you should not eat?

 

I had a fillet steak (no alchohol) on Friday prior to the Paarl MTB and felt really lousy at the start of the race. No energy at all. Flat and tired. I had all the energy sachets etc at the right times and for short bursts felt like normal, but for the rest ...flat,flat,flat

 

Avoided the hot dogs at the 10 minute stop because I am sure I would have tasted that meal for the next 30km

 

So, I would suggest steak is bad news. Does that sound likely, or could there be other factors (slight cold starting etc)?

 

If food does affect the way you feel next morning... what food makes you feel good, and what do you avoid at all costs?

 

I am sure the picture is way over simplified as I have stated above, but it would be great to feel like the energiser bunny just once before starting a race without resorting to chemical aids

 

[The Saint]

Avoid - Prunes, Baked Beans and Eggs - races are tough enough without literally having to **** yourself.

[Overlord]

Maybe you got to bed to late?

[wheelz]

well i'll tell you one thing...everyone felt flat going up that 8km beast of a climb right out the start gate!! but with food...i always have a BIG bowl of pasta the afternoon before the race then a light meat(ie white meat) meal with veg and a potato the night before. also breakfast is the most important!

[Sean Badenhorst]

Personal preferences. My ideal pre-race meal (night before the race) is steak and chips followed by ice-cream and chocolate sauce. Your diet and training as a whole is what will make a bigger impact on your race performances than your night-before meal. I also top up on fuel with quality carb drinks the day before and the morning of the race. You may find you were fatigued at the start of the race from lack of sleep/hard training sessions close to the race. You may even have a mineral deficiency (eg iron). Look at everything you do before judging your night-before meal.

Oh, and that race organiser is a sadist! Hot dogs?

 

[Troi Sport]

avoid the vindaloo

 

trust me on this

[Wonder Woman]

From what I know it is good to try avoid meat, cream and fats and lots of veggies as these can give you stomach issues as they are difficult to digest.

 

Of course you'd want to eat some decent starch and try focus on easy to digest foods.

 

But of course it also depends on you as an individual, unless you really ate a lot of meat I can't see it making you sluggish.

 

[AndreZA]

I only race on what I train on.

 

 

[Delgado]

Mamoo's Vindaloo!!!

[Spinnekop]

Fish & Chips work for me! 

[Wonder Woman]

Damn, I'm trying fish and chips on Friday!!!

[daggavis]

Vermy Muesli and liqui fruit breakfast punch as breakfast. Ek het amper met canoe race 'n watergeboorte gehad..

[GT oke]

anything works for me but if i can choose i'd eat steak and chips or just plan meat.!!!

 

[Speedi]

hey GT boi, whats the next race you doing?

[Jackes]

For what it's worth I had my best results with a T-Bone the night before

[Sammajoor]

 

For what it's worth I had my best results with a T-Bone the night before

 

Yip me to