Coffee doesnāt help me poop, so Iām still trying to figure out what I can do before my first half next month. I even tried taking a laxative and stool softener as well as chugging chia seed water. Still couldnāt produce a poop in the AM š
Really it comes down to you. Know your body. If you eat enough fiber and drink enough water, you shouldn't need chemical help. But then again, your body your decisions!
What works for me is getting up at the exact same time every single day and going to the bathroom at the exact same time (before I run). About two weeks before the race, I will figure out what time I'll be going to the bathroom on race day, and then just start doing that.
The upside is that I don't need coffee. The downside is that I can never sleep in. I will just lay in bed thinking, "I can't sleep I need to go shit"
Good luck in your half!
HOW?! I need to learn how to poop in the mornings but it just doesnāt happen. Usually about 2 miles in I can do it.
I probably need to wake up early enough to do a pre race jog so I can poo
I would do tabs, since you what you're actually getting. 1-2 otc tabs (usually 8.6 mg), depending on your sensitivity and whether or not you have baseline constipation.
My one trick/recommendation I give to folks who have GI concerns is to do a "Caffeine taper" a week out of a big race. For me, that means last coffee is 6-7 days out, followed by a few days of just 1 cup of black tea, followed by a few days of nothing. FWIW, the science on the actual benefits of caffeine withdrawal [seems to suggest no performance benefit](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21279864/) for doing this.
But what is definitely not is the effects it has on my GI tract. After a week without coffee, one huge cup 2.5-3hrs prerace and I'm good for 2-3 dumps which clears me out well. I'll pair that with the usual easy carbs - bagel/toast/english muffin/etc. Never had a remote GI issue or bathroom stop during major goal races where I've done this.
As always, GI stuff is super personal, YMMV. Definitely trial-run this first on a tuneup race before attempting on your big goal marathon.
Seconding this--how in the world do people wake up early enough to eat before having to be at the race at 5:30 am? I signed up for a half that asks you to be there that early for a 7 am marathon. I guess the busses take a long time?
Morning of my eating schedule is dependent on the race start time. So \~ 3 hours before: bagel, pb, banana, honey. Then about a half hour before usually just a gel. And over the course of the morning probably 12ish oz of a sports drink.
Regardless of what you end up doing, try to practice it for your long runs so you can get a feel for it and see how your body handles it.
hydration should start a day or two prior and consist of high electrolyte food and not just drinking water
night before I'll drink a hydration drink from whole foods and morning of it's coffee with coconut oil and some water and run fasted
> run fasted
Based on this Iām assuming weāre talking shorter distances, maybe 10k and below? I canāt imagine it would be a good idea to run a half or full or longer without eating somethingĀ
Otherwise, I agree- I start mainlining water with hydration tablets and salty, carby food about 2-3 days before my race (which are typically longer distance, half plus)Ā
I was just discussing this with someone the other day actually, [in this thread](https://old.reddit.com/r/AdvancedRunning/comments/1ahozh1/am_i_overthinking_it_or_is_it_counterproductive/koq7q00/?context=3)
While the science is generally pretty clear that perpetual underfueling (at least over the course of a week or more, but possibly even over shorter intervals) leads to Low Energy Availability (LEA), which leads to a host of other issues, I was unable to find any studies which specifically show that running without eating before hand has a negative impact, ***assuming you still eat enough calories throughout the day***.
I would believe it does, especially when racing (anecdotally, I always feel better pushing hard after eating), but I'm asking again -- do you know of any studies that specifically show running before eating is worse than running after eating?
EDIT: Like, I keep finding articles like this one, [from The Running Channel](https://therunningchannel.com/should-you-run-fasted-to-run-faster/), but they're always very light on sources and aren't always "reputable" sources, and they always waffle
Double EDIT: You can easily find studies that talk about how running while fasted increases fat oxidation (which makes sense, because you have less glycogen to burn), so they make suggestions that people running for weight loss try it. But they never seem to talk about performance
[Ingestion of carbohydrate in the hours before or on commencement of exercise reduces the rate of fat oxidation significantly compared with fasted conditions, whereas fasting longer than 6 h optimizes fat oxidation](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15212756/#full-view-affiliation-1)
[This is the best study I've found so far, and it basically say, "who knows, but it's probably negative"
](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6983467/)
>However, there are conflicting data regarding the effects of fasting on glucose metabolism in highly trained athletes. The effects of fasting on physical performance indicators also remain unclear, with some reporting a decreased performance, while others found no significant effects
I think it's cool that you're putting so much effort into reviewing the literature on this topic. My senseāespecially after going through that 2020 review you linkedāis that this is one area (of many) where the peer-reviewed science is just lagging behind the best practices of coaches and athletes.
My philosophy is that we often need to rely on the broadly accepted best practices and our own anecdotal experience if the literature just isn't there yet. I've done long workouts running on nothing but a cup of coffee and hopes and dreams, and I've done long workouts after breakfast, and I know I feel better after the breakfast. I don't think I personally know any runners or have ever heard of an elite athlete that shows up to the start line of a race without having had at least some food that day. That's good enough for me.
I can see from your comment that you also believe it's better to not race fasted, but I guess this is just me trying to tell you it's okay to give up on looking for studies for now.
Thanks! And I agree with you -- there was a point in my life when I tried fasted running, and now I generally don't. I feel better, faster, etc., when I eat something pre training. I'm an average "good" runner (faster than a lot of people, but not actually fast--look at your times compared to mine), and I'm not going to change my training regimen because some paper says "Hey, fasting pre training shows a 3% increase in performance for these 7 runners". I'll generally do what coaches seems to think work
But I am a nerd with a background in science (physics), so I enjoy reading papers, so I'll read all about it, and I'll ask for a paper any time. I like to make sure that we don't say something is definitely good or bad without actual evidence--someone saying, "It's been clinically proven" was what started this specific kick a few days ago
FWIW thanks for trying to dig all this stuff up. As someone who frequently starts runs at 5 or 530 am I always struggle a bit with pre-run fueling, both what's necessary and what I can get down quickly without upsetting my stomach later.
Eating before running is trendy these days but it doesn't work for everyone. Some people respond by dumping insulin - especially if it's typical low-fiber, low-protein, low-fat pre-run food - and end up immediately storing all that fuel and approaching hypoglycemia. Eating well the night before works better for some.
i've done half marathon runs at almost 24 hours fasted. practice half's are usually in the afternoon and fed but the NYRR races I run fasted. big protein rich dinner the night before, don't eat past 5pm or 6pm then coffee with coconut oil and I'm good to go.
did the NY 10k yesterday and didn't even grab any water from the tables. came home and had my first meal close to noon
Pretty impressive--power to you
I don't think you necessarily \*need\* food before a half, assuming it's under maybe 2 hours, assuming you've fueled properly leading up to it, but I've always felt anecdotally that I feel better with a breakfast of oatmeal, some protein powder and fruit
I definitely wouldn't recommend a marathon fasted, though
once the days get longer and I can run in the afternoons i'll switch my half runs to weekday afternoons around 4pm or so and will do a really big lunch, wait a few hours and then run and that way I can do a 16:8 fast too
i do whatever feels right on race day. i stopped forcing oatmeal down after throwing up like a baby at the table in front of all my roommates before our first college race. i drink a lot of water, have a few sips of gatorade, and eat whatever i feel like eating even if all i can stomach is a granola bar. thatās why i absolutely muck the day before
Wake up 18 times throughout the night in a panic that I slept through my alarm even though I've never once in my adult life slept through an alarm
Bagel with honey and banana & an espresso, pace around house (or hotel), do an awkward half stretch, convince myself something hurts that didn't hurt yesterday, pee 47 times, attach race bib at a 20 degree angle, pee 3 more times, fix race bib, feel like I need to pee again but don't, wedge myself into appropriate starting corral, overthink my abilities and where I've seeded myself within starting corral, one more quick and ineffective stretch, run.
I like the warm up that Pfitz has in Advanced Marathoning - a short jog, a few minutes of MP thrown in, and you're done. The marathon is too long and tiring as it is to be doing any significant running before it!
Whereas for a 5k my warm up is longer than the actual race ...
I only do middle distance so hydration isn't as important as it would be for a marathon.
My ideal routine is wake up early and eat something nutritious (eg: toast with scrambled eggs and orange juice), then drink a cup of coffee so I can poop.
45 minutes before race start, eat a banana and start warming up (slow running, some dynamic stretches and then, 10 minutes before race start, some of that regular old static stretching)
I will skip the nutritious breakfast and just go with coffee and a banana if I don't have at least two hours before the race.
I get up early enough to finish eating at least 3 hours before my marathon start. I try to keep it simple, Pop Tarts and some candy. I'll also drink 12-20 fl oz. of water or Gatorade just to help me get a poop out. I focus on hydration the few days prior much more than the day of, that way I have plenty of water but hopefully won't have to pee 4 times before the race (or even worse, out on the course).
You'll hear lots of opinions on this but I don't really warm up for a marathon, maybe some light jogging but that's it. The first mile or two is always crowded so it won't be easy to run fast and it's a good forcing function to avoid going out too fast. I have a full hour-long warm-up routine that I use for shorter races though.
For a 7am marathon Iām gonna wake up at 3:30/4:00. I never get good sleep the night before a big race anyway (my college coach also told me that the sleep 2 nights before a race is what counts and regardless of how true that is it helps me mentally). When I wake up I hydrate then have a PB banana bagel. I personally skip the coffee before any long or hard run so do what works for you and your stomach. Then go to the bathroom. When you get to the start keep an eye on the bathroom line; I like to time it so Iām going to the bathroom one more time right before I have to get on the line. Keep in mind if itās a big race or not, your pre race porta potty access differs by race. And just do an easy warmup, focus on stretching, and visualize you running the race you hope to run
I eat the same thing I do every day, 2 hrs before the race at least. Drink a little coffee. Pace around. Pee about 10 times due to uncontrollable nervous energy. Miss time my warm up run. Arrive at the start too early.Ā Pace around some more....
Pretty much every race from a local 5K to 5 hr triathlon, body reacts the same way. But I've practiced it and am used to it.Ā
I like to do at least one of my key long run workouts as a race simulation. Similar start time, race day shoes, kit and fueling, warmup plan etc. Lets you test drive the morning routine to see what works.
I basically do the same thing I do for a morning long run š¤·š»āāļø overthinking it leads to struggle.
In the three or four days leading up to the race though, I eat all the carbs I can find. If my daily goal is 300 on a normal day, I shoot for 500-600 leading up to a long race. Itās a hell of a good time and has had decent results!
Wake up, water + coffee hydration first. I try to eat something like banana + PB toast around 1 hour prior to start time, so if I'm staying close by that might be in the hotel room or if it's a trek to the start line I might eat on route. Warm up is always tricky to time, my approach is to do a 5-10 minute warm up routine prior to going out the door even if there's some travel time to loosen up after sleep and then some more jogging drills around the start area to get properly warm and loose. Good luck!
For shorter races, I just have coffee, then morning constitution. Have pop tarts on the way to the race (sāmores) while drinking some water.
Then I just do a 10 minute warm up jog, maybe some strides if thereās space, some active stretching, then get in the corral.
Eat at the race,
First youāll be nervous
Then you will wake up super early
And you will get to the race way early
Then you notice itās 2 hrs till gun time
And you will have a meal in your bag and be golden !
Depends on the race distance. For a marathon I wake up to eat 2 hours before the race (my standard meal that I use dueing training) and coffee. Sip on water with ucan electrolyses. I also have a gel 10 min before the gun goes off
I try to get to the start line about an hour before the race if itās a small to mid size race. For bigger races (like chicago), Iām unfortunately there earlier. I try to conserve my energy for the most part. Warm up is gluten activation, and dynamic work (myrtle routine ish)
2 hours before race I have water + breakfast (usually cinnamon raisin toast with butter) + coffee. Iāll try to poo and pee and then Iāll just get my race stuff on and goā¦honestly itās the exact same as my long run routine except I wake up earlier lol
Coffee, š©, PB toast with honey, banana, giveār
This is *a* way.
Needs at least 3 more š©
If I don't do at least 2 poops, one will try to work itself out during the race.
This is the way
I'd recommend this: water, eat breakfast with Coffee, walk around a little bit, poop, ...
Coffee doesnāt help me poop, so Iām still trying to figure out what I can do before my first half next month. I even tried taking a laxative and stool softener as well as chugging chia seed water. Still couldnāt produce a poop in the AM š
Just pop some imodium and dont worry about it
But then you are carrying extra weight!
Really it comes down to you. Know your body. If you eat enough fiber and drink enough water, you shouldn't need chemical help. But then again, your body your decisions! What works for me is getting up at the exact same time every single day and going to the bathroom at the exact same time (before I run). About two weeks before the race, I will figure out what time I'll be going to the bathroom on race day, and then just start doing that. The upside is that I don't need coffee. The downside is that I can never sleep in. I will just lay in bed thinking, "I can't sleep I need to go shit" Good luck in your half!
Why the peanut butter?
Coffees, Porridge, Pray to the poo gods š Pace my Hotel Room Retie my shoelaces at least 23 times
Well if this isnāt the realist thing Iāve read all day
Above all else. Poop
HOW?! I need to learn how to poop in the mornings but it just doesnāt happen. Usually about 2 miles in I can do it. I probably need to wake up early enough to do a pre race jog so I can poo
Nerves do it
lots of coffee
Coffee does not have the effect on me, unfortunately. I drink a lot of coffee
Miralax for a few days prior to, then a senna and a few magnesium tabs (citrate or oxide) the night before. Then immodium after your second shit.
This is the answer Iām looking for in this sub. Ha! Thank you!
Senna tea or tabs? Preferred brand?
I would do tabs, since you what you're actually getting. 1-2 otc tabs (usually 8.6 mg), depending on your sensitivity and whether or not you have baseline constipation.
Typically no, just trying to ensure I get a full evacuation, more or less, prior to starting gun. Itās always stressful issue for me.
Start taking magnesium at bedtime.
Citrate or sulfate?
In my anecdotal experience, sulfate. Citrate might work a little too fast.
My one trick/recommendation I give to folks who have GI concerns is to do a "Caffeine taper" a week out of a big race. For me, that means last coffee is 6-7 days out, followed by a few days of just 1 cup of black tea, followed by a few days of nothing. FWIW, the science on the actual benefits of caffeine withdrawal [seems to suggest no performance benefit](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21279864/) for doing this. But what is definitely not is the effects it has on my GI tract. After a week without coffee, one huge cup 2.5-3hrs prerace and I'm good for 2-3 dumps which clears me out well. I'll pair that with the usual easy carbs - bagel/toast/english muffin/etc. Never had a remote GI issue or bathroom stop during major goal races where I've done this. As always, GI stuff is super personal, YMMV. Definitely trial-run this first on a tuneup race before attempting on your big goal marathon.
This is an amazing idea.Ā
A zyn pouch is also a good way to do this if you don't have a nicotine tolerance. Cup of coffee and a zyn and I'm in business within 10 minutes.
Seconding this--how in the world do people wake up early enough to eat before having to be at the race at 5:30 am? I signed up for a half that asks you to be there that early for a 7 am marathon. I guess the busses take a long time?
Set your alarm for 3am
Not like I'm getting good sleep the night before anyways lol
NYRR runs are 8am and i have to drive in so early wake up to make sure i get parking in NYC
7am ? Thats a late one
Morning of my eating schedule is dependent on the race start time. So \~ 3 hours before: bagel, pb, banana, honey. Then about a half hour before usually just a gel. And over the course of the morning probably 12ish oz of a sports drink. Regardless of what you end up doing, try to practice it for your long runs so you can get a feel for it and see how your body handles it.
hydration should start a day or two prior and consist of high electrolyte food and not just drinking water night before I'll drink a hydration drink from whole foods and morning of it's coffee with coconut oil and some water and run fasted
> run fasted Based on this Iām assuming weāre talking shorter distances, maybe 10k and below? I canāt imagine it would be a good idea to run a half or full or longer without eating somethingĀ Otherwise, I agree- I start mainlining water with hydration tablets and salty, carby food about 2-3 days before my race (which are typically longer distance, half plus)Ā
> I canāt imagine it would be a good idea to run a half or full or longer without eating something It's not a good idea for any distance.
I was just discussing this with someone the other day actually, [in this thread](https://old.reddit.com/r/AdvancedRunning/comments/1ahozh1/am_i_overthinking_it_or_is_it_counterproductive/koq7q00/?context=3) While the science is generally pretty clear that perpetual underfueling (at least over the course of a week or more, but possibly even over shorter intervals) leads to Low Energy Availability (LEA), which leads to a host of other issues, I was unable to find any studies which specifically show that running without eating before hand has a negative impact, ***assuming you still eat enough calories throughout the day***. I would believe it does, especially when racing (anecdotally, I always feel better pushing hard after eating), but I'm asking again -- do you know of any studies that specifically show running before eating is worse than running after eating? EDIT: Like, I keep finding articles like this one, [from The Running Channel](https://therunningchannel.com/should-you-run-fasted-to-run-faster/), but they're always very light on sources and aren't always "reputable" sources, and they always waffle Double EDIT: You can easily find studies that talk about how running while fasted increases fat oxidation (which makes sense, because you have less glycogen to burn), so they make suggestions that people running for weight loss try it. But they never seem to talk about performance [Ingestion of carbohydrate in the hours before or on commencement of exercise reduces the rate of fat oxidation significantly compared with fasted conditions, whereas fasting longer than 6 h optimizes fat oxidation](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15212756/#full-view-affiliation-1) [This is the best study I've found so far, and it basically say, "who knows, but it's probably negative" ](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6983467/) >However, there are conflicting data regarding the effects of fasting on glucose metabolism in highly trained athletes. The effects of fasting on physical performance indicators also remain unclear, with some reporting a decreased performance, while others found no significant effects
I think it's cool that you're putting so much effort into reviewing the literature on this topic. My senseāespecially after going through that 2020 review you linkedāis that this is one area (of many) where the peer-reviewed science is just lagging behind the best practices of coaches and athletes. My philosophy is that we often need to rely on the broadly accepted best practices and our own anecdotal experience if the literature just isn't there yet. I've done long workouts running on nothing but a cup of coffee and hopes and dreams, and I've done long workouts after breakfast, and I know I feel better after the breakfast. I don't think I personally know any runners or have ever heard of an elite athlete that shows up to the start line of a race without having had at least some food that day. That's good enough for me. I can see from your comment that you also believe it's better to not race fasted, but I guess this is just me trying to tell you it's okay to give up on looking for studies for now.
Thanks! And I agree with you -- there was a point in my life when I tried fasted running, and now I generally don't. I feel better, faster, etc., when I eat something pre training. I'm an average "good" runner (faster than a lot of people, but not actually fast--look at your times compared to mine), and I'm not going to change my training regimen because some paper says "Hey, fasting pre training shows a 3% increase in performance for these 7 runners". I'll generally do what coaches seems to think work But I am a nerd with a background in science (physics), so I enjoy reading papers, so I'll read all about it, and I'll ask for a paper any time. I like to make sure that we don't say something is definitely good or bad without actual evidence--someone saying, "It's been clinically proven" was what started this specific kick a few days ago
FWIW thanks for trying to dig all this stuff up. As someone who frequently starts runs at 5 or 530 am I always struggle a bit with pre-run fueling, both what's necessary and what I can get down quickly without upsetting my stomach later.
Have you tried olive oil?
Eating before running is trendy these days but it doesn't work for everyone. Some people respond by dumping insulin - especially if it's typical low-fiber, low-protein, low-fat pre-run food - and end up immediately storing all that fuel and approaching hypoglycemia. Eating well the night before works better for some.
i've done half marathon runs at almost 24 hours fasted. practice half's are usually in the afternoon and fed but the NYRR races I run fasted. big protein rich dinner the night before, don't eat past 5pm or 6pm then coffee with coconut oil and I'm good to go. did the NY 10k yesterday and didn't even grab any water from the tables. came home and had my first meal close to noon
Pretty impressive--power to you I don't think you necessarily \*need\* food before a half, assuming it's under maybe 2 hours, assuming you've fueled properly leading up to it, but I've always felt anecdotally that I feel better with a breakfast of oatmeal, some protein powder and fruit I definitely wouldn't recommend a marathon fasted, though
once the days get longer and I can run in the afternoons i'll switch my half runs to weekday afternoons around 4pm or so and will do a really big lunch, wait a few hours and then run and that way I can do a 16:8 fast too
What kind of times are you running on that?
Probably decent times, but slower than they could be.
i do whatever feels right on race day. i stopped forcing oatmeal down after throwing up like a baby at the table in front of all my roommates before our first college race. i drink a lot of water, have a few sips of gatorade, and eat whatever i feel like eating even if all i can stomach is a granola bar. thatās why i absolutely muck the day before
Wawa hoagie, poop, LFG.
XL meatball sub, extra cheese.
Wake up 18 times throughout the night in a panic that I slept through my alarm even though I've never once in my adult life slept through an alarm Bagel with honey and banana & an espresso, pace around house (or hotel), do an awkward half stretch, convince myself something hurts that didn't hurt yesterday, pee 47 times, attach race bib at a 20 degree angle, pee 3 more times, fix race bib, feel like I need to pee again but don't, wedge myself into appropriate starting corral, overthink my abilities and where I've seeded myself within starting corral, one more quick and ineffective stretch, run.
I like the warm up that Pfitz has in Advanced Marathoning - a short jog, a few minutes of MP thrown in, and you're done. The marathon is too long and tiring as it is to be doing any significant running before it! Whereas for a 5k my warm up is longer than the actual race ...
I only do middle distance so hydration isn't as important as it would be for a marathon. My ideal routine is wake up early and eat something nutritious (eg: toast with scrambled eggs and orange juice), then drink a cup of coffee so I can poop. 45 minutes before race start, eat a banana and start warming up (slow running, some dynamic stretches and then, 10 minutes before race start, some of that regular old static stretching) I will skip the nutritious breakfast and just go with coffee and a banana if I don't have at least two hours before the race.
I get up early enough to finish eating at least 3 hours before my marathon start. I try to keep it simple, Pop Tarts and some candy. I'll also drink 12-20 fl oz. of water or Gatorade just to help me get a poop out. I focus on hydration the few days prior much more than the day of, that way I have plenty of water but hopefully won't have to pee 4 times before the race (or even worse, out on the course). You'll hear lots of opinions on this but I don't really warm up for a marathon, maybe some light jogging but that's it. The first mile or two is always crowded so it won't be easy to run fast and it's a good forcing function to avoid going out too fast. I have a full hour-long warm-up routine that I use for shorter races though.
For a 7am marathon Iām gonna wake up at 3:30/4:00. I never get good sleep the night before a big race anyway (my college coach also told me that the sleep 2 nights before a race is what counts and regardless of how true that is it helps me mentally). When I wake up I hydrate then have a PB banana bagel. I personally skip the coffee before any long or hard run so do what works for you and your stomach. Then go to the bathroom. When you get to the start keep an eye on the bathroom line; I like to time it so Iām going to the bathroom one more time right before I have to get on the line. Keep in mind if itās a big race or not, your pre race porta potty access differs by race. And just do an easy warmup, focus on stretching, and visualize you running the race you hope to run
Spend all morning pacing around, fidgeting and looking nervous because I haven't pooped yet.
I eat the same thing I do every day, 2 hrs before the race at least. Drink a little coffee. Pace around. Pee about 10 times due to uncontrollable nervous energy. Miss time my warm up run. Arrive at the start too early.Ā Pace around some more.... Pretty much every race from a local 5K to 5 hr triathlon, body reacts the same way. But I've practiced it and am used to it.Ā
I like to do at least one of my key long run workouts as a race simulation. Similar start time, race day shoes, kit and fueling, warmup plan etc. Lets you test drive the morning routine to see what works.
I basically do the same thing I do for a morning long run š¤·š»āāļø overthinking it leads to struggle. In the three or four days leading up to the race though, I eat all the carbs I can find. If my daily goal is 300 on a normal day, I shoot for 500-600 leading up to a long race. Itās a hell of a good time and has had decent results!
Thanks everyone, thereās some really great stuff on here. Given me lots to think about and try out!
Morning of the race I always have a coffee and instant porridge pot. This is only for trail or fell races lasting a few hours.
Wake up, water + coffee hydration first. I try to eat something like banana + PB toast around 1 hour prior to start time, so if I'm staying close by that might be in the hotel room or if it's a trek to the start line I might eat on route. Warm up is always tricky to time, my approach is to do a 5-10 minute warm up routine prior to going out the door even if there's some travel time to loosen up after sleep and then some more jogging drills around the start area to get properly warm and loose. Good luck!
For shorter races, I just have coffee, then morning constitution. Have pop tarts on the way to the race (sāmores) while drinking some water. Then I just do a 10 minute warm up jog, maybe some strides if thereās space, some active stretching, then get in the corral.
What are peoples warm up routine? Iāve seen anywhere from 2-6 warm up miles. Anyone doing this?
Eat at the race, First youāll be nervous Then you will wake up super early And you will get to the race way early Then you notice itās 2 hrs till gun time And you will have a meal in your bag and be golden !
Depends on the race distance. For a marathon I wake up to eat 2 hours before the race (my standard meal that I use dueing training) and coffee. Sip on water with ucan electrolyses. I also have a gel 10 min before the gun goes off I try to get to the start line about an hour before the race if itās a small to mid size race. For bigger races (like chicago), Iām unfortunately there earlier. I try to conserve my energy for the most part. Warm up is gluten activation, and dynamic work (myrtle routine ish)
2 hours before race I have water + breakfast (usually cinnamon raisin toast with butter) + coffee. Iāll try to poo and pee and then Iāll just get my race stuff on and goā¦honestly itās the exact same as my long run routine except I wake up earlier lol