For anyone competing in endurance events, one of the key decisions to make is what to eat for breakfast on the big day.
Senior dietician at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Rebecca Baskett has some handy tips on what foods are best for a great start to race day and increasing your race endurance.
Get up and eat early
Making sure you get up early, and eating a moderate-sized breakfast two to three hours before your race gives your body the fuel it needs to sustain your endurance, and gives plenty of time to digest your food for optimal race performance.
Stick to familiar foods
It’s best not to experiment with new foods for breakfast on race day, and stick to familiar foods that you have eaten throughout your training, and that you know your body can tolerate well.
Choose easily digestible foods
When choosing the best foods to eat for a race-day breakfast you should also consider the speed at which certain foods can be digested. Generally, the best foods to stick to tend to be high in easy-to-digest carbohydrates and simple sugars – these are easily absorbed into the blood stream, and provide plenty of energy to keep going during your tough race.
Try some of these suggested breakfast choices before the big day – everyone is different, and some people experience gut-related issues when they are nervous, so it’s best to see what works for you ahead of the big race.
Bananas
Bananas provide a high-energy boost comparable with a sports drink, and are often spotted in athletes’ sports bags. Low-fat and heart-healthy, bananas also contain a broad range of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and phytonutrients. However, a banana is not a standalone pre-race breakfast and should be eaten with another carbohydrate to provide a more substantial breakfast.
Wholewheat toast with fruit
This snack provides both simple and complex carbohydrates to give you a slow release of energy to help you sustain the pace throughout your triathlon.
Greek yogurt with dried fruit, nuts and seeds
Greek yogurt is easy on your stomach while the dried fruit will give you an energy boost, seeds and nuts should keep insulin levels from dropping half way round the course.
Oatmeal porridge with blueberries
The carbohydrates in the oatmeal are slowly released into the bloodstream and will keep you energized, while the blueberries will help to keep you hydrated during your race.
Fruit Smoothies
Another handy and tasty snack to boost your energy levels before the big race - include yogurt and granola to increase protein levels and add complex carbohydrates to your breakfast.