Race Week Nutrition 101

Oct 10

3 min read

As race day gets closer, every runner starts asking the same question: What should I be eating this week?

Nutrition in the final few days can have a tangible impact on your energy, digestion, and performance. Whether you’re running a half or a full marathon, your goal is simple: arrive at the start line with full glycogen stores, a settled stomach, and steady energy.

Scroll through this blog post to learn more about what to eat and what to avoid leading up to race day!

The Science Behind Race Week Nutrition

During endurance exercise, your body relies on glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrate in your muscles and liver. Once these stores get low, fatigue hits hard.

Research shows that strategic “carb loading” in the final 2–3 days before a race can increase muscle glycogen and delay fatigue during long events.

Modern carb loading doesn’t require a depletion phase. Instead, trained athletes can boost glycogen simply by:

Reducing training volume (tapering)
Increasing carb intake for 2–3 days

The result? Better endurance and improved performance for efforts lasting longer than 90 minutes (Mata et al., 2019)

What to Focus On During Race Week

1. Easy-to-Digest Carbohydrates

Carbs are your main energy source for endurance events. During race week, opt for lighter, low-fibre versions to keep digestion smooth.

Best options:

White rice
Sourdough or white toast
Oatmeal (well-cooked)
Peeled potatoes or sweet potatoes
Pasta with simple sauces
Bananas, applesauce, or low-fibre fruits

Why: These carbs break down quickly, top up glycogen stores, and are gentle on the gut (Podlogar & Wallis, 2022). & Tim Podlogar, PhD

How much: Aim for roughly 7–12 g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per day in the final 2–3 days before your race. So if you weigh 60kg, you will need anywhere from 420-720g of carbs/day during the 2-3 day window.

2. Moderate Protein + Sodium-Rich Foods

Protein supports muscle repair, but should stay moderate during your taper to avoid slowing digestion. Sodium is equally essential as it supports hydration and helps your body retain the extra water stored with glycogen.

Examples:

Eggs, yogurt, or cottage cheese
Chicken, fish, tofu
A pinch of sea salt or electrolytes in water

3. Hydration & Electrolytes

Proper hydration is key in race week, but it’s not about chugging litres of water.

Aim to sip fluids consistently throughout the day, pairing water with meals and snacks. Adding electrolytes can help balance sodium and prevent that “puffy” or bloated feeling which SO many peopel deal with in a carb load!

Pro tip: Because glycogen binds to water, you may feel slightly heavier or softer as you load carbs. This is normal and a sign you’re well-fueled. (Sawka et al., 2007)

What to Avoid Before Race Day

1. High-Fibre Foods

Fibre is great for everyday gut health, but NOT for race week.

Too much fibre can leave excess residue in the gut, leading to bloating, gas, or urgency on race morning.

Avoid: raw veggies, beans, lentils, whole grains, cruciferous vegetables, and large salads. Instead, choose cooked, low-fibre carbs and peel fruits or veggies.

(Prado de Oliveria, 2018).

2. Heavy Fats & Alcohol

Fats' slow digestion can leave food sitting in the stomach.

Keep oils, butter, and fried foods light during your carb load. Alcohol also dehydrates and interferes with glycogen storage, so it’s best to skip it in the days leading up to your race.

3. New or Unfamiliar Foods

Even a “healthy” new food can backfire if your body isn’t used to it. Stick with what’s familiar and tested during your training cycle.

Sample Carb-Loading Meal Plan

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Snack	Dinner
2 Days Out	Oatmeal with banana + honey	White rice bowl with chicken + tamari (soy sauce)	Smoothie (banana, yogurt, maple syrup)	Rice + low fibre veggies + lean protein
1 Day Out	Toast with jam + eggs	Potato bowl with grilled fish	Bagel with nut or seed butter	Pasta with light tomato sauce + garlic bread.
Race Morning	2–3 hrs before: toast with jam, banana OR toast with peanut butter, banana & honey	—	—	—