Pre-race Meal
December 13, 2008
You must complete your pre-race fueling three or more hours prior to the start because the insulin-induced blood sugar level “disruption” from a pre-race meal lasts about three hours before hormonal balance is restored.
Taking in a bagel and banana while they are okay to eat three hours prior to the race are not a good idea to eat one hour prior to the race. This meal will rapidly elevate blood sugar levels, which will create an excess of insulin released into the blood stream which leads to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). This would be okay to consume right after a workout because of enzymes released from the exercise would dampen this effect, but since you are eating this meal without any pre-ceding activity this is not a good idea.
Also, this high insulin level so close to the race does inhibit lipid mobilization during aerobic exercise which will reduce fats-to fuel conversion capabilities. Since roughly 60-65% of your energy will come from fats once your 60-90 minute store of muscle glycogen is used up we need this system to be working at a maximum. The remaining 35-40% of your fuel comes from the gel packs. Another big reason to not eat so close to the race is because these high insulin levels induce a sugar influx into the muscle cells, which increases the rate of carbohydrate metabolism. What this does is deplete your muscle glycogen much quicker than if you keep your meal three hours out. It takes about three hours for your body to restore normal hormonal balance with a pre-race meal done with no exercise prior to the meal.
If you feel you absolutely must eat, consume 100 – 200 calories about five minutes before start time. By the time these calories are digested and blood sugar levels are elevated, you’ll be well into your race and glycogen depletion rates will not be negatively affected. This strategy is especially appropriate for triathletes who will hit the water first
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