Nutrition on Competition Day
On competition day, months of preparation can be ruined by a bad breakfast, dehydration or an unfamiliar gel. The editorial team has prepared an overview of evidence-based recommendations on nutrition on race day — from the last meal to recovery after the finish — taking into account the differences between sports.
The main principles of race day
The first and most important rule of sports nutritionists: nothing new on competition day. Any product, drink, gel or supplement should be tried in advance in training, preferably under conditions close to competition. The gastrointestinal reaction to unfamiliar food under stress is unpredictable.
The second rule — nutrition on race day completes, rather than replaces, the preparation of the previous days. Glycogen stores are formed over the 24–48 hours before competition, so a single breakfast does not compensate for a week of undereating.
The third — the strategy depends on the duration and nature of the load. A sprinter, a weightlifter and a marathon runner need fundamentally different approaches. The position of the ACSM, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada (Thomas and colleagues, 2016) emphasizes the individualization of recommendations.
The fourth — logistics. At competitions there can be delays, an absence of the usual food or a refrigerator. It is worth having tried-and-tested products with you and a reserve in case the schedule changes.
The pre-start meal
The goal of the pre-start meal is to replenish glycogen stores in the liver after the overnight fast, ensure hydration and at the same time not create discomfort in the stomach. Burke and colleagues (2011) recommend consuming 1–4 g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight 1–4 hours before the start.
The closer to the start, the smaller and lighter the meal should be. Three or four hours out you can eat a full meal; one or two hours out — a snack. The content of fats, fiber and, if necessary, protein is reduced, since they slow gastric emptying and can cause discomfort during exertion.
| Time before the start | What is appropriate | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 3–4 hours | A full carbohydrate meal, moderate protein | Oatmeal with banana and yogurt, rice with chicken |
| 1–2 hours | A light carbohydrate snack | White bread with honey, a banana, plain biscuits |
| Up to 1 hour | A small amount of easily digestible carbohydrates or nothing | A sports drink, part of a banana |
For people prone to gastrointestinal disorders during running, it is advisable to reduce fiber in advance over the day before the start. The review by de Oliveira, Burini and Jeukendrup (2014) links symptoms to fiber, fats, concentrated solutions and dehydration.
Caffeine is one of the few supplements with a well-established ergogenic effect. The IOC consensus on supplements (Maughan and colleagues, 2018) points to effective doses of about 3–6 mg/kg roughly an hour before exertion, and for some people even smaller doses. But if you haven't used caffeine in training, race day is not the time for experiments.
During competition: carbohydrates and fluid
For loads lasting up to 45 minutes, additional carbohydrates during the work are usually not needed. For 45–75 minutes even rinsing the mouth with a carbohydrate solution can be beneficial. Beyond that, the need grows with duration, as Jeukendrup (2014) summarized.
For the longest events, up to 90 g of carbohydrates per hour is recommended, and in such an amount they should be obtained from a mix of glucose and fructose, which are absorbed via different transporters. The gut can be 'trained' for such a load only in advance.
Regarding fluid, the ACSM position (Sawka and colleagues, 2007) advises avoiding a loss of more than 2% of body weight through dehydration, but also not drinking excessively. Excessive water intake without electrolytes during long events can lead to hyponatremia — a dangerous condition that in severe cases is life-threatening.
Practical guidelines:
- about 2–4 hours before the start, drink about 5–7 ml/kg of fluid;
- during a long effort, drink according to thirst and an individual plan, taking heat into account;
- with prolonged sweating, add sodium;
- don't gain weight from water during the run.
Strength disciplines, weight categories and recovery
In powerlifting, weightlifting and combat sports the competition day consists of short attempts spread over hours. Here it is important to maintain energy levels and hydration between appearances: small portions of easily digestible carbohydrates and fluid every 30–60 minutes are better than one large meal.
For disciplines with weight categories the key moment is recovery after the weigh-in. The interval between the weigh-in and the start determines how much fluid, sodium and carbohydrates can be absorbed in time. Aggressive 'cutting' of weight through dehydration carries serious health risks, up to fatal cases, so it is better to plan weight in advance and gradually.
After competition, especially if the next start is later the same or the next day, the priority is rapid replenishment of glycogen and consumption of protein. The ISSN (Kerksick and colleagues, 2018) gives guidelines of about 1–1.2 g/kg of carbohydrates per hour during the first hours and 20–40 g of protein.
Don't forget about the anti-doping safety of supplements: the IOC consensus warns of the risk of products being contaminated with banned substances. Athletes who undergo testing should choose products with independent batch certification.
Editorial conclusions
Nutrition on race day is a strategy rehearsed in training, not improvisation. The main rule is nothing new.
The pre-start meal should be carbohydrate-based, moderate in protein and low in fats and fiber; its size depends on the time before the start.
During long competitions, carbohydrates and controlled hydration support performance, and after the finish the priority becomes recovery.
We also recommend reading our articles on sugar in sport, on fiber in an athlete's diet and on caffeine as a sports supplement.
References
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement: nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543–568.
- Burke LM, Hawley JA, Wong SH, Jeukendrup AE. Carbohydrates for training and competition. J Sports Sci. 2011;29(Suppl 1):S17–S27.
- Jeukendrup A. A step towards personalized sports nutrition: carbohydrate intake during exercise. Sports Med. 2014;44(Suppl 1):S25–S33.
- Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(2):377–390.
- de Oliveira EP, Burini RC, Jeukendrup A. Gastrointestinal complaints during exercise: prevalence, etiology, and nutritional recommendations. Sports Med. 2014;44(Suppl 1):S79–S85.
- Maughan RJ, Burke LM, Dvorak J, et al. IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(7):439–455.
- Kerksick CM, Wilborn CD, Roberts MD, et al. ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15:38.
Andriy Melnyk
A strength-sports coach and author of programs for beginner and intermediate levels. Writes about training planning.
