You’ve mounted your new tires, your bike is running perfectly, and months of training are behind you. Don’t overlook a crucial element: your pre-race meal. The Cycling House staff fills you in on their pre-race fueling routines.

Ironman
Brendan Halpin, Camp Director & Pro Triathlete

“I like to eat 500-800 calories 2-2.5 hours prior to the start of my race when possible.  My breakfast typically consists of a banana, oatmeal with my favorite toppings and a fruit smoothie mix.  My best advice is to practice what you plan to eat on race morning prior to your big day.  Once you nail your formula stick with it and take a little bit of the worry out of race day.”

Marathon
Forrest Boughner, Store Manager & Runner

“The biggest thing for me is to get enough food the night before.  If I can eat my fill then that will carry me through a morning race without needing to eat too much the morning of.  As long as I avoid greasy food what I eat doesn’t matter as much as settling time.  Grilled Chicken Alfredo is always a solid go-to!”

Cross Country Mountain Bike Race
Heidi Rentz, Lead Guide & Pro Mountain Biker

“I’ve been super into pancakes lately.  You can make your own pancake mix with healthy ingredients (ie: coconut oil, banana, sliced almonds, etc.) that are filling but won’t weigh you down too much.  I like to put a little plain Greek yogurt and almond butter on top and have it in my belly a couple hours before the gun goes off :) “

CycloCross Race
Shaun Radley, Operations Manager & Cyclocross superfan

“For a morning race I like a banana, oatmeal, or yogurt and granola. I go with two hours before the race.

For an afternoon or night race I’ll eat a banana, bagel peanut butter, fruit smoothie, granola bar two hours prior to the start.”

Triathlon  (or most any other racing event)
Ian Mallams, Lead Guide & Triathlete

“I do a light breakfast on race day for triathlon so my major pre-race meal is the night before.  My go-to pre-race dinner is a penne pasta dish with sauteed chicken and veggies topped with a mix of tomato and white sauce.  This meal is not only delicious but covers all your nutritional needs.  Its important not to overeat the night before a race but don’t be bashful about calories; you definitely want to have a full tank of gas pre-race. Morning of a race I like to eat two hours before and have a small breakfast. I do a little bowl of oatmeal with nuts, peanut butter and a banana and that holds me over until the race.”

Join us at one of our trips and learn from us in person. View our full cycling and Triathlon trip lineup here.