Race Day Fuel: A Winner’s Breakfast

By Melanie McMullen // Swimnetwork.com correspondent

What a swimmer puts into his or her body before competition is almost as critical as what they put into training before a meet. To find out what foods are optimal race fuel, Swimnetwork checked in for advice from two sports nutrition experts: Barbara Lewin, RD, LD, and owner of Sports Nutritionist,and Kathleen Laquale, PhD, ATC, LAT, LDN and professor at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts.

Here are some tips from the experts:

1. Not everyone should eat like Mike. While Michael Phelps’ famous 12,000 calorie-a-day diet that (supposedly) includes three fried breakfast sandwiches, chocolate chip pancakes, five-egg omelets, grits and French toast may work for him, nutritionists hesitate to endorse it for race day.

If the typical swimmer ate what Phelps eats, “they’ll feel like a wet potato sack,” says Lewin.

“Swimmers need the right kind of fuel to perform well,” she says, noting that the perfect race day meal is low in fat, low in fiber, and high in carbohydrates. Her recommendations include a bagel with jelly and a bit of peanut butter, or a couple slices of white toast with jelly and a banana, or a fruit smoothie.

She also recommends white vs. whole grain breads. While whole grains are healthier in general, they take longer to digest and can weigh a body down. A racing swimmer needs foods that get to the muscles as quickly as possible.

2. Practice your pre-race breakfast meal. Laquale recommends that swimmers “practice” using certain foods on high-intensity workout days to see how the body performs with specific breakfast foods.

“Swimmers should consume foods they enjoy and are familiar with, and they will know how their body will respond,” says Laquale. She recommends simulating the race time, too. For instance, if the morning heats start at 9 a.m., the swimmer would want to simulate competition on a practice day also at 9 a.m.

3. Even if you are a ball of nerves, don’t run on empty. Face it, everyone gets nervous before a race. The worst thing you can do to battle a nervous stomach is skip breakfast.

“You have to give yourself the endurance you need for competition,” says Lewin. “A swimmer who doesn’t eat will have zero energy.”

Laquale advises those who have nervous stomachs to try foods that are low in bulk and easily digested, such as Carnation Instant Breakfast or Boost. She also suggests that a sports bar - with two cups of water per bar - might be helpful.

4. Don’t sneak a Snickers. Swimmers may think that having a candy bar before an event will provide extra energy. Incorrect, according to Laquale. “I knew a swimmer who believed that. He did okay in the first heat, but by the second and third heat, performance deteriorated,” she says. Eating candy causes a quick rise in blood sugar level that spikes the release of insulin, leading to a feeling of fatigue.

5. Time your meals according to your race schedule. Lewin recommends having breakfast at least one hour before competition and bringing meals and snacks to eat at intervals throughout the day. “Plan ahead, and always have plenty of fluids and the right foods such as fruit or yogurt with you,” she says. She also recommends bringing energy bars or a favorite baked option such as banana bread.

Laquale suggests these foods (consumed 3 to 4 hours prior to meet): breakfast cereal with milk, or scrambled eggs and toast, or a bagel and banana. For 1 to 2 hours prior to competition: a fruit smoothie, or cereal bars and fruit, or breakfast cereal with milk. With less than one hour to competition, she suggests: sports drinks, carbohydrate gel, or sports bars (with two cups water per bar).

Melanie McMullen, BaySide Media (www.baysidemedia.com), is a freelance contributor for Swimnetwork.com and a member of the Downtown Oakland YMCA Master’s swim team.