Race day (or big workout days) breakfast

Race day (or big workout days) breakfast

Mom/Dad always used to say “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”… And for a triathlete about to toe the start of a race OR big workout day, that’s got legs! The summary is that I have historically recommended using a pre-big workout/event breakfast, which is eaten about 3 hours out from starting, and which is essentially carbohydrate-based and a smidge of protein/fat, with a smaller snack about an hour pre-session/event. That works, but let's dive into the science that has led me to this general approach and explains why it’s been effective over the past 2.5+ decades. Broadly, over the 1-4 hours before you do a big workout or event, the ideal breakfast would be focused on mostly carbohydrates and aiming for 1-4g of carbs (1g carb = 4 calories) per kilo of body weight. That’s a big range. Here are a few examples:

• A 120# athlete is 54.5 kg. So that athlete would be looking at 54-218 g/kg or about 216-872 calories.
• A 180# athlete is 82 kg. So that athlete would be looking at 82-328 g/kg or about 328-1312 calories.

The range there is wild! And you can imagine that that 120-pound athlete eating, say, 870 calories of carbs 1 hour before a big workout, is VERY different from, say, eating 230 calories 1 hour prior. A great strategy is to view the 1-4 grams/kilo strategy as graded by the hours before exercise that the meal occurs. This means roughly:

• 4 hours before a workout/event, 4g/kg carbs for the meal.
• 3 hours before a workout/event, 3g/kg carbs for the meal.
• 2 hours before a workout/event, 2g/kg carbs for the meal.
• 1 hour before a workout/event, 1g/kg carbs for the meal.

As a reminder, there are 2.2 pounds in a kilogram. So you can modify your pre-event/workout meal to fit your body weight and the time frame before the workout.

Note, in a perfect world, I’d love to see folks have a meal at the 3-4 hours out point, then a 150-250 calorie snack about an hour before the event to be sure you are very well topped off. This second snack could be a smaller version of what you had for breakfast, or something like a cereal bar, fig newton, 3-5 pitted dates, a banana or two, a sports bar (Cliff, PowerBar, etc.), or similar chewable food-based item. Again, though, this is a topper. The breakfast you eat is the primary thing that tops off your carbohydrate stores for the day.

Great examples of good breakfasts which are generally easy to digest and which I consistently see work well before events and big workouts are like these:

• Minute oats made with water and some maple syrup.
• Jelly or honey sandwiches (a light smear of nut butter for flavor is ok)
• Plain pasta with a few pinches of Parmesan cheese.
• Boiled or baked potatoes
• Rice made in chicken broth
• Smoothie made with juice and fruit with some oats added in and a scoop of whey protein.
• Bagel with fat-free cream cheese or fat-free Greek yogurt (weirdly good).

What about fats and proteins? A little protein with the event/big workout day breakfast is fine. This could be some Greek yogurt on minute oats or on a bagel, or a smoothie you make with fruit, fruit juice, oats, and a scoop of whey protein. Fat and protein are generally harder to digest, so in the meal before a big session, I’d err on the side of less and focus on the carb end too.

Similarly, in our daily diet, high fiber foods are the best options. A high fiber diet is strongly associated with lower odds of cardiovascular disease and cancer, offering significant benefits to our health. So we want to eat a lot of fiber daily! The challenge is that lots of fiber is also associated with GI distress during workouts/races. The pre-event or big workout meal is the exception. We want plenty of energy while NOT increasing the risk of GI issues during the workout/event, so the pre event/big workout breakfast is better off being lower fiber.

 The idea is to have a solid breakfast before a big workout or event, one that provides plenty of carbs, low fiber, fat, and protein, and is easy to digest for you. I’ve found lately that an athlete's favorite is PBJ (light on the peanut butter) sandwiches. They give many of us a feeling of being a little kid again, or eating something fun… They are very easy to carry and are temperature stable. Great option for sure. Another option that’s sneaky great is a honey and raisin wrap. Almost like eating candy, but it fits the pre-big session fueling targets great.

Key thing, despite all this… And why I note it here… TRY IT IN PRACTICE. What I mean is this: On your longer workouts, those are days to try a few breakfasts. Try an option, see how it feels; then, in the next session, try another. Exploration is fantastic, because not only do you find one thing that works, you also find other things – and that’s a big win. Having more options makes you more adaptable, which in turn makes you better able to perform well.

So in the coming weeks, as you wrap up the season, fuel up!



Reference:

Jeukendrup, A., Gleeson, M. (2025). Sport Nutrition: 4^th Edition. Human Kinetics, Champaign Il.

Will Kirousis, MS, CSCS, CISSN
Tri-Hard | Director
USA Cycling Certified Coach

USA Triathlon Certified Coach
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Certified Sports Nutritionist

508.633.2708 | will@tri-hard.com | www.tri-hard.com | @willkirousis

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