Because a 10k is a relatively short event in comparison to say a marathon, a lot of the nutrition emphasis is put on before and after the event.
The day before your 10k run, there are two areas that need to be considered:
1. Hydration:
Your hydration status is something that can’t be changed quickly. However, it is something that can significantly affect your 10k performance. We would suggest sipping on an OTE Hydro Tab little and often in the day and hours leading up to the event. The hydro tabs provide electrolytes which will promote rehydration. This means that by the time you get to the start line, dehydration will be one thing you don’t have to worry about.
We would also recommend avoiding alcohol the day before a 10k. Not only is alcohol dehydrating, but it can also disrupt your sleep and energy levels.
As little as 2% loss of body weight through dehydration can negatively affect your 10k run, so don’t let this be the thing that lets you down on the day.
To gauge how hydrated you are the day before, keep an eye on the colour of your urine – it should be a pale, straw yellow colour.
2. Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are an important part of your diet – your body relies on carbohydrates as its dominant energy source, especially when you’re pushing your body to its limits. Our body can store a limited amount of carbohydrates, so it’s a good idea to make sure these stores are full when stepping on the start line.
This doesn’t mean eating mounds more pasta than usual, but simply making sure carbohydrates make up 50-60% of each meal in the day before the 10k. We would also recommend tapering down your activity level. The combination of low-level exercise and a good percentage of carbohydrates will ensure you replenish your energy stores, without necessarily eating more!
Foods like pasta, rice and potato-based dishes are good to eat the day before your 10k. Just steer away from high-fat and high-protein foods as these can take longer to digest and leave you feeling tired.