There is less than one month until I line up at the start line for my first ever Full Tough Mudder Event with Black Tower Wine and it’s about time I got myself organised! If there’s one thing I can take solace in, it’s that the event is not about time, it’s not a race. It’s all about team work and I’ve never finished one of these events without feeling like I had the best time of my life.
If there’s anything I can do in the next few weeks to make race day more enjoyable it’s figuring out a plan of action solely related to food!! This includes what I’m eating up to race day, what I start race day with (breakfast), what I eat during the race (I get hungry even on the half) and then thinking about nutrition for recovery. Let’s chat all things Tough Mudder nutrition…
What Can We Do In The Weeks Before Race Day?
Some might think it’s too late, but I definitely don’t! Nobody is expecting a complete diet overhaul this late in the day but that doesn’t mean that smaller changes and tweaks can’t be made. Here are some suggestions:
- make sure you start every day with a good breakfast (see the next section re race day breakfast)
- prepare your own meals at home to take for lunch to help you reduce the chances of popping into the shop and picking up junk food
- add some extra fruits and vegetables into your meals / snacks
- reduce your alcohol intake… ooooor, check out the low alcohol range from Black Tower Wine. A 125ml is just 29kcal (70kcal less than a standard glass of wine!) so you get to have the full taste experience and keep on track. There’s something for everyone too as it comes in white, red, rosé and sparkling varieties!! #CheersToMe for sure!
- on a similar note, now is the time to start thinking about hydration. Being hydrated will ease tireness and help to increase your energy levels!
Tough Mudder Nutrition – My Perfect Breakfast
If you haven’t already, you have to check out my race day prep guide. It’s a weeks worth of tasks to count you down to race day making sure you have everything covered. I also have a whole post on the blog already about my favourite breakfast options!
Ideas For Fuelling During The Event
Now this is probably the most difficult one. In my original thoughts all I could remember is always being hungry half way through the 5 mile events so heavens knows how I would make it through double the distance without eating.
So I started thinking up all the amazing snacks I could carry only to remember that these snacks would need to survive the obstacles and most likely being doused in mud before they got eaten. Therefore, we need a Plan B.
Normally Tough Mudder provide some snacks at various feeding stations around the course but honestly, they’re not always the flavours you fancy and if you’re really hungry you might choke on the dryness if you stuff your face too quickly (speaking from experience there!).
The next best thing then is to ensure you carry a snack that you can eat on the start line… maybe a peanut butter bagel, a banana or your own choice of flapjack / protein bar. And then of course to…
Start Your Recovery With Your Food
Everyone always thinks about recovery as rest, and maybe epsom salts or sports massages. How about just getting some decent food down you as soon as possible after you’ve finished?! Make sure you have something packed in your bag incase the options in the race village don’t take your fancy.
Ideally your first meal / snack should be within 30 minutes of finishing… something balanced but definitely with protein to help kickstart your recovery. I’ll be driving to my event this month so I’m thinking to pack a cooler with some almond milk and maybe shake up a protein shake for the ride home… yeeeah, now that’s a good start.
And one more time before I leave you… don’t forget to replace all the fluids you lost through [blood] sweat [and tears?!]…
See you on the start line! …How do you prepare nutritionally for race day?!
Elle
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