Email Just in from Runner's World

And yes, I am worried about this headline: Oh-oh ... Tummy Trouble. This is a worry for me. Finding out my body doesn't like things I've eaten has been a pain. You can laugh. I think I am funny. Ok. No more trying to be funny. I am always interested in avoiding food mistakes.
The article The Right Stuff? from 2008 says "Five pre-race nutrition mistakes - and how to keep them from ruining your big day." And it will be a big day for me, and the concern is real. I know I can get this food thing right but how will I change-up my whole food schedule for the early early early did I mention it is EARLY for the marathon race day. The article:

The Mistake: Eating a Box of Pasta

Many runners like to top off their glycogen stores by feasting on carbs the night before a race. Flooding your system with more carbs than it can process may lead to digestive problems.

The Fix: Consume moderate quantities--not huge portions--of carbs for several days prior. Have oatmeal for breakfast, potatoes at lunch, and pasta for dinner. "Eat just to fullness, so you don't get indigestion or have trouble sleeping."

The Mistake: Drinking Gallons of H20

Not only will chugging too much water before a race leave you feeling bloated, but it will also dilute your electrolytes--minerals responsible for optimum muscle contraction.

The Fix: In the days leading up to your race, drink fluids as you normally would to stay hydrated. On the morning of the race, drink 16 ounces of water two to three hours before the start, giving your body time to process extra fluid.

The Mistake: Loading up on Fiber

Normally, runners should make sure to eat lots of calciferous vegetables, beans, and whole grains. And if you're used to such foods, all that roughage right before a race may pose no problems for you.

The Fix: If you think fiber might be an issue, "cut back on those foods three days before a major race." That includes beans and bran cereals-but not fruits and veggies, which you should eat in modest portions.

The Mistake: Skipping Breakfast

Studies show that a pre-race meal keeps your blood sugar steady and provides energy to power you through. "There's no way to get enough fuel mid-race to make up for the energy you missed at breakfast."

The Fix: Eat breakfast. This is not a problem for me. Although I am concerned with arising in the middle of the night to catch the bus. My eating schedule will be off as I mentioned above. I guess I could practice this a once. Anyone game for that? Getting up at 0 dark hundred, eating then waiting, waiting, waiting... then going for a run?

The Mistake: Trying Something New

I get this one. I use it everyday.

The Fix: Stick with what you know for a week before race day.

Eat better

In the days before a race, vary your diet with non-grain carb sources, such as fruits and starchy vegetables, to benefit from a wider range of nutrients.