So…a few months ago I ate half of a large pepperoni pizza, and the next morning I had a killer run session. Not sure I have ever had that much energy on a run before. Would it be stupid to eat a ton of pizza the night before a race, or is it okay?
If it works for you, great, but why are you eating garbage like PJ’s?
This sounds like a question Cervelo Apple would ask.
When you say “killer run session”, does that involve a toilet?
i personally couldn’t do it, but if you can handle it, then why not? grease & cheese the night before are not my thing.
i remember a lecture session with matty reed a few years back & he said he usually eats pizza before races.
reason being that he travels alot, and pizza is pretty consistent, and he knows he can stomach it.
i tend to eat a big lunch the day before a race, a very small dinner, and just enough nutrition on race morning to, err, get things moving.
I feel like competitor mag had a an online article a month or two ago where they asked pros what their pre-race dinner was and like half of them said pizza. I was surprised, but it made sense when several mentioned it was a such a calorie-dense food. If you eat it early enough before you go to bed, shouldn’t be any problem clearing it from the system in the morning before the race.
I can’t do it but like others posted if you can handle it go for it.
I think Tribodyboader can do that before an IM.
What works for you, works for you. Pizza is my usual night-before food. (Okay, I admit…it’s also like my several times a week food)
Try Little Ceasar’s instead. Then you could be a fan of Austin-based pro Patrick Evoe http://www.patrickevoe.com/. He is sponsored by Little Ceasar’s. It is hilarious to hear fans in races yell “Pizza Pizza” when they see him go by in his Little Ceasar’s kit. If you don’t know Pat, he’s really and up-and-coming pro and one of the better IM marathon runners - he finished second at both IM Louisville and IM Cozumel last year. Eat more pizza!
OMG! I am not a pro, nor am I all that great, so my hopes for sponsorship are nil… but if there were an AG-type team (or an active.com type team) like that, I would sign up for it in a second. That is AWESOME.
funny thing last summer I was helping set up a race the day before and I did not have time for a regular dinner so I stop a got a hot and ready pizza… had the best exttera race ever. so the next race did the same thing… same results… big runs , big bike rides, hot and ready the night before. has not let me down…florida 70.3 next week, hot and ready the night before…works for me
I have made a tradition at IM70.3 Oceanside of pizza the night before for dinner. Works great every time. Leftover cold pizza has also been a pretty good race morning breakfast to. It’s also been handy when traveling and alternative breakfast options were unavailable.
- Ken
Pizza has been my night before the race meal for quite a while, but I get it from a local pizza shop. Papa John’s? You can’t do better than that? Or maybe you really like it, in which case, carry on.
As a New Yorker, all I can say is if you are tough enough to choke down a Papa John’s pizza (I’m not going to even mention the other chain mentioned above), and I’m using the term “pizza” in this context very loosely, then you are tough enough for any triathlon.
I had 2 huge slices in Phoenix prior to the half one year and hit my PR.
I think that had more to do with the crapton of training I did though. Most every PR I have ever had involved a 5 Guys Cheeseburger the night prior.
Sounds valid. I’ve switched my big carb meal prerace day to lunch instead of dinner (like another poster here)and have had better race times I believe because of it.
cheers
S.
I would think the fat could cause GI issues, but of course that probably depends on how much you eat too. Someone mentioned pros eating pizza before a race and I heard Macca once in an interview say his pre race food is Lasagna (and how hard that was to get in Asia).
And I think there’s probaby a difference between 4 pieces of pizza and a piece or two of pizza with some sort of salad (for example).
I always make sure I eat some sort of ice cream/frozen yogurt the night before a race. I don’t care if it’s good or bad, its the reward I give my body for getting me to another start line.
Aw man. Did you have to start a thread with “Papa Johns Pizza” in the title first thing in the morning? Now I’m going to be hungry until lunch…
So…a few months ago I ate half of a large pepperoni pizza, and the next morning I had a killer run session. Not sure I have ever had that much energy on a run before. Would it be stupid to eat a ton of pizza the night before a race, or is it okay?
It isn’t even o.k. to eat pizza ever, leave alone the night before a triathlon
A friend of mine rolls up slices of leftover pieces of pizza, wraps it in foil, and uses it for on the bike nutrition. I couldn’t go that, but a few slices the night before should be fine.