{"id":20706,"date":"2026-04-15T16:44:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T16:44:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scienceinsport.com\/sports-nutrition\/?p=20706"},"modified":"2026-04-24T10:01:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T10:01:43","slug":"race-week-nutrition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scienceinsport.com\/sports-nutrition\/race-week-nutrition\/","title":{"rendered":"Race Week Nutrition: 7 Days Out to the Start Line\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Runners<\/span>
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\n Written By<\/span>\n

Lauren Charlton<\/h3>\n

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8 Min<\/div>
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Race Week Nutrition: 7 Days Out to the Start Line<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

A practical guide built from experience & science, not guesswork<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Race week has a way of getting into runners\u2019 heads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve seen it time and time again \u2014 athletes who have trained consistently for months suddenly start second-guessing everything they eat in the final week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve also experienced that feeling myself: looking at meals differently, questioning portions, and wondering if I should be doing something \u201cmore\u201d to prepare. Even as a dietitian who should <\/em>know what they are doing, those nerves can leave me second-guessing every decision in the lead up to the race; \u201cShould I eat this meal? Should I run again today? Maybe I need to use that new gel on the market?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reality is, race week is less about doing more\u2026 and more about doing what you\u2019ve already been doing, just with a bit more intention<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From working with runners and through my own race experiences, the same patterns keep showing up. The athletes who feel best on race day are not the ones who made drastic changes in the final week \u2014 they\u2019re the ones who stayed consistent, topped up sensibly, and avoided last-minute panic decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide reflects that approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Race Week is Actually For<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In practice, nutrition in race week has three main goals: <\/p>\n\n\n\n