Having travel regularly to out of town skate races, I have developed my own kit of essentials that I always pack with me. There are the obivous items such as skates, helmets, and skinsuits which I'm not going to discuss. Rather, I'll share with you what I can't go without food-wise. Being prepared is key to eliminate unnecessary stress (I am not a fan of looking for grocery stores night before a race).
During the race, I like to eat CLIF Shot Bloks and I carry a small bottle of water in a squeeze bottle. See the faces of Sponge Bob Square Pants and his pal Patrick on the bottle? These bottles are catered to kids but the smaller size is perfect for me. Who wants to carry extra weight anyway? I also have a CLIF bar in my kit just in case I get hungry during the trip without convenient access to my preferred snacks.
Everything else in the picture are related to pre-race breakfast. Most North American races are held in early morning and looking around for breakfast options at that hour is not always the most enjoyable task. I just want to get ready to race in the most efficient manner possible. Therefore, I pack my breakfast with a few considerations in mind.
- Nutritious and filling, providing steady release of energy for the next three hours.
- No refrigeration required.
- I can prepare everything in a hotel room.
- Portable for both traveling by plane or car.
I start my meal with a banana smeared with peanut butter. This is a good balance of carbs and protein. However, the sugar in the banana will be digested pretty quickly so I need something else with more fiber to slowly release energy. I make a fresh muesli with unsweetened instant multigrain cereal, unsweetened apple sauce (conveniently packaged in a squeegee bag with a cap so I only use as much as I need), unsweetened soy milk, raw almonds, and dried cranberries. To make sure that I am 100% self-sufficient, I pack along a plastic bowl and cutlery.
This power breakfast has proven to work well for me whether I am preparing for a full day of multiple races such as nationals or marathons or longer endurance events such as Montreal 24r relay and New York 100k. What is in your race survival kit?
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