Raise your hand if you’ve ever ate (drank?) a meal the night before a long training day that you regretted.
I know I’m not the only one here who’s done this.
As much as I’m an advocate for having a food plan the night before a key workout, I’m not that much of a dork to realize that other life stuff happens. We simply cannot plan every meal - every time to 100% perfecto-ism.
This happened to me recently and I knew it wouldn’t bode super well for the next day’s long run.
Uh huh… 2 beers and a taco from the microbrewery and food truck.
Oh yes, yes… I could’ve chosen 2 tacos and 1 beer. Or 3 tacos and 0 beer. Ahem…
Regardless of the oversight and the reasons it happened, I wanted to share a few tips for the “morning after” to help you suffer less for your training if and when this type of situation happens to you.
Your sleep might be disrupted due to the alcohol or (lack of) food quality, so consider sleeping in a bit, if possible. Sleep is never to be discounted and even an extra 20 minutes is fabulous.
Start hydrating upon waking. Okay, I’m all for the morning cuppa caffeine, but we are likely waking up lower than normal on the hydration status. While that cup of caffeine isn’t going to dehydrate you further, we gotta get in other fluids. Drink a big glass of water and then repeat with an added pinch of salt or mix with a low sugar / higher sodium-containing formula (such as Skratch Wellness, Nuun Instant, Liquid I.V., or UCAN Hydrate).
Don’t skip pre-workout fueling. Depending on what and how much (or little) you ate last night, combined with your subpar hydration status, eat at least a snack or light meal before heading out the door. I always recommend including some protein(s) in your pre-workout meal to help balance blood sugar and provide more staying power.
Once you begin your workout, don’t wait too long to start your fueling and fluids. You may not feel like you want it or need it, but ya do, especially if this is a 2+ hour training session. You can follow the “nibble, nibble, sip, sip” approach and get this going within 20-30 minutes of starting your session. I highly recommend making fluid intake (and NOT just plain water) your priority.
If your workout is supposed to be Zone 1/2 or mostly “easy / aerobic”, then honor the zone. Seriously, you won’t get anything out of going harder to try and undo Night Before Funk. If your workout involves some intervals, sprints, harder efforts… well, good luck, my friends. Stay on top of fluids and fuel.
Don’t beat yourself up or drown in guilt if the session feels lousy. Consider it a learning opportunity and figure out how to adjust your day before plans for the next time. We do have some control and decision-making abilities, after all.
Thanks for reading,
Dina