When I’m obstacle racing, the fuel I put in my body is just as important as the training that got me there. Whether a local event or in another state, I never like leaving my pre-race food to chance. Sure, the hotel has a buffet, the city has grocery stores, 
the airport has restaurants and the venue has food trucks, but it can be expensive and a bit of a gamble whether or not they will have exactly what I want. Not to mention it’s those kinds of little things that add up to big nerves on race day – or possibly even hinder performance!
When I traveled from Colorado to race in the Las Vegas Spartan Super recently, a nine-mile, 20+ obstacle event, I packed a backpack full of food that kept me satisfied, fueled and worked for various snacks and meals. Below is what I brought, and I liked it! I ended up saving time and quite a bit of cash -- and more cash means more funds for future events, so win-win!
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Hard boiled eggs – these are easy for plane rides, breakfasts, snacks and can be kept in a hotel fridge. When I carry them with me in my backpack, I put them inside my shaker bottle so they don’t break!
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Peanut butter sandwiches – I use sprouted whole wheat bread and all natural peanut butter. This was my pre-race breakfast.
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Avocados – Just use a plastic knife to cut it and a spoon to divvy out portions. I bring a plastic bag and store it in my shaker bottle and/or hotel fridge
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Bananas
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VPX Zero Carb SRO and Carbonx shake powders in pre-measured plastic bags – for pre and post-race
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Shaker bottle – not only for my shakes but for storing any squishable/breakable food items
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VPX Energy – the small bottle is carry-on quantity and the screw lids allow for more than one serving
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Chia seeds -- in a plastic bag to be added to my shakes
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Pre-broiled, sliced and slightly salted sweet potatoes – super yummy and satisfying snack, especially post-race
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Bell peppers & blueberries – these go in the shaker bottle for storage.
What are some of your food tips when traveling for a race? Share in the comments section below!
This is a guest post by Leslie St. Louis, a competitive obstacle racer. Leslie is a mountain-loving trail lover and mom of two mud-loving girls in Morrison, Colorado. She is also ranked 9th in the Spartan World Points Series and the founder of a local obstacle group and resource, Colorado Obstacle Racers. She is proud to be a part of VPX Team Xtreme, as well as a member of the Spartan Pro Team and All Pro CrossFit Community.
