What to Eat the Night Before a Rowing Race?

December 5, 2025 •

3 min read

The night before a rowing race is a critical time for strategic eating. According to Sports Dietitians Australia, a race-day diet should include plenty of high-carbohydrate foods. This approach is crucial for maximizing glycogen stores and ensuring you have the energy needed for peak performance.

Quick Summary

Optimize your rowing performance with the right pre-race nutrition. Learn about carbohydrate loading, hydration, and meal timing to fuel your body and avoid digestive issues on race day.

Key Points

Prioritize Complex Carbs: Foods like pasta, rice, and potatoes ensure muscle glycogen stores are ready for race day.
Choose Lean Protein: Include lean protein like chicken or white fish to aid muscle repair without digestive issues.
Avoid High-Fat and High-Fiber Foods: Limit greasy or fried foods, high-fiber veggies, and fatty meats to prevent bloating.
Stick to Familiar Foods: Avoid new recipes or dishes the night before a race to avoid stomach problems.
Time Your Meal Strategically: Eat your main pre-race meal 2-3 hours before bed for proper digestion and sleep.
Stay Hydrated: Sip water or an electrolyte drink throughout the evening, but avoid over-consuming before sleep.
Consider a Small Bedtime Snack: A light, low-fiber snack like a banana is acceptable if needed.

The Core Principle: Carbohydrate Loading

For rowers, carbohydrates are the primary fuel source, which is also true for most endurance athletes. The goal of a pre-race meal is to fill glycogen stores. This process is known as carbohydrate loading. Focus on an easily digestible meal rich in complex carbohydrates, moderate in lean protein, and low in fat and fiber.

Fat and fiber slow down digestion, which can cause stomach upset and bloating. Focus on familiar foods. Experimenting with new foods on the night before a major competition is a common mistake and should be strictly avoided.

Ideal Food Choices for the Pre-Race Dinner

Complex Carbohydrates: Good options include pasta, rice, potatoes, and quinoa.
Lean Protein: A modest portion of lean protein helps with muscle repair. Grilled chicken breast, white fish, or tofu are excellent choices.
Small Amount of Vegetables: A serving of well-cooked, low-fiber vegetables provides essential vitamins. Avoid high-fiber cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, which can cause gas.

Planning Your Race-Day Hydration

Proper hydration is a multi-day process. Rowers should aim to consume a minimum of two liters of fluid per day. Continue to sip water throughout the evening, but avoid over-consuming fluids in a short period. Adding a strong electrolyte drink can also be beneficial.

The Timing of Your Meal

Eat your final substantial meal two to three hours before you plan to go to bed. A light, low-fiber snack, such as a banana or a slice of toast with honey, can be eaten closer to bedtime if needed.

A Comparison of Pre-Race Meal Options


Meal Option	Complex Carbs	Lean Protein	Pros	Cons
Spaghetti Bolognese	Yes	Yes (meat sauce)	Classic, familiar comfort food.	Potentially high in fat if not made with lean meat.
Chicken & Rice Stir-Fry	Yes	Yes (chicken)	Relatively quick to prepare, easy to digest.	Can be high in fat depending on cooking method.
Baked Sweet Potato with Tuna	Yes	Yes (tuna)	High in carbs, easy on the stomach.	Can feel heavy if paired with excessive toppings.
Plain Pasta with Tomato Sauce	Yes	Minimal	Very easy to digest, simple fuel.	Lacks protein, may be less satisfying.
Rice Bowl with Grilled Salmon	Yes	Yes (salmon)	Good fats from salmon, high in carbs.	Salmon can be heavier to digest for some.

Pitfalls to Avoid

Excessive Fiber: Too much fiber can cause bloating and cramping on race day.
High-Fat Foods: Greasy, fried foods, heavy sauces, and fatty cuts of meat take a long time to digest and can leave you feeling sluggish and bloated.
Spicy or Novel Foods: Avoid spicy dishes that could cause stomach upset.
Alcohol: Alcohol consumption can dehydrate you and disrupt sleep patterns, negatively impacting performance. Avoid it.

Conclusion: Strategic Fueling for Peak Performance

Your nutrition strategy the night before a rowing race is a critical step in your preparation. Focus on a balanced, carbohydrate-rich meal that is easy to digest and familiar to your body. By prioritizing complex carbs, a modest amount of lean protein, and staying well-hydrated, you can ensure your body's glycogen stores are topped off. Avoid high-fat, high-fiber, and novel foods that could cause digestive issues. Practicing your race-day fueling plan during training is the best way to discover what works for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pasta is an excellent choice due to its high concentration of easily digestible complex carbohydrates, which are ideal for topping up glycogen stores. Other carbohydrate sources like rice, potatoes, and quinoa are also great options. The best food is what you've successfully used during training.

Spread your carbohydrate intake throughout the day. Opt for frequent, smaller, carb-rich meals and snacks. A smaller, well-timed, carb-focused dinner will still be effective.

Minimize your intake. High amounts can slow digestion and cause discomfort. Stick to lean proteins and lower-fiber versions of carbohydrates like white rice or well-cooked vegetables.

Baked or boiled potatoes, rice bowls with lean protein, or a simple chicken and rice stir-fry are all great alternatives to pasta. The key is to select a balanced, high-carb, low-fat meal you are familiar with.

Sip fluids steadily throughout the day and evening. Aim for a total intake of around 2 liters for the day leading up to the race. Overdoing it in one sitting before bed is not recommended as it can disrupt sleep.

A small carbohydrate snack, such as a banana or honey on toast, is acceptable close to bedtime. Avoid large amounts of refined sugar, which can cause a rapid blood sugar spike.

Lightweight rowers face additional challenges balancing weight management with fueling needs. They should focus on high-density, compact energy sources and may benefit from consulting a sports dietitian to ensure they meet energy targets without sacrificing performance or health.