In a recent YouTube video, elite HYROX athlete Meg Jacoby teamed up with sports dietitian El Kelly to break down race day fueling.
One beloved pasta habit, according to Kelly, may be sabotaging racers before they reach the start line.
Jacoby also revealed her surprisingly sweet last snack before racing.
Then there is a gel-timing trick that keeps energy stable late in the race.
Here is the full playbook, from the days before to recovery after.
Jump to:
Rule Number One: Nothing New on Race Day
Before any food advice, Kelly laid down a non-negotiable principle.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
In the lead up to your race and on the race day, you do not try anything different.
Practice fueling around hard training sessions. Notice how your stomach responds and whether the portion felt like enough.
Jacoby added that race-day nerves can change digestion. Her advice for a first race: treat it as an experiment and adapt afterward.
Skip the “Panic Loading”
Many athletes picture carb loading as one giant bowl of pasta the night before. Kelly has a name for that.
I call that panic loading.
A huge late meal can disrupt sleep and leave racers waking up heavy. Better approach: raise carbohydrate intake across the final couple of days while tapering training.
Why Tapering Matters for Fuel
Glycogen, stored carbohydrate, powers hard exercise. Regular trainers rarely start with full tanks because they constantly dip in and out of them.
Very intense sessions close to race day add muscle damage, which Kelly says can delay glycogen replenishment. Jacoby noted that tapering also lets the central nervous system settle.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
How Many Carbs?
Traditional protocols call for 8 to 12 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight daily. Kelly admitted she never managed that even while running marathons.
Her suggestion: 6 to 8 grams, possibly up to 10, depending on training volume. Individual needs vary.
The Final 24 to 48 Hours: Simple Wins
Nutrition goals shift here. Forget everyday optimization.
Don’t worry about your protein target in the 24 hours before. Do not worry about your fiber or your variety or your plant points.
Protein, fat and fiber slow carbohydrate release and can upset digestion. Kelly also warned against gambling on new restaurants, and shared a cautionary tale of food poisoning before an event her whole family had flown to watch.
- Night before: a carb-rich meal that is not the biggest of the day
- Best picks: plain chicken and rice
- Avoid: pizza and pasta dishes, which carry plenty of fat
- Daytime: carb-rich snacks to spread intake
I know it’s boring. I don’t encourage strict diets 99% of the time, but this is the case where keeping it simple is going to be more optimal.
Race Morning: Match Food to Your Start Time
HYROX heats run from early morning to evening, so timing shapes the menu. Kelly’s baseline: 1 to 4 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight in the 1 to 4 hours before racing, assuming earlier loading went well.
Early or Midday Start
I always do white toast, a little bit of peanut butter, honey, and banana.
Jacoby eats this before every high-intensity session, so her stomach knows it well. Kelly noted the combination approaches 60-plus grams of carbohydrate.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Around 1:00 p.m.
Oats become attractive, since extra protein and fat slow digestion for steadier morning energy. Top up later with a bagel and honey, jellies or a cereal bar.
Late Afternoon or Evening
Racers still live a normal day first. Eating only carbs all day risks blood sugar crashes, Kelly cautioned.
- Breakfast: something balanced, such as pita with an egg or two
- Lunch: rice, plain pasta or potato with lean protein
- Skip: whole grains and high-fat toppings
Gummy Bears: Jacoby’s Last Pre-Race Meal
Jacoby once ate a donut two hours out. Now she reaches for a bag of Haribo, aiming for roughly 100 grams.
Low fat, high sugar, fast-acting. Kelly agreed that closer to the start, pure simple carbohydrate beats fruit or oats.
This is your free moment to get off of the clean diet.
Dried fruit works too, though fiber makes a hundred grams of dates a questionable plan. Oat bars suit earlier hours; pure sugar suits the final stretch.
Hydration and Electrolytes
Urine color is Kelly’s quick check: pale straw to clear. She says even small fluid losses can hurt performance, so arrive well hydrated.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
She suggested 5 to 10 milliliters per kilogram of body weight over the first hours before racing, plus sodium to help retain fluid. Jacoby sips an electrolyte-and-carb mix from waking until about an hour before racing.
- Not everyone needs a supplement; salting food may be enough
- Never debut electrolytes on race day, since digestion can suffer
- Cramping often appears from farmers carry onward, or during lunges and wall balls
Fueling During the Race
Jacoby uses three 24-gram gels: one about 10 minutes before the start, then one every 20 minutes. Absorption takes 10 to 15 minutes, so the first gel covers the opening stretch.
Her payoff? Stable energy instead of a dramatic drop-off. She stressed gut training: practice on hard running sessions, because riding a bike feels nothing like burpees.
Kelly said endurance events under about 90 minutes typically call for 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate hourly, with 60 to 90 grams for efforts beyond two hours. Hitting a HYROX at redline pace burns mostly carbohydrate, unlike a half marathon where fat contributes more.
We want to make sure that we’re taking on gels before we feel that drop because when we feel that drop, there is no going back.
Waiting until the rower to take a gel? Too late.
Racing Twice in One Weekend
Back-to-back races shrink the refueling window. Normally Kelly tells clients to enjoy a margarita after racing, but not here.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Appetite will likely vanish, so find a workaround. Chocolate milk offers a strong carb-to-protein ratio.
Kelly explained that glycogen replenishment runs at about 1.5 times the normal rate in the first few hours after exercise. Then apply the same low-fat, low-fiber, simple-carb rules for the evening.
The aim is not to deplete, because if we’ve depleted, it’s going to take way too long to fully replenish.
Her takeaway for double-race weekends: prioritize intra-race fuel in race one.
After the Finish Line
Jacoby urged racers to resist the hero complex. Strong performances make high achievers want to jump straight back in.
Don’t try to be a hero. Take a few days off after a race, okay? Let your mind come down, let your body come down, let your central nervous system come down.
She suggested four or five days of rest before the next training phase. Read a book, get your nails done, enjoy life.
Kelly added a final reminder: hunger may stay suppressed after racing, then return with a vengeance. Restricting food during a rest week only delays recovery, so lean into appetite and fuel properly.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
