Having a sounds nutrition and
hydration plan is key to optimizing your physical performance during training
and triathlons. The longer the triathlon the more important nutrition become.
Nutrition is something you should spend a bit of time thinking about and
practicing before race day to make sure you get it right. You don’t want all that
training to go to waste because you’ve run out of energy, or eaten something
that doesn’t sit well in your stomach
High pre-race muscle and liver glycogen (the stored form of
carbohydrate) concentrations are essential for optimal performance.
If you are preparing for a long distance triathlon (ie longer than
Olympic distance) you are likely to benefit from ‘carbohydrate loading’.
Even if you are only doing an Olympic distance race it is possible
that you could still benefit from getting your carbohydrates stores as high as
possible.
Studies have shown that you can achieve high muscle glycogen
levels by just following a high carbohydrate diet for one day. Also these high
levels can be maintained for at least 3 days if you don’t do any exercise and a
have a moderate carbohydrate intake.
At least one day before the event:
Take on 10g of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight. If you are
unable to do this the day before the race: have a day of high (as above)
carbohydrate intake 3 or less days before the race. So long as you rest between
then and the race you will maintain high muscle glycogen levels
Some races can be short enough not to need to eat. However you
should take a sports drink on your bike so that you can top up
energy levels and minimize dehydration, particularly if the weather is hot.
Remember to stay hydrated during the race.
Carbohydrates provide energy for your muscles. They are the key
element of good triathlon recovery nutrition.
Following a long training session (>45 minutes) your muscle
carbohydrate stores are likely to be pretty low. The amount of carbohydrates
you will have used (and therefore need to replace) will depend on the intensity
of your session.
When carbohydrate stores are very low, you don’t have much fuel to
burn and fatigue occurs.
You need to restore your muscle carbohydrate levels as soon after
exercise as possible. This is because your muscles take up carbohydrate (in the
form of glycogen) quicker immediately post-exercise, and the rate slows
significantly from 2 hours post-exercise.
Protein is another essential component of a good recovery
nutrition plan. Similar to replacing carbohydrate stores, taking protein on
board immediately after exercise means that more of it can be retained and
used. Combining protein with carbohydrate is even better, as not only does it
take care of your carbohydrate needs, but this combination alsopromotes muscle
repair.
Below are some suggestions of ideal snacks to include in your
triathlon recovery nutrition plan. They combine carbohydrate and protein for
recovery:
· Fruit yoghurt
· Milkshakes
· Fruit smoothies
· Liquid meal supplements
· Sandwiches with meat, cheese or peanut
butter fillings
· Breakfast cereal with milk
· Sports/cereal/energy bars
Dehydration can have a huge impact on performance. You should
aim to start a race or training session fully hydrated. The best way to get
energy on board during a triathlon is through a sports drink.
Your triathlon hydration strategy should include drinking 250
– 500ml before starting a session or race. Sip this up to 1 – 2 hours before
the start.
You will usually not be affected by dehydration until you have
lost around 2% of your bodyweight (although this can vary from person to person
– some people can tolerate greater levels of dehydration than others). So it is
unlikely that fatigue will be due to dehydration in a session lasting up to an
hour.
For longer sessions your triathlon hydration strategy should
involve carrying a drinks bottle and trying to take 2 – 3 large mouthfuls
every 30 – 40 minutes. Sports drinks (carbohydrate-electrolyte mix) are ideal.
Beware of water, as it is not an ideal source of hydration during exercise. It
is digested less well, and doesn’t replace the electrolytes lost in sweat.
A recent research study found that the average volume of water
lost during an Ironman was 1.1 litres every hour. That adds up to a lot over
the course of the race – and potential disaster if you don’t replace the
majority of it.
The bike section is the best opportunity to take on
fluids. However you don’t want to overdo it. There is a limit to the rate
at which your body can absorb fluids – drink too much and it will just slosh
about inside you.
Drink during the bike section, but no more than 500ml every hour –
and try to sip regularly rather than knocking this back in a oner!
Here is a good recipe to make your own sports drink.
The amounts shown are sufficient for 1 litre (1000 mL) of drink.
· 50 grams of glucose as dextrose
monohydrate (available from most pharmacies).
· 0.5 grams of sodium chloride (table
salt). This works out at about 1/7th of a level teaspoon.
· 1.5 grams of sodium bicarbonate
(baking soda). This works out at about half of a level teaspoon.
· Add the above ingredients to 500 ml of
cold water. Mix thoroughly until completely dissolved.
· Add 100ml of a commercially available
sugar-free (low-calorie) fruit cordial (experiment with different flavours to
see what you like best).
· Finally add more cold water to top up
to a total volume of 1 litre.
You might find the drink to be a bit too salty. If so, then
instead of the table salt and baking soda, add 2.5 grams (about one level
teaspoon) of sodium citrate (as trisodium citrate dihydrate). This will provide
a similar amount of sodium, but without the salty taste.
Hope this helps!
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