Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or new to the 140.6 scene, nailing your IRONMAN bike fueling/hydration plan can be tricky, with a lot riding on getting it right. With the numerous sports nutrition products on the market today, figuring out how to fuel for 5-7 hours can be daunting, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one athlete doesn’t necessarily work for another, and no matter how appealing it might sound, the “rolling buffet” approach—eating and drinking everything in sight along the race route—will do more harm than good.
Reduce Inflammation with Foods, Not Pills — A Guide for Athletes
There’s no denying that endurance triathletes put themselves through intense training loads—all for a good cause, of course, but at what health cost? The purpose of a heavy training load is to improve aerobic endurance, muscle adaptation, and strength, but it also increases oxidative stress, better known as inflammation. Many people don’t realize how much they can reduce inflammation with food!
Inflammation is a bit of a buzzword in health these days but in reality, [Read more…]
Avoiding GI Distress in Endurance Triathlons
It’s race day, and you are ready to cash in on your hard-earned fitness after hundreds of hours devoted to swimming, biking, and running. During the race, all goes as planned in the swim and bike—only for a plethora of gastrointestinal issues to hit you on the run: nausea, bloating, reflux, stomach pain, cramping, diarrhea, and vomiting. Heaven forbid, you might even be at risk of a DNF!
If this is your story, you are not alone. GI problems are the most common cause of underperformance in endurance events. [Read more…]
Kona (or Hot Weather Races) Hydration and Electrolyte Tips
Congratulations, you’re headed to Kona! Whether it’s your first time racing on the Big Island or your tenth, you need to be prepared for what Mother Nature serves up. Ironman athletes racing in Kona are not new to the sport but may be surprised by how the Big Island winds, heat, and humidity can make a tough day even tougher! Read on for my top hydration and electrolyte tips for hot races. [Read more…]
Nutrition Question of the Month: What time of year should a triathlete improve body composition and achieve optimal weight?
What time of year should a triathlete to improve body composition and achieve optimal weight?
It is a common belief among endurance triathletes that we perform at a higher level with a lean, mean fighting machine. And, after all, we spend numerous training hours donning skintight attire that leaves little to the imagination. [Read more…]
Endurance Race Fueling 101: Fueling for Endurance Events
Triathlons are easy . . . said no one ever! For one thing, race day can be full of surprises: the weather can turn, your goggles can get kicked off, your big toe can sprout a painful blister. All that to say, you’ve got enough going on, so why not take one big variable out of the equation? Your fuel plan. After all, your body is your most important piece of equipment, and if it’s not fueled properly, then all the training in the world won’t help you.
Dialing in Your Endurance Fuel Plan
With so many sports nutrition products and fueling guidelines on the market today, it can be confusing to know what’s best for the long haul. And while endurance athletes thrive on raw data when it comes to aerodynamics, professional bike fits, and training zones, it’s all too common to let a data-supported endurance fuel plan fall by the wayside until race day is imminent. Then we scramble to find the perfect blend of sports nutrition to keep us going until we charge across the finish line. But often it’s a case of too little planning, too late, with a disappointing finish, or worse, a DNF (did not finish).
Play with your Food
As a young, active triathlete, it’s important to have a balanced diet with foods that contain a variety of vitamins and minerals. Food is your fuel, and eating before and after physical activity will help you maintain energy, avoid feeling sluggish and prevent GI distress (or an upset stomach).
Here are four fun, healthy pre – and post-workout snacks you can make yourself or with your team.