In an interview before the Ironman World Championship race, Lionel Sanders talked about his fueling strategy – which is centered around maple syrup. The video shows Sanders saying, “I really like maple syrup, I put it on my waffles, I put it on my toast….” To be clear, we are talking about real maple syrup, concentrated sap from maple trees, as opposed to artificial maple syrup, made up of high fructose corn syrup with added colors and flavoring.
[Read more…]Race Week Nutrition Guide for Endurance Athletes
Race week is here. The long hard training hours are in the rear-view mirror; now you can sit back and relax, right? Sort of, but not exactly. The week leading up to the race includes short tune-up training sessions, prioritizing sleep, avoiding unnecessary stress, and mentally preparing to toe the line. However, this is not the time to let loose on the nutrition front, as tempting as it may be. So here is a nutritional guideline to help optimize race-day performance in the week leading up to your endurance race.
[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).
Ironman Augusta 70.3
This was my second time racing Augusta 70.3. In 2013, it was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, and no wind – and I wasn’t in an Ironman build. 2015 was different. Not only was the bike course altered but the weather was rainy and suffocatingly humid. But finding the positive in everything, it wasn’t hot and there was no chance of getting sunburned.
Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
Thanks to a Race Smart client for sending this recipe my way. It can be used for fuel on the bike, as a snack or with breakfast (coupled with some Greek yogurt for balance).
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 2 very ripe medium sized bananas mashed
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips or raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In one bowl, mix dry ingredients
- In another bowl, mix wet ingredients
- Mix both wet and dry ingredients – only until combined
- Fold in chocolate chips or raisins
- Spoon batter into lined or greased muffin pans
- Bake 11-14 minutes
- Let cool completely before storing in airtight container
Nutritional Value
Makes 12 small muffins
- Serving size – 1 muffin
- Calories 139
- Total Fat 2g
- Total Carb. 24g, Sugar 8 g, Fiber 3g
- Protein 4g
- Sodium 129mg
- Potassium 97mg
*Note: these values are NOT including chocolate chips or raisins
Power Up Your Performance with Taper-Week Nutrition
You’ve probably heard the adage “the hay is in the barn” and wondered what the heck hay has to do with being race ready? In a nutshell, it means the hard work of training is done. In the week before your event, plan to log a few short tune-up workouts, prioritize rest and mentally prepare to toe the line. But as tempting as it might be, your taper is not the time to relax on the nutritional front. Here are some key nutritional taper tips to help optimize race-day performance.
The Power of Real Food
I often get these questions: “Which sports bar or fuel replacement is best?” “For recovery, which sports nutrition drink mix should I buy?”
It’s no surprise these are frequently asked questions; sports nutrition companies are doing a great job marketing their billion-dollar businesses. Their products are in every sports store, sold on websites, and probably in your pantry. Now, don’t get me wrong, I use sports nutrition supplements and am a member of the PowerBar Elite Team. I proudly use their products when training in season. There’s a time and place for these products, which I’ll get into, but never use them in place of real food.