Race Day Nutrition

I have learned a lot about nutrition during races over the past several years. When I started increasing my distances, I had no idea that this was even a thing. I found out the hard way that when you are burning this many calories, you have to replenish them. I experienced a "bonk" during my first Olympic distance race and eventually found help in this area. I didn't know anything about nutrition until my coach, John, with Total Intensity Sports, evaluated and refined my nutrition plan. There are two very important rules for race day nutrition.

 #1 Never try something new before a race.  So for the first point, DO NOT try free samples the day before or day of a race at the race expo or right in the middle of the race. I know it's tempting, but seriously, don't do it. You don't know how your body is going to react to it. Take a sample and try it on a non-race day. Look at what nutrition and electrolyte the race will be providing ahead of time. Train with it if you can. If you happen to try it and don't like it, you will know ahead of time to carry your own stuff. During my first half-Ironman, I did not do this. I personally did not like the taste of the electrolyte (I know that some people love it, this is just my personal taste preference). I knew already that I was not going to be able to rely on that electrolyte for my first full Ironman because I knew I would not drink enough since I didn't like it. I carried my own electrolyte during the bike and run. It can be annoying to have to carry your own stuff, but it's better than the alternative.

#2 Just because a nutrition plan works for one person does not mean it is going to work for another. Your nutrition plan is going to be trial and error. Keep track of what you eat during training. Track how many calories you eat. Track your progress and how you feel during training. Having a good coach will definitely aid you in this.

I'm sharing my plan for anyone who is unsure of where to start. But remember rule #2. This is not going to work for everyone. Try it, modify it, and keep track of your progress. During long races, I will eat every twenty minutes. It's easy to overload your digestive system if you eat too much at once. I would eat about 60 calories of chewies (like Gu Chomps, for example) at the :20 and :40 and 100 calories with a Gu Energy Gel on the hour. I prefer to mix it up a little bit with flavors on a long race, but this is the general idea. I also had a bar during the middle of the bike ride, again splitting it into thirds and eating every 20 minutes. It's easier to eat solid foods on the bike than it is the run. During short races, I'm not going to be burning as many calories, so it is not as important to be constantly eating. I have a Gu Energy Gel every 45 minutes. I will also have water and Gu Electrolyte Brew throughout all training and racing sessions.

I have several other important nutrition tips to share, so stay tuned!