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Running, riding, or doing your best in any endurance event requires careful preparation as it relates to nutrition leading up to the day of the race. A lot of endurance athlete’s I know adhere to the “see food” diet. That is, they see food and shove it in their mouth without any regards to how many calories it has, macro-nutrient density, and if it will positively or negatively affect race day performance. While race day nutrition strategy is often seen as complicated and not worth the time and effort, properly fueling before and during the race can mean the difference between a PR and falling flat on your face. This article will discuss six simple steps you can start using today to have the best race of your life.
Carb loading is a technique used to enhance muscle glycogen stores before long-term aerobic endurance exercise. The most effective regimen is three days of a high carb diet in conjunction with tapering exercise the week before competition and complete rest the day before the event. 600 grams of carbohydrate per day or 8 to 10 grams per kilogram body weight should increase muscle glycogen stores 20-40% above normal. More muscle glycogen means you’ll have the fuel to press on when you start pushing the pace.
The following guidelines (in addition to step 3) should be followed for your pre-race meal:
The table below presents two pre-competition meals that meet these considerations. These meals should be eaten about 3 hours before competition.
Meal A |
Meal B |
Glass of orange juice One bowl oatmeal Two pieces of toast with jelly Sliced peaches with skim milk
|
One cup low-fat yogurt One banana One toasted bagel One ounce of turkey breast One-half cup raisins |
The following table summarizes optimal carb intake in the hours leading up to your race:
Carbohydrate 3-4 hours Before Exercise |
200-300 grams of carbohydrate 3-4 hours before endurance exercise for an adult maximizes glycogen stores at the onset of exercise and thus enhances performance. Body size, or more appropriately glycogen storage potential, accounts for this broad range. |
Carbohydrate 30-60 minutes Before Exercise |
Ingest 50-75 grams of carbohydrate 30-60 minutes before exercise. |
Carbohydrate Immediately Before Exercise |
If carbohydrate is to be consumed immediately before exercise (<5 minutes), 50 grams (less for women) can enhance performance without overloading the stomach at the onset of exercise. |
It’s no secret that the best endurance athletes in the world start their morning out with a cup of coffee or two before heading out the door for a workout or race. Besides being the “best part of waking up,” and tasting damn fine, caffeine sparks several physiological processes in the body that can benefit both the elite endurance athlete and average joe alike. Here are the key points on caffeine:
As a side note, PerformElite contains efficacious amounts of caffeine and other endurance performance enhancing ingredients to give you an edge on race day.
There is no denying it. Carbohydrate is the most important macro-nutrient when it comes to fueling endurance performance during races. Without enough, performance can suffer, and you may experience the dreaded “bonk” (when muscle glycogen becomes depleted). Adequate carbohydrate consumption, especially during racing, ensures blood glucose levels remain elevated and provides the energy need to sustain muscular contractions. It also helps spare precious muscle glycogen. This is especially true as the intensity and duration of endurance exercise increases.
Below are guidelines to follow during races lasting from 30 minutes to 3 hours or more. The amounts discussed here can be obtained from sports drinks, gels, chews, bars, or whole food sources and is largely determined by one’s personal preference. The type of carbohydrate (i.e., maltodextrin, fructose, glucose, dextrose, etc….) won’t matter until you start consuming over 60 grams of carbs/hour.
Endurance Exercise Shorter Than 30 minutes
If your run, ride, or other endurance activity lasts 30 minutes or less, there is no need to consume carbohydrate during racing and training. Your body has more than enough muscle glycogen and blood glucose to provide adequate energy for the duration of the session.
Endurance Exercise Lasting 30 minutes to 2 hours
Carb consumption can help here, especially when the intensity is “all out” for the duration of the endurance activity. Eating/drinking 30 grams of carbs per hour will provide enough energy to help you reach the finish line feeling powerful and strong.
Endurance Exercise Lasting 2-3 hours
As endurance exercise starts to go beyond 2 hours, there is a dose-response relationship showing higher amounts of carbs are needed to continue to fuel optimal performance. 60 grams of carbs per hour is the recommendation here as long as it doesn’t cause stomach problems. In a future article, we will discuss how to train the gut to tolerate higher amounts of carbs.
Endurance Exercise Lasting 3 Hours Or Longer
As we start to enter the ultra-distance and beyond zone, it makes sense more carbs are needed. 90 grams of carbs per hour is recommended but with one caveat. The type of carbohydrate used should not be exclusive (i.e., just using fructose) since amounts over 60 grams per hour from a single source can cause stomach distress. Instead, multiple transport carbohydrates should be used. Although this sounds overly complicated, it is as simple as making sure your drink, chews, gels, etc. contain a combination of carb sources such as glucose, sucrose, and fructose. This will ensure maximal absorption while minimizing the gut discomfort.
If you follow the steps above you can ensure you are doing everything right to fuel yourself for the best race of your life. While proper training will be the biggest predictor of having a successful race, proper nutrition leading up to race day may mean the differences between an ok race and a podium appearance.