As a beginner triathlete, it took me a long time to learn this one:
There is no magical sports supplement, gel, sports drink, or pill that works on race day. Nothing you find in your SWAG bag is the answer. There is simply nutrition that works, and nutrition that doesn't, and nobody can figure that out for you...but you.
If you're training and racing regularly, daily nutrition and sports nutrition become one. If you're training 3 or more times per week, you should be...
- ...fueling your body with whatever it's going to need for optimal performance
- ...fueling your body with whatever it needs while performing
- ...fueling your body with whatever it needs to recover
- Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
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| Note the ever present box of coconut water in my hand. |
My long, yet unsuccessful history of involvement in endurance sports has been decorated, not with trophies and medals, but with glaring weaknesses, mistakes, and unnecessary suffering. However, since my involvement with the MaccaX group, and Chris
McCormack's extended family of coaches, trainers, and mentors, every
previous weaknesses is being turned into a strength. Nutrition is no exception.
Nutrition has always been a huge area of concern for me. In fact, the 'concern' itself was undermining my GI system, preventing my body from getting what it needed...when it needed it. Now, with ample help and guidance of Ben Greenfield and Rich Roll's program on MindBodyGreen.Com I'm completely dialed in. My day to day nutrition and my performance nutrition have become one. I am truly an expert in what my body needs in order to perform optimally. I don't mean sometimes, or pretty often, or this week, or over my last few rides. I mean ALWAYS. I mean, if it's a 45 minute run or a 6 hour bike session, my nutrition is nailed. I know WHAT to take in, HOW MUCH to take in, WHEN to take take it in, and even IF I need to take in anything during my race or training session.
And how do I feel about that?
I am Spartacus!
I've come to learn that for almost any weakness or misstep, the solution tends to be a simple one. Sports nutrition is no exception to that. Now, don't let the word "simple" be confused with "easy." Heck, winning Kona is simple. You just have to go faster than everyone else, right? That's pretty simple! Anyone who's tried it, however, will tell you it's not easy. Now, although the solution to our sports nutrition problem is actually a simple one, the challenge in solving it is typically a mental/emotional one rather than a physical/nutritional one. If we don't have it worked out already, many of us blur the line between food as nutrition and food as fuel. In fact, many of us still see food as entertainment. If you're going to be your very best, you've got to buy into that.
We have to change our view of what food actually is! If we're going to race, food is fuel. It's not called "fun." It's called food; it's fuel. It has a purpose. That's where the mental/emotional part becomes so hard.
Q: So you mean, if I'm going to be my absolute best, I can't be drinking booze and eating socially, with friends?
A: How would I know! I'm not you! Maybe nachos and Corona's work great for you. However, I'm virtually certain that Krispy Kreme Donuts and Kettle One aren't ideal fuels to aid in preparation, performance, and recovery.
How did it work for me, after all these years? Ask yourself the following four questions:
- Do I actually need to take in fuel (nutrition and/or hydration) during this training session or race?
- What kind of fuels do I need?
- How much fuel to I need?
- When should I take these fuels?
- Before your event
- During your event
- After your event
How do I know what to eat and drink during a race or training session?
- Identify one nutritional elements that you know your body needs in order to perform optimally.
- Isolate the single element you are going to focus on, then determine what works for you.
- Lock that element down; it's fixed! It's dialed!
- Move on to another element: Electrolytes, calories, salt, etc. and repeat the process.
Example:
- How much water should I drink?
- Test it during training: Try 1/4 of a bottle of water every 15 minutes. Whatever you're trying, be consistent. While drinking 1/4 of a bottle of water every 15 minutes...do you have to pee, or are you dehydrated? Now adjust your intake as needed.
- On your next session, don't change your intake of water.
- Do you need more electrolytes? Start the process over with your focus on electrolytes.
Here's what works for me:
- 60 minutes or less: In my experience, if my session or race is going to be 60 minutes or less, I don't actually need any fuel during my race or session. Fuel up before. Recover afterward.
- 60-90 minutes: I find that regardless of temperature, anything beyond 60 minutes requires hydration during my sessions. Water or Coconut water is the only thing that works for me. Gatorade, Powerade, etc. might as well be Kryptonite. It ties up my gut, spikes my glucose, and leads to me bonking shortly afterward. My body can process enough 'sports drink' to keep me from bonking, leaving me completely bloated and often in pain.
- At the 2 Hour mark: I know that if I'm not taking in calories during my session, I will bonk at the 1:45 to 2 hr. mark. Knowing that, I tend to start taking on easy-to-digest calories at the 60 minute mark, alternating water and coconut water with that, as needed.
- Anything over 2 hours is a long session for me: If I know I'm going out for more than 2 hours, I tend to keep my hydration consistent throughout, as noted above. I tend to start eating dates at about 60 minutes (maybe 2 dates every 30 minutes) and at the 2 hour mark I add roasted/salted almonds as well. I appreciate that roasted almonds are not a healthy as raw, but the salt seems to help.
- Hours three, four, and beyond might look like this.
- 3:00 - Water
- 3:15 - Coconut Water
- 3:30 - Water & Two Dates and 4 or 6 almonds
- 3:45 - Coconut Water
- 4:00 - Water & Two Dates and 4 to 6 almonds
- ...continue
I've yet to finish a session or event that was so long that I was left feeling flat, dehydrated, out of gas, or anything but well. I have certainly been on 3 and 4 hour rides when my legs have been shattered, but I know that's because I'm pushing myself, not because my nutrition is off.
I'm workin' on that one now. One victory at a time!
Hugs
Andy Blasquez
I'd love to have you follow me on my journey to Ironman Lake Tahoe 2014
