Setting up your raceday nutrition we recommend the following guidelines as a starting point for you to hone in on your nutrition strategy.
Work with your tristar athletes coach 1X1 to dial in your specific nutrition and needs for the perfect race.
Tips for nutrition and racing
● Race nutrition must be rehearsed and practiced exactly like training. If it has not been battle tested there, its likely not going to work raceday.
● Nutrition is the “fourth” discipline for triathletes and the second for most stand alone endurance sports
● First things first with racing nutrition; get your quantities right. This means measuring out and practicing your timing on key race training sessions.
● When developing a sound nutrition strategy the goal should be to customize the nutrition to the event demands.
● Poor raceday nutrition is one of the top reasons why a race can go “bad” before many other reasons.
● Most athletes shy away from nutrition. Shockingly the best of the best get it wrong.
● When nutrition “works” the body should be able to perform - without it, as an athlete you will be celebrate something less than what you are capable of on raceday.
● For your race nutrition; You should fine tune things from other races and training. Bring to the table your experiences, these tips and our Tristar Coaches advice to develp the best plan.
● The goal of your nutrition strategy should be to have your stomach clear rapidly while providing adequate energy.
Top 5 nutrition errors we see in racing at Tristar Athletes
● Cramping in racing; can happen due to A. Lack of electrolytes even when drinking “enough” water. B. When not taking in enough water (most common) C. Due to lack of specificity and too much intensity in the race, aka, pacing was way off for what the training would actually support. (non nutritional)
● Raceday buddha belly; caused by gut overload and usually due to multiple types of carbohydrates in the stomach. Double enzymes and double the substrates..
● Race day problems?! Vomiting, belching and gas; When the tomach is not emptying properly this can be due to A. Too much food taken in all at once. (Bad spacing intervals of food/water) B. Stomach not emptying due to a lack of salt and or water. (Water is needed to clear the stomach) Higher than goal race pace effort and or heart rate to the point the stomach blood is shunted and shuts down and eventually everything is booted.
● Stomach Cramping; Due to dehydration most often. At times this can be caused by consuming
● Raceday nutrition - Stomach Cramping; This is often times due to dehydration. At times this can be caused by consuming foods that were not prepped during training for raceday.
● What does it mean to have salt covered clothes and skin; often times this is due to dehydration and or higher than normal sweat rate due to hotter conditions. It may be a sign of poor acclimation. For this problem extra electrolytes may be needed….(sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.)
The Tristar Athletes race fueling consult is one of our most popular services we offer. We will craft a plan that addresses your nutrition limiters and prepares your body for any endurance event.
Every athlete has distinctly different nutritional needs for optimal performance. We use the latest scientific research to provide athletes of all levels with individualized nutrition plans based on their unique performance and fitness goals. We consider individual training schedules and lifestyle choices to determine specific energy and hydration needs for each athlete and maximize energy levels. This expert analysis and individualized nutrition plan improves endurance and speeds muscle recovery.
The plan developed by our coaches will address your carbohydrate, fluid intake and sweat loss / electrolyte replacement strategy. This consultation is the starting point for our Tristar Nutrition Coaching.
Your nutrition plan will be developed by our principal level III coaches or certified nutritionists. You will receive a detailed caloric and nutrient based plan (PDF / Spreadsheet) with your key event from start to finish. You will setup a call time with your Tristar team to go over your current health histories and what has worked or not worked for you in the past.