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Fueling For Every Distance...

Thursday, 23 March 2017 23:10

By BROOKE SCHOHL (teamusa.org)
This article originally appeared in USA Triathlon Magazine.

You’ve logged the miles and completed the training. But there’s a nagging feeling that you’ve forgotten something as race day looms. Oh yeah, your fuel plan! All too often, nutrition takes a backseat. Consequently, fueling-related challenges are common during triathlons. But there’s a solution. Use training to determine what works for you, develop a play-by-play plan for race day, and follow that plan.

Whether your next race is an all-out sprint or a dig-deep, endurance-fest Ironman, make sure your fuel plan is on track and specific to the task at hand. One of the coolest things about our sport is the variety of options when it comes to race distance, but determining what to eat and drink and when can get rather...

complicated. Use the following plans to remedy nutrition-related setbacks and perform your best.

The days of carb-loading and over-consuming dietary carbohydrate are behind us.  More and more athletes are turning to metabolically efficient fueling strategies, which involve training the body to better utilize fat stores for energy rather than being a slave to carbs. Benefits of this way of life include stabilized blood sugar, boosted energy levels, improved body composition, elevated performance, and better general health. Metabolically efficient fueling is achieved by fueling/hydrating only when necessary, by combining nutrients at meals, and by maintaining stable blood sugar throughout the day. These concepts are interwoven into all of the tips and plans below. READ MORE