Being vegetarian doesn't mean you have to compromise on performance. Anecdotal evidence suggests that a vegetarian diet for endurance athletes is by no means detrimental. However, an athlete who consumes a poorly planned vegetarian diet may
sprint triathlon. Part of the way round I completely ran out of energy and my time was terrible. For my next race I had porridge for breakfast and finished in a great time."There are certain things to bear in mind with regard to eating before training
morning meal: the fat-phobic suggest skipping it until after your session; those planning a long session fuel up like builders; and those close to a race search for the perfect winning fuel.Whatever you're doing the idea is to keep your muscles
Once upon a time long-distance triathlon was seen as something of a grail, holy or unholy, depending on how you felt about a 140-mile race. It was the preserve of the experienced, the specialists and, maybe, the slightly unhinged. Not any more
early in the race. Continue to regularly drink small amounts. Most athletes can tolerate 200-300ml every 15-20 mins but this will vary with the intensity of the exercise. You are more likely to drink them if the drinks are cool, palatable and easily
, since iron is lost in sweat and, in blood, from the urinary tract or gastrointestinal system of many endurance athletes. The repetitive impact of running may also cause red blood cells to break down - this is known as foot-strike haemolysis
cause an electrolyte imbalance, which can also lead to nausea," says Taylor.Having a race-day nutrition plan is the best step for combating exercise-induced nausea. Some athletes set their watch to beep when it's time to take in fluids. "Develop a fluid
race, where some super-fast people had sent my stuff flying in their haste to get out on the bike." Keep your wits about you and stay out of others' way in transition.Keep clearBeing held up by other athletes can be frustrating when the clock is ticking
If transition is triathlon's fourth discipline, nutrition should be the fifth. Making fuelling mistakes could mean your race ends in disaster. And the longer the event, the more critical your food and drink strategy becomes. But it's not easy
Q. I want to practise my nutrition for race day but my trainer says I should wait until a few weeks before the race so I get the maximum benefit - is he right?A. It's imperative that you experiment during training to find out what will work best
