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
.Routine ChangesTriathletes often become creatures of habit to help them balance training, work and life away from triathlon. "Transitioning into off-season eating does require a bit of mental concentration," says US professional triathlete and coach Paul Fritzsche
but your tanks are empty. Your training was spot-on and your race was going well so what happened? Your nutrition strategy was wrong, that’s what, and now your body is making you pay. It has happened to the best, but the best learn from their mistakes. It
Q. I know pasta's an old favourite, but is there an obvious choice for a meal the night before a race?A. The pre-race meal is a matter of individual choice and preference, but there are some factors to consider. The first important point is to eat
and during a long-distance event. However, this should be well considered, planned and practised. It should also be introduced at the lowest amount that is effective for you without causing side effects that could seriously disrupt your race.Get calculating
yourself before and after a session. (One kilogram of weight loss is equivalent to one litre of fluid.) Once you know your sweat loss you can prepare your fluid-replacement strategy for training and races.Pre-planningFor an event such as Ironman Nice ensure
that you have a goody bag at the end of the race that contains snacks you enjoy. The aim is to have approximately 50-100 grams of carbohydrate within 30 minutes of finishing exercise and for efficient glycogen refuelling, the aim is then to continue to eat
also offer protection against some cancers.Red PotatoesThe humble - and let's be honest, it's not much to look at - potato has had a bad reputation in terms of nutrition because we have a habit of frying it in fat, covering it with cheese or mixing
Association and The Nutrition Society. She has completed the London Triathlon twice. Sarah regularly writes for magazines, newspapers and journals.
