Triathlon Nutrition: The 4th Discipline

You should simulate a race situation during training to get a feel for WHAT to eat or drink, in what AMOUNT, and at what TIME during the race, so you can avoid unpleasant surprises or symptoms caused by a drop in blood sugar levels. It’s also beneficial to eat plenty of carbohydrates (pasta, bread, dried fruit, etc.) in the days leading up to a marathon so that the energy stores in your muscles (glycogen stores) are well-filled. Additionally, for optimal preparation, your diet should be carefully planned in the hours leading up to the race.

Caffeine, in the right dosage, can boost performance both within 60 minutes BEFORE and/or DURING a prolonged endurance activity. Especially after the first half of a longer endurance session, consuming caffeine can delay the usual onset of fatigue and thus contribute to improved performance.

The scientific evidence does not confirm any link between moderate caffeine intake (< 5 mg/kg body weight) during exercise and a negative impact on fluid balance or even dehydration.

Carboloading is a proven strategy for replenishing glycogen stores in the muscles (i.e., the body’s energy reserves). These strategies have changed significantly in recent years. Today, simplified methods are recommended: In the three days leading up to the competition, focus on a diet high in carbohydrates and low in fiber and fat, while simultaneously reducing your training volume. Foods rich in carbohydrates—such as pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, dried fruit, and fruit smoothies—are well-suited for this so-called “carb-loading phase.” Some easy-to-follow tips include: At meals, serve yourself two spoonfuls more of rice or pasta than usual; choose a banana for dessert instead of low-calorie berries; and eat an energy bar or a handful of raisins as a snack between meals. It’s important to know that effective carb-loading causes the body to retain additional water, since carbohydrates are stored in glycogen stores along with water. This increases your body weight. That means you’ll have to “carry around” a little extra weight. It’s therefore important to try out this sports nutrition strategy before a long and intense training session. Carb loading can definitely have a positive effect on longer endurance efforts!

A reduced energy and carbohydrate intake should be planned for the off-season so that neither performance nor recovery is compromised. A diet can also increase the risk of injury and illness and should therefore be carefully planned and tailored to the individual cyclist.

A poorly planned omnivorous diet is no more balanced than a poorly planned vegetarian diet. A well-thought-out lacto-ovo-vegetarian or vegan diet appears to adequately meet an athlete’s nutritional needs. With a vegan diet, special attention should be paid to the intake of vitamins D and B12, omega-3 fatty acids, and the minerals iron and zinc. Vegans and vegetarians often have lower muscle creatine stores. In such cases, a suitable creatine supplement can be a sensible addition to their diet. This is because well-stocked creatine stores allow for more intense training, which can improve repeated sprint performance, for example.