“What Do I Eat on Race Day?” — Part 2

Daily Nutrition For Optimal Endurance Performance (Part 2)

Dorette Franks, RDN

METS-I | USA Triathlon | USA Track & Field Level I Certified Coach

As we learned in Part 1 of Daily Nutrition for Optimal Endurance Performance, what, when, and how much we eat plays a role in both endurance performance and long-term health. We also learned that carbohydrates (stored as muscle, liver glycogen and blood glucose) are the preferred “fuel” source that feeds nailing those high-intensity-training intervals or sustained race pace.

Can one train in a fasted state? Sure. For those attacking an early morning workout, this approach may be preferred. But for others, eating a light breakfast, such as a hard-boiled egg on a slice whole grain bread with some avocado is the right combo to kick off a morning workout.

The low-carb/high-fat and nutritional ketogenic diet approaches also have their merits. But again, if you are honing in on higher intensities that build in duration, or surging ahead with sustained effort, then carbohydrates have the competitive edge.

Inversely, the consumption of carbohydrate-laden meals and snacks, including a frequent use of gels, bars, and carbohydrate drinks, can also leave the body in carb-deponent state. Additionally, this can lead to GI distress on race day – that is, experiencing anything from belching, stomach cramping, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea on race day. (Yes, dietitians talk about it all, and we’ve seen it all!)

Fueling the body for endurance performance is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

In this blog, we’ll strike a balance between the two approaches. No matter what your event or when your race, it’s never too early or too late to modify your meals – for seasonal performance and long-term health. Read more…