Triathlon - Sports Nutrition (Race Day)

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Confused about which sports drink? Bar? Gel?


…Clif? CarboPro? Hammer? ExTran? Endurox? Amino Vital?


How do you choose your fuel?

• What your friend uses?• What the tri-store recommends?• What you read in a magazine?• What looks good?• What tastes good?• ...is there really a difference anyway?


What choices are available?• Plain Water• Gels• Sports Drinks• Sports Drinks• Sports Drinks• Sports Bars• Electrolytes (not fuel – but important)• Regular food

– simple sugars- w/complex carbs- w/protein


Let’s start with basics…

• Taste • What’s on the race course• If not on the race course, what’s going to be

available to buy/bring• The environment – will it sit in the melting

sun?• Portable - easy to carry?• The details of sugars, digestion and

drinks, gels and bars….


Taste


It must taste good!• If you don’t like it….you won’t drink it• During activity, studies show a non-carbonated,

citrus-flavoured, moderately tart, lightly sweetened works best (yes there’s a reason why so many lemony, tartydrinks are available)

• What tastes good at rest….may be too sweet or have too strong a taste when racing (so test that Chocolate flavour before racing!)


What’s on the race course?If not on the race course, what’s

going to be available to buy/bring?


Race Course

• What’s available?• Train with that

drink…or something very similar

• If you can’t tolerate the drink, know how you will bring your own drink (camelbak, gels, bars etc.)

IM Bento Box


The environment – will it sit in the melting sun? Maybe re-think

that chocolate bar!


Also – YOU? Is it a hot race? A cold race? Think about your

appetite in 90 degrees versus 40 degrees?


Now the FUN stuff!The details of sugars, digestion

and drinks, gels and bars….


Fuel: let’s start with what we have…

Liver glycogen = 115g(primary fuel for brain and nervous system – we use this at night so VERY important to eat breakfast on race day)

Muscle glycogen = 300g

= approx. 90 minutes of exercise(varies with intensity) – good for Sprint

(maybe!)…but not Olympic, Half-Ironman and Ironman

Glycogen = storage form of glucose in muscles & liver


So – obvious - more time…more fuel!

Time…Sprint…Olympic…Half-Ironman…Ironman

FOOD!


Distances• Sprint – probably don’t need, or need

very little fuel• Olympic – probably take some drinks,

gels…• Half-Ironman – bars, drinks, gels,

maybe even food…• Ironman – food, bars, gels, drinks,

insects, small children (ok, just kidding)…


Again - what choices are available?

• Plain Water• Gels• Sports Drinks• Sports Drinks• Sports Drinks• Sports Bars• Electrolytes (not fuel – but important)• Regular food

– simple sugars- w/complex carbs- w/protein


Plain Water – how much?Liquids (not necessarily water) –approx. 7-10 oz. every 15 to 20

minutes (easy approx. 24ozper hour)


How much is 24oz (per hour)?

Bike bottle is 24oz

Profile Aero is 32oz

Fuel Belt is 7oz


Bars – what’s in them (approx)?


Bars (generally – check labels!)

• Approx. 45g of carbs• Usually between 6g and 15g of protein• Bars..are solid (yes, this is obvious!)…which

means SLOWER digestion – consideration for an Olympic, Sprint…or perhaps a good choice for Ironman/HIM

• Can be more satisfying than drinks• Need fluid replacement in addition


Gels – what’s in them (approx)?


Gels(generally – check labels!)

• Approx. 25g of carbs• No protein• Usually a complex carb (maltodextrin)• Some contain electrolytes• Must take fluid replacement with gel• Can be sticky• Easy to carry and eat (on bike or run)


Which is best? Experiment!


Electrolytes?


HUGE Variation!

• Can take zero tablets….or 30 tablets

• Look to your current daily diet for sodium intake (processed foods, salting your foods, types of cuisine etc.)

• Check how much sodium is the drink, gel or bar you will use

• Weather at race – Kona versus Canada

• Experiment!


Energy Drinks?


An energy drink can provide:

• Water (hydration) – dehydration greater than 2% of body weight greatly reduces performance

• Carbohydrate (fuel) – supplement the limited (from our glycogen stores) amount of carbohydrate available in the body

• Protein – varies by brand• Electrolytes – varies by brand


Three main types of drinks:

• Simple (non-complex) Sugar drinks: Gatorade, Powerade, Enervitine…

• Complex Carb drinks: Carbo Pro, Hammer Heed…

• Carb and Protein drinks: Sustained Energy, Accelerade, Endurox…


What’s our goal when racing?

• You want the energy to be released quickly and without GI distress (nausea, bloating etc.)

• Sports drinks usually have sodium which enhances our ability to absorb water (where sodium goes…water will follow => hydration)


So how quickly can we convert fuel into ENERGY?

Sports drinks typically take about 15 mins for the energy to become available


What slows down this process?

• Again, solids…• Protein & Fat (probably not a

good idea to have that McDonald’s Qtr-pound burger like Wendy)

• Sugar concentration• Not enough liquid• High heart rate


SUGAR Concentration? Huh?

Fluids with a high sugar content

delay stomach emptying (..which delays energy for YOU!)


A “high sugar concentration”?(i.e. what will delay emptying)

• Anything above 6-8% carbohydrate (approx. 14g carbs for every 8 oz) will slow emptying & possibly cause GI upset


Ideal concentration is about 6-8%.Which drinks have this amount?

…others…check label handout

1.7%Ultima Replenisher

7%Hydra Fuel

6%Powerade

8%Cytomax

7%Body Fuel

7.75%Accelerade

6%Gatorade


What about complex carbs?Complex carbs

(polysaccharides, dextrins) can pack more sugar molecules (fuel)

WITHOUTdelaying stomach emptying and without causing GI distress (less sweet)


Complex Carbs – more sugar molecules without stomach issues

I’m famished…and tired.

Must be the bike…

I feel so strong on

maltodextrin…Lance better

watch out


What’s a complex carb?

• Maltodextrin• Glucose Polymers• Make sure these are the

first ingredients!• High concentrations of

maltodextrins result in LESS GI upset…so for the tummy sensitive choose drinks with this as main ingredient


Which drinks have complex carbs?

•Carbo Pro•Hammer Heed•Sustained Energy•PowerBar Endurance•Ultima Replenisher


What if the drink has both simple and complex carbs?

• Even better! • Good to contain a mix of

carbs: glucose, sucrose, fructose (all simple) and maltodextrin, glucose polymers (complex) because your body can use a variety of transport mechanisms rather than one single one

• Be careful with fructose –studies show can cause GI distress (ok, if second or other ingredient – just might avoid if first ingredient)


Ok…so, summary…we need:

• A drink that contains complex carbs(maltodextrin, glucose polymers) - will cause less GI upset and pack more fuel

• A drink that contains many different sugars can use all transport mechanisms

• Liquids empty stomach faster than solids• Fat slows digestion & a secondary fuel• Protein ‘last resort’ fuel• Something we like!


Great! I got it!


No wait…how much do I need for my race though?


Again, let’s start with what we have…

Liver glycogen = 115g(primary fuel for brain and nervous system – we use this at night so VERY important to eat breakfast on race day)

Muscle glycogen = 245g

= approx. 90 minutes of exercise(varies with intensity) – good for Sprint

(maybe!)…but not Olympic, Half-Ironman and Ironman

Glycogen = storage form of glucose in muscles & liver


And then we need….

• Approx. 1 g of carbs per minute = 60g per hour

60g carbs per hour


Advice: Less is more…experiment!


…or a little more detailed:• Aim (..on the bike at least) to take in 1g of carbohydrate for

every 1 kg that you weigh per hour. So for a 65kg (65kg x 2.2 = lbs so 143 lbs) Average Joe, that’s 65g carbs or approx. 260 calories per hour (65 x 4 kcal per gram of carb)

• Again, drinks typically have 14g per 8 oz (e.g. Gatorade), a gel can have 25-27g per sachet (e.g. GU, Carb Boom) and a bar can have about 40-50g (Clif, Luna)

• Again, hydration - approx. 800ml (240ml = 8 oz and bike bottle is 24oz – approx. a bike bottle) of fluid per hour


How do I get 60g carbs?

CLIF: Approx. 250kcal – 45g

carbs, 10g protein

CARBO PRO: Approx. 115kcal – 28g carbs per

scoop

ACCELERADE: Approx. 120kcal – 21g carbs (20g

sugars), 5g protein per 20oz

GU: Approx. 100kcal – 20g

carbs per packet


Mix & Match – or stick to one – YOU decide


Example (fluid): 5 Hr 1/2 ironman

..to finish

First 40 mins

30 mins

2nd hour

1st Hour

35 mins

200kcal

200kcal

112kcal

224kcal

224 kcal

-

Gel (25g) + Water + Gatorade (14g x 2)

Gel (25g) + Water + Gatorade (14g x 2)

Run

12 oz Carbo Pro 1 scoop (28g)

24 oz Carbo Pro 2 scoops (28g a scoop = 56g)

24 oz Carbo Pro 2 scoops (28g a scoop = 56g)

Bike

NothingSwim


Example (solid): 5 Hr 1/2 ironman

Over the course of 1 hr 35 mins

Over the 2hrs 45 min hours –more early in the race

35 mins

330 kcal

250 kcal

250 kcal

250 kcal

-

3 Carb Booms (27g) + Water Run

1 Clif bar (45g carbs + 10g protein)



Bike

NothingSwim


Experiment in training! We all have very different bodies….and

very different fueling needs (plus varies from race to race)


What about other ingredients?• Guarana extract, sodium citrate,

kola nut, ciwujia, ginkgo bilboa, kava kava, CoQ10, royal jelly, St John’s Wort…..

• Need more testing & research -- may have other benefits but won’t significantly affect performance or may do so at a risk…


Ok…so, summary…we need:

• A drink that contains complex carbs(maltodextrin, glucose polymers) - will cause less GI upset and pack more fuel

• A drink that contains many different sugars can use all transport mechanisms

• Liquids empty stomach faster than solids• Fat slows digestion & a secondary fuel• Protein ‘last resort’ fuel


….continued…• Approx. 60g carbs per hour – 1g per

minute• Hydration should be at least 24oz

(bike bottle) an hour (depends on weather, sweat rates)

• Electrolytes vary – check your drink or take tablets or mix in your drink

• Like your fuel!


Great! I got it – time to race!Good luck!