Hydration & Recovery

Your body is a machine that needs fluids to operate efficiently. In fact, your body is more than 60% water, and even light exercise can deplete that percentage. No fluid means no function, and suddenly it's you stranded during a race with an overtaxed body. This loss of fluid is called dehydration. And hydrating, or adding fluids, is the key to keeping it from happening to you.

Hydrate well leading up to race day (drink an extra 4-8 glasses of fluid during the 2 days before to overhydrate).

Up to 2 hours before your race start, drink another 2-3 glasses of water and another glass or two 5-10 minutes before the start. You may need to consider the temperature when deciding on whether or not to use a drinking system as a hot day will increase your fluid requirements.

Following your race, start your recovery by eating a carbohydrate-rich snack with some protein as soon as possible. A yogurt smoothie or chocolate milk make great choices since they’ll also help replenish your fluids. Follow this up by having a meal within a few hours.

Keep up with the water intake to replace lost fluids and you’ll soon be ready and nourished to resume training for the next race.

Nutrition for Distance & Iron Races

For races shorter than 60-90 minutes, you likely won’t need an extra energy source.

It is often not practical to get “solid” calories in while paddling continuously. However, if you do bring liquids in a bottle or drinking system, using a sports drink will provide you with some calories in addition to fluid. The sugar and sodium in a 4-8% solution (40-80 calories per 8oz) will provide some fuel and help your body to absorb the water more quickly. It may even enhance your endurance and give you the edge you need to push hard through the line!

Nutrition for Sprint Regattas

During sprint regattas, you will have opportunities to eat and drink between races. Avoid doing so too close to race time to prevent anything from “talking back!”

What works for one person, might not for another so go with what you know will settle well.

Consider snacking every 1.5 to 2 hours on carbohydrate-rich foods which include some lower fat protein. Pasta salad with some meat or cheese, ½ a turkey sandwich, yogurt and fruit, milk and a muffin are just a few examples. And of course, stay hydrated!

Spring Tune-Up

It’s already April and racing season is just around the corner. Are you ready? In addition to being prepared physically and mentally, is your nutrition plan ready to help you perform at your best?

Use your training time NOW to help prepare you for races to come. Consider what you will eat prior to the race. Will you need an energy boost during the race? How will you hydrate? All these questions should have well-defined answers long before race day. And remember the athlete’s adage, ”NEVER try anything new on race day!” There’s a reason for that! Try out your new strategies well before racing season to find out what works for you. Pre-race meals, sports beverages, drinking systems etc. – they all need to be tested.

Early in the season, most races will either be sprint regattas or iron distance leaving longer irons and change-out races for later in the summer. In any case, starting race day with a well-tolerated meal (avoid potential irritants such as coffee, high fiber or high fat foods IF they are known to bother you) is a must. A high-carb breakfast which includes some protein 3-4 hours before the race will provide enough calories and protein to get you fueled and ready to go. A few choices include: rolled oats with nuts and fruit and low fat or soy milk OR a bagel with peanut butter and banana and low fat yogurt.

Practice your strategies as best you can during training. Find out what works and what doesn’t. Keep searching to find your own magic bullet which gives you plenty of energy to complete the race and recover quickly so you can resume training soon after. Good nutrition will not assure you of a podium-finish. But, fueling up in the days and hours before and after your race will help you feel your best, perform your best and get you ready for what’s to come in your training plan.

Stay tuned for nutritional tips for:

Early in the season
Sprint Regattas
Distance and Irons
Hydration
Recovery

Everyday eating for performance: You’ve heard it all before…….lots ‘o carbs, adequate protein, moderate fat, a variety of fruits and vegetables, emphasize whole grains, stay hydrated…….