Training and race day nutrition

As with my previous post on general nutrition, the subject of training and racing nutrition is highly controversial. Drink a lot, don't drink, drink to thirst. Eat gels, don't eat gels, don't eat at all.  Eat fat, eat carbs, eat children. There are more theories and strategies than there are products it seems.

With that in mind, I am going to outline here are the current, mostly widely accepted approaches to this subject. They work for most people, most of the time. But everyone is different and not every plan is perfect for every person. I encourage you to experiment during your long runs to see what works for you in terms of sustaining energy and keeping the G.I. demons away. 

Water 

How much to drink is arguably the most controversial issues at present. There is constant debate on avoiding dehydration versus preventing hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is when you consume too much water in relation to electrolytes (namely sodium). It is a serious condition and becoming more and more prevalent.  Part of the reason for this is that, historically, recommendations for water intake during activities were based on giant football players exercising in the 90 degree heat of Florida. Clearly, those recommendations are not going to apply to very many people. There are all kinds of formulas out there designed to determine how much you should drink and there are tests to determine how much fluid you are losing, but they are generally not necessary if you follow one simple rule: If you are exercising for over an hour, drink to thirst. That's it. So clean and simple. Bring a water bottle along with you and sip as you feel you need it.  Fuel Belt and Nathan make great on the run hydration products. Oh, it's also a good idea to drink 6-8 oz of water about 15-30 minutes before you head out. 

Calories
First and foremost, you don't need to worry about fueling any workouts less than 90 minutes. Anything less than 90 minutes, you should have enough fuel onboard (in the form of stored carbohydrates) to carry you through these efforts. Greater than 90 minutes, you need to give yourself 30-45 grams of carbohydrate per hour. To put this in perspective, most energy gels have 25 - 30 grams of carbohydrate in them or 100 calories.  This number can vary somewhat on how hard you are working and your weight. Experiment with what works best for you; it's best to start with too much and work your way down. The number one sign that you've taken in more than you can handle is gastric distress (bloating, gas, diarrhea, etc.).

This is all the fuel I brought with me for my Ironman race last fall.
I didn't use it all, but I was ready for anything!

As far as what to use to get those calories in, this really is a personal preference. Generally speaking, folks tend to handle liquid calories (i.e. gels or carbohydrate drinks) better than solid food due to the lack of blood flow to your gut during exercise.  There are many, many brands and options to choose from. Again, practice and find what works best for you. Don't forget that taste is a big factor to consider. If you don't like what you are using, you will like it even less when you are pushing hard on race day.

For what it's worth, I like GU and First Endurance products. I find that my body handles these well and I like the flavors they offer (Hello Peanut Butter GU!!!). Another big bonus is that these products include amino acids in their blends. Amino acids help protect your muscles against damage and aid in helping you go longer more comfortably. Also, the primary sugar in these is malodextrin...which is actually complex sugar that acts like a simple sugar because of weaker bonds.

I've really only just skimmed the surface of yet another confusing and controversial topic. The take home message is to practice, practice, practice!

Run for your lives,
Bree

Links of interest:

How much should you drink during a marathon? 

Hyponatremia in Distance Athletes

http://www.firstendurance.com/pdf/efs_2010.pdf
https://guenergy.com/expertise.html?category=321