Nutrition in triathlon training is probably one of the most important and yet overlooked aspects in amateur triathlon. Professional triathletes are hypersensitive to the need for nutrition both during training and during the race. Hobbyist triathletes, however, tend to neglect their nutrition or do not plan it well enough and therefore suffer the consequences of poor performance. To truly be successful in triathlon, you need to focus on your nutrition for the best results.
PERIODIZATION
The first aspect of nutrition is periodization. It is very difficult to be on a strict diet in training all year long. Personally, I have to have moments where I “loosen the belt” and enjoy a good cheeseburger. So understand that just as there is periodization in your training, there is also periodization in your nutrition. For example, when you’re cutting back on race day, you can get very strict on your diet around 8-12 weeks before race day. This gives you plenty of time to lose the extra weight you’re carrying and maximize your training days with quality food. After the race, you can take a reward week to eat something extra or enjoy a meal that just isn’t on your strict training diet. You shouldn’t feel bad about this cheat period and go enjoy a great desert. Once this cheat week or day is over, go back to your stricter diet to prepare for your next race. In the off-season, it’s important to indulge in some not-so-strict foods, but be careful, you can get too fat in the off-season.
NUTRITION TRAINING
Every athlete is very different in terms of what they eat during training. Some of the building blocks of a good diet are quality carbohydrates (Not McDonald’s), quality protein like fish, chicken and lean meats, fruits (which are often overlooked), and vegetables. Some triathletes get so neurotic about these different aspects that they measure everything. As someone who is very busy this is hard to do, however once he finds a pattern of good eating he can implement a good training diet. Don’t go on a “diet” where you minimize your calories to the point that your training sessions end in weakness or “bonking.” Eat 6-7 times a day with quality snacks like fruit, low-fat cheese sticks, or protein bars. Be sure to drink plenty of water, as your training will require additional amounts of water to prevent dehydration. Finally, pick a nutritional pattern and stick with it instead of trying so many different fads.
BREED NUTRITION
For every triathlon race that you compete in, you will have certain nutritional issues that you will have to deal with. For Sprint and Olympic/International distance races, you’ll probably only need one meal before the race. For long races like half ironman or full ironman, you will not only need a meal before the race, but also a nutrition plan during the race. Currently, I drink 2250 calorie juices around 2:30-3:00 am on race day. I eat a whole cinnamon bagel and you spend an hour before the race. Then I use the PowerBar Powergel tangerine flavored gels before the race and during the race. I normally use a gel every :45 minutes on the bike and every :30 minutes on the run. I also use Hammer Nutrition Endurolytes pre-race and at each of the intervals listed above for the gels. I also use Hammer Nutrition FIZZ in my bike water bottles. The process of finding this nutrition blend has taken me the last 6 years. Sometimes you discover things by trial and error, like my need for Accelerade during last year’s race.
Nutrition is very important for overall performance. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Find some best practices and start the testing process for your own needs.