nutrition + hydration
it is often said that nutrition is the fourth discipline of triathlon. nutrition lays a solid foundation for sustainable and effective training and racing. fueling strategies need to be developed, just like each of the main disciplines: swimming, biking, and running. what works well for one person may not be the most optimal strategy for another person. trial and error is the best way to find out what works, and, equally importantly, what doesn’t work for you.
it is useful to take notes on your before, during, and after workout hydration and nutrition stats by tracking carbs, sodium, protein, and liquid intake. look for areas to optimize after each training session. did you have a headache post workout? how much sodium did you have before your workout? did you get enough hydration during the workout? did you experience delayed onset muscle soreness after a high intensity session? how much protein have you been consuming after sessions over an hour? how much sodium? did you feel great? can you repeat your hydration and nutrition strategy it for multiple workouts?
when you’re swimming for 50 - 90 mins (max time of 140 mins after swim start), biking for 4.5 - 7 hours (max of 10 - 10.5 hours after swim start), and running for 3:00 - 5:00 hours (max of 16 - 17 hours after swim start), you need to have an effective and easy to follow nutrition and hydration strategy to keep your body adequately fueled for performance. doing so will allow you to enjoy the race thanks to the confidence built in knowing your body has enough fuel to excel.
below are the loose guidelines i follow while training and racing. this is a great place to start if you’re new to the fueling game. keep it simple and nail the routine. it can take time for your gut to adapt to digesting while exercising. test out different options and lean into what works best for you. keep making adjustments until you feel really strong about your ability to fuel properly over the duration of your next challenge. you’ll be amazed at how proper fueling translates to much more sustainable efforts during training and racing.
pre long workout: for workouts over 3 hours, take down 200g - 300g of carbs 1 - 4 hours before the workout
pre short workout: for workouts under 3 hours, you can rely on in workout nutrition to stay fueled
pre swim: 25g carbs 15 - 20 mins before start
during bike: 70g - 120g carbs per hour, eating every 15 - 30 mins
during run: 50g - 90g carbs per hour, eating every 20 - 30 mins
sodium intake during: 500mg - 1000mg of sodium in fuel (more for saltier sweaters)
liquid intake during: 24oz - 36oz (750ml - 1500ml) per hour
post workout: 1g - 1.4g of carbs per bodyweight in kilo, and 10g - 25g of protein
general daily fueling: calories around 45% - 65% from carbs, 15% - 20% from protein, and 20% - 35% from fat