Nutrition Strategies for Endurance Athletes
Whether you're gearing up for a marathon, triathlon, or Ironman, nutrition plays a pivotal role in your performance and recovery. From pre-race meals to in-race fuelling and post-race recovery, getting your nutrition right can be the difference between a personal best and an experience you'd rather forget. Let’s look into strategies to help endurance athletes fuel optimally throughout their training and on race day.
Pre-Race Nutrition: Fuelling the Engine
Training for an endurance event like an Ironman or Marathon isn’t just about logging miles; it’s also about ensuring your body has the right fuel. Your caloric needs will increase significantly as you ramp up your training volume over the 3-12 months leading to race day. The longer your training sessions, the more energy your body requires. This is applicable to performance and recovery.
For instance, during the base phase of your training, your focus should be on building endurance and aerobic capacity. A balanced diet which includes ample carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats will support your body’s needs. As your training intensifies, particularly in the final weeks leading up to your event, you’ll need to increase your carbohydrate intake to replenish glycogen stores. In Base Training phases your calorie needs will be pretty normal. As you get closer to race day in build phases, peak phases and race phases the need for extra calories, especially carbohydrates will maximise! It’s not uncommon to double or even triple your normal calorie needs.
Race Day Nutrition: The Balancing Act
Race day is often when endurance events turn into eating competitions! Balancing carbohydrates, glucose, fructose, water, and electrolytes is crucial to avoid hitting the dreaded wall. If you’ve ever experienced cramps during a race (like I did during my first Ironman at Eastbourne IronBourne in 2021—what a disaster!), you’ll know the importance of getting this balance right.
To avoid such pitfalls, aim to consume a mix of carbohydrates (30-90 grams per hour, depending on the race length), electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium), and water. The key is not just what you consume, but also when. Start fuelling early in the race and maintain a consistent intake. Don’t wait until you feel tired or thirsty; by then, it’s often too late.
Here’s a quick guide to race-day nutrition:
Before the Race:
Eat a carbohydrate-rich meal 2-3 hours before the start. Think porridge oats, a bagel with peanut butter, or a banana smoothie.
During the Race:
Consume energy gels, chews, or drinks that combine glucose and fructose for optimal absorption. Aim for regular sips of water or electrolyte drinks. Sodium is especially important to prevent cramps—trust me, I learned the hard way!
After the Race:
Your priority should be recovery. Within 30 minutes of finishing, consume a mix of carbohydrates and protein to replenish glycogen stores and kickstart muscle repair. Chocolate milk, a recovery shake. Pizza and Pasta dishes are also popular.
Training Your Gut: Mimic Race Day
One of the most overlooked aspects of endurance training is gut training. Just like you wouldn’t try a new pair of shoes on race day, you shouldn’t experiment with new foods or supplements. Use your training sessions to test various energy gels, bars, or drinks to see what your stomach tolerates best. This also includes experimenting with caffeine if you plan to use it on race day.
During long training sessions, practice your race-day nutrition strategy. This will help train your gut to handle the volume and type of fuel you’ll consume during the event, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal issues.
Hydration Strategies: Not Just About Water
Proper hydration goes beyond just drinking water. Sweat loss during endurance events can lead to significant electrolyte depletion, particularly sodium, which is vital for muscle function and fluid balance. An imbalance can result in cramps, dizziness, and even performance decline.
A simple way to monitor your hydration status is by checking your urine colour—pale yellow is ideal (obviously probably not during your race!)
During the race, aim to drink small amounts regularly rather than large gulps infrequently. This helps maintain fluid balance and reduces the likelihood of gastrointestinal distress.
Conclusion
Endurance events are not just tests of physical stamina; they’re also about mastering your nutrition strategy. By focusing on balanced meals during training, practising race day nutrition, and ensuring proper hydration, you can set yourself up for success. And remember, every race is a learning experience—if something doesn’t go to plan, like a cramp-ridden Ironman, take notes, adjust, and come back stronger. Happy fuelling, and may your next endurance event be your best yet!
All InverTRIde athletes will have in-depth bespoke Nutrition conversations and strategies. I don’t have an affiliation with any nutrition brand. Personally, since 2023 I have had great success using a mixture of MyProtein, Precision Fuel and High5 Energy within my training and race day prep.