Fueling for Performance

Fueling the body for optimal performance in a hard workout and/or race is critically important and important enough that you should have a well thought out strategy. In the blog, Hydration is Critical to Success, I share insights on fluids and sodium when exercising. This piece is focused on the nutrition we fuel ourselves with for optimal performance in the way of carbohydrates. If you are not interested in pushing your body to the limits, doing an easy effort, and/or a short one, some of these concepts are much less important. These are considerations I’ve learned, failed at, studied, and thrived. I always state, we are all a bit different so it’s important you consult with your physician, coach, and/or in this case, maybe a dietician.

Similar to the hydration blog I referenced earlier, I have learned much of my knowledge from the company, Precision Hydration. Their sources on fueling strategy helped me put together my own plan that I have tweaked for myself and how I begin planning and consulting for athletes I coach. Much of what I reference below is leveraging their concepts.

I will break the content into five components based on the timing or duration. Remember againn, these are guidelines when you are pushing it hard for performance and/or out there for a long time.

Night Prior

• Be full 12 hours prior to your start time
• If I still find myself hungry later in the evening, I usually consume a banana to top me off. Find a healthy option
• Think healthy carbohydrates and watch those late night sweets if you have that sweet tooth

Morning Of

• This really depends on how much time you have before your effort
• If you are getting up and quickly starting your workout, it’s critical you pre-loaded the night before
• I will usually stick to a carbohydrate drink or half a banana if I’m starving and/or I’m going into a longer effort…I like Hammer Nutrition – Perpetuem that has 34 grams of carbohydrates and I’ll simply add it to less water the closer I am to an effort so I’m not feeling sloshy. This month I am going to try Precision Hydration – Precision Fuel mix which has 30 grams of carbs and see what I think. Some of the other nutrition contents vary so I want to try and compare.
• If I’m going for a short effort (under an hour) and I’m starving, I’ll use a gel which generally has about 20-30 grams of carbohydrates in them
• If I’m going for a short effort (under an hour) and not starving I won’t have anything

Efforts Less than 1 Hour (Short Effort)

• If we have pre-loaded we shouldn’t need anything…pretty simple
• If we haven’t and it’s a hard effort, consider a gel in the middle of the routine to get you to the end

Efforts between 1-3 Hours (Short/Intermediate)

• 30 grams of carbohydrates per hour is a great starting point if you are in this window of time
• I have found this pretty simple to do with a gel, bar/chew, and/or a carbohydrate drink
• When I’m in the lower end of this time window I’m usually relying on a gel and if I’m on my bike I will sip a carb drink as well
• The deeper I get in this time window I find a bar/chew helps me feel like I’m consuming more substance. Test and see what your gut can handle when you are pressing hard during these short/intermediate efforts.

Efforts between 3-4 Hours (Intermediate)

• This is where the guidance bumps to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour
• Mixing and matching of these products will be a good idea to get to the 60 gram mark easier and also not developing taste fatigue with any one source

Efforts more than 5 Hours (Long)

• The bump for this duration goes up to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour
• Mixing and matching of these products will also be a good idea to get up to the 90 gram mark easier and also not developing taste fatigue with any one source
• As you enter the long ultra-distance category you may want. to consider whole foods with combinations of carbs, protein, sodium, natural sugars, etc.

Post Effort

• Important to get the carbs in as quickly as we can to promote recovery. I detail this in the blog, Carbs Rule for Recovery

As I noted to start, these are guidelines you should consult with a physician, coach, and/or dietician to see what works best for you. When you have an idea, practice and see what works and doesn’t so when you get to race day, you aren’t guessing or trying something new. The practicing should occur with different variables in mind including duration, weather, fitness, time of day, amount of preload, the type of exercise, etc.

I hope these ideas give you something to consider and let me know what has worked for you.

– Add Health to Your Life

Blog Photo – (left photo – cramping after Duathlon National Championship 2022); (right photo – hitting the nutrition and hydration plan spot on at the Duathlon World Championship 2023)

References

• How much carbohydrate do athletes need per hour?
• Nailing your fueling and hydration strategy for endurance performance