Nutrition For Triathlon
Because I'm doing a triathlon in June I thought it would be a good idea to look into what's advised to eat, because one of the things I'm worried about is having enough energy for all 3 sports all the way through.
(Information from 'Sports Nutrition For Endurance Athletes' by Monique Ryan)
Triathlons became really popular after the Olympics in Sydney and a full triathlon is commonly known as an Ironman (2.4mile swim, 112mile bike, 26 mile run). Although the distances do vary so in terms of nutrition it's important that it's specific to the distance you are training for, as you can imagine an Ironman will come with extreme nutritional consideration. It's also important to consider the environment as it's common to do triathlons in hot countries which brings issues of dehydration and electrolyte depletion.
Electrolyte depletion: We commonly loose electroltes through perspiration. Electrolytes are chemicals that form electrically charged ions in body fluids (some electrolytes include sodium and potassium) and maintain the electric voltage throughout your cells so that signals can pass easily. Several bodily functions are dependent on this electrical communication that electrolytes help carry. They include regulating nerve and muscle function, acidity levels and fluid levels. An imbalance of electrolytes have nasty consequences. For example, bicarbonate is an electrolyte that is responsible for regulating muscles like the heart. Insufficient levels of bicarbonate would result in irregular heart beats, which may be fatal- from fitday.com Electrolytes can be replenished by isotonic sports drinks and diets high in carbohydrates.
The timing of meals is very important as it would be uncomfortable to train on a full stomach, but at the same time you need plenty of energy. It's common that triathletes can adapt their GI systems (Gastro-Intestinal System) to eating close to exercise which can make timing your meals less of a concern. Generally the higher the intensity of the training session the lighter the meal you have beforehand. It also depends on the activity, running is the greatest challenge on your GI system, then swimming and finally cycling. So all in all there are 2 main factors to consider: timing and type of activity.
(Information from 'Sports Nutrition For Endurance Athletes' by Monique Ryan)
Triathlons became really popular after the Olympics in Sydney and a full triathlon is commonly known as an Ironman (2.4mile swim, 112mile bike, 26 mile run). Although the distances do vary so in terms of nutrition it's important that it's specific to the distance you are training for, as you can imagine an Ironman will come with extreme nutritional consideration. It's also important to consider the environment as it's common to do triathlons in hot countries which brings issues of dehydration and electrolyte depletion.
Electrolyte depletion: We commonly loose electroltes through perspiration. Electrolytes are chemicals that form electrically charged ions in body fluids (some electrolytes include sodium and potassium) and maintain the electric voltage throughout your cells so that signals can pass easily. Several bodily functions are dependent on this electrical communication that electrolytes help carry. They include regulating nerve and muscle function, acidity levels and fluid levels. An imbalance of electrolytes have nasty consequences. For example, bicarbonate is an electrolyte that is responsible for regulating muscles like the heart. Insufficient levels of bicarbonate would result in irregular heart beats, which may be fatal- from fitday.com Electrolytes can be replenished by isotonic sports drinks and diets high in carbohydrates.
The timing of meals is very important as it would be uncomfortable to train on a full stomach, but at the same time you need plenty of energy. It's common that triathletes can adapt their GI systems (Gastro-Intestinal System) to eating close to exercise which can make timing your meals less of a concern. Generally the higher the intensity of the training session the lighter the meal you have beforehand. It also depends on the activity, running is the greatest challenge on your GI system, then swimming and finally cycling. So all in all there are 2 main factors to consider: timing and type of activity.
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