Nutrition Requirements For The Triathlete

Nutrition Requirements for the TriathleteKaley Peterson, Kayla DockenPerformance Nutrition and Weight managementFall 2014Swimming, biking, and running oh my! A triathlon consists of a sequence of enduranceevents including swimming, cycling and running. Various types of triathlons exist pertaining todistance, such as Sprint, Olympic, Half Ironman and Ironman. A Sprint triathlon consists of 0.30.5 mile swim, 12.4-13 mile cycle and a 3.1 mile run. An Olympic distance triathlon involves a0.9 mile swim, 24.9 mile cycle and 6.2 mile run. A Half Ironman is made up of a 1.2mile swim,55.9 mile cycle and a 13 mile run. A full Ironman entails a 2.4 mile swim, 111.8 mile cycle, anda 26.2 mile run. Each type differs greatly in distance, however, each involves endurance. In thischapter, the classification of an endurance event willinclude the Olympic Distance, the Half-Ironman, andthe full Ironman Triathlons. Each distance has its ownchallenges in regards to fueling before and during theevent.In order to maximize performance, nutritionalrequirements must be followed. Such requirementsensure that the athlete maintains a desired pace whilemaintaining health. Nutritional requirements involveconsuming adequate fluids and electrolytes before andduring competition as well as carbohydrate ingestion before and during. Consuming theseimperative nutrients are especially important in endurance events such as triathlons. This chapterwill focus on these important aspects of triathlons pertaining to nutrition.CARBOHYDRATESWhy are carbohydrates important during exercise?Many people know that it is important to eat specific types of foods for sporting eventsbut what many people fail to realize is the reason why. Typically, people are aware that eatingspaghetti is beneficial to their overall performance but why is this so and what alternatives areavailable? This next section will address the importance of different substrates pertaining totriathlons and helpful examples of meals and snacks will be provided.

There are multiple factors contributing to fuel selection and whether the body burnsmainly carbohydrates or fats during exercise. Although protein is necessary for life, onlycarbohydrates and fats will be discussed since protein contributes only 5-10% of the substrateused during exercise lasting one hour or longer (Howley, Powers, 2012). The factors involved inthe contribution of each substrate include the intensity and the duration of the exercise. Fats arethe primary source when VO2 max is lower (typically around 30%), whereas carbohydrates arewhen intensity is greater (70% VO2 max) (Howley, Powers, 2012). However, during prolongedexercise, such as in the case of triathlons, there is ashift from carbohydrate utilization to that of fat.Many athletes tend to place more emphasis on theingestion of carbohydrates before an event, but ascan be seen, both carbohydrates as well as fats areimportant.Clearly, fuel selection is necessary but when oneshould consume carbohydrates and fats in relevanceto a triathlon is equally as important. This helpfullink leads to a meal plan for the average triathleteprior to a triathlon, while providing information as towhy such foods are important; Perfect Pre-Race Day Meal Plan. In summary, the link discussesthe common misconception that carbohydrate loading the night before a triathlon significantlyincreases one’s performance. Rather, the author emphasizes the importance of moderationthroughout the day while cutting certain types of foods out of the diet. This ensures that one doesnot go overboard while avoiding highly fibrous and fatty foods such as fruits and nut butters inorder to control particular consequences associated with them. More about nutrition before atriathlon as well as during will be discussed.Carbohydrate Requirements Prior to TriathlonCarbohydrate is the most important type of food to ingest for exercise. Not only is it theonly food that can be used for anaerobic energy in the Lactic acid system, it is the most efficientfuel pertaining to the oxygen system (Williams et al. 2013). This section will discuss theconsumption of carbohydrates prior to a triathlon.First, it is important to know if carbohydrates actually make a difference when it comesto endurance sports, and more specifically, triathlons. One study studied the effects ofcarbohydrates during overreaching. Overreaching can be explained by “reaching a level ofexercise that is slightly greater than those previously encountered by the athlete” (Achten et al.2004). This applies to the world of triathlons because they are a level at which an athlete doesnot reach on a daily basis. The study sought out to determine if a diet including 65%carbohydrates effected an endurance athlete’s performance as compared to a diet that was only40% carbohydrates. Researchers concluded that performance improved along with mood state inthose with the greater carbohydrate containing diet (Achten et al. 2004). Another study whichconfirms the idea that carbohydrates increase one’s ability to perform involved athletes recordingtheir food consumption the week prior to a triathlon. All of the athletes lacked carbohydrates intheir diets to support the demands of exercise. The study continued by altering the athlete’s dietsin order to include higher energy containing foods after which the athletes participated in anothertriathlon where it was concluded that times decreased in the second trial (Frentsos, 1997).Overall, it is evident that carbohydrates assist in one’s performance in triathlons.

Carbohydrates Days Prior to TriathlonCarbohydrate loading is common among endurance athletes of all types. Carb loadingincreases the stores of muscle glycogen in a muscle, which in effect, allows longer exercise, andan increase in overall performance (Andrews et al. 2003). Researchers recommend thatendurance athletes consume 10-12 grams of carbohydrate per every 1 gram of body mass in thedays leading up to an event(Bentley et al. 2008). Thisamount assures that theathlete’s muscle glycogenstores are built up enoughto be advantageous toperformance during thetriathlon. While optimizingcarbohydrate intake iscrucial to a triathlete’sperformance, emphasismust still be placed on theother important foodgroups as well. One shouldnot solely consumecarbohydrates but ratherfind a balance between thatand other foods containingproteins and fats. This chartshows which foods are highin carbohydrates andexplains whether or not they are nutrient dense. Food Sources High in Carbohydrates. Utilizingthis chart could prove beneficial to a triathlete in meal planning before a triathlon.The following list contains the 5 best sources of carbohydrates for athletes according toUStriathlon.org.1. Sweet Potatoes2. Oats3. Wild Rice4. Banana5. ChickpeasCarbohydrates the day of TriathlonNot only is it imperative that athletes participating in triathlons eat sufficient meals andsnacks the days leading up to a triathlon, but it is equally as important to maintain good eatingthe morning of an event. This is often overlooked by triathletes but is crucial for success and thehealth of a triathlete nonetheless.Fatigue is a big reason for which people participating in triathlons either fail or do notmeet their goals. Fatigue can be caused by the depletion of muscle glycogen which results in less

efficient performance (Williams, 2013).Therefore in order to avoid fatigue, one must consumeadequate carbohydrates the day of a triathlon. The amount of carbohydrates that one should eathours before a triathlon can be determined by considering one’s body weight; thisrecommendation is 4-5g/kg (Williams, 2013). These foods at this time may be consumed in anyform, but Amber Peterson from Ask the Athlete recommends that a meal should be eaten ratherthan sports drinks and sports bars. She stated that it is important to stick to a meal that you wouldhave on any other day for familiarity. The recommended amount of carbohydrates within onehour of the triathlon that can be consumed is 1-2g/kg (Williams, 2013). Finally, it is notrecommended that one eat immediately before a triathlon begins. According to Amber Peterson,drinking a sports drink such as Gatorade right before could be beneficial in order to “get in someCalories” but it is not a smart idea to eat at that point in time considering the difficulty to swimon a full stomach. Overall, as long as one follows the general recommendations for eating beforea triathlon, they should find greater success than if they did not.While eating healthy is important the day of a triathlon, one must be careful in what theydecide to consume in order to avoid any unwanted problems. Such problems may arise from theingestion of highly fibrous foods such as beans and from whole grain products such as multigrain and whole wheat breads. By avoiding these foods, one may also lessen the chances ofhaving gastrointestinal problems.Carbohydrate Requirements during the TriathlonDuring a long distance triathlon, it is crucial for each athlete to consume enoughcarbohydrates to keep energy levels up. The carbohydrate requirements of an athlete throughoutthe triathlon depend on the gender, height and weight of that individual. It is recommended thatan athlete consume 1-1.5 grams/ kg body weight/ hour of the event (Clark, et. al., 1992). Thisnormally equates to 200-600 kcals/hour depending on the size of the athlete and their experience.The nature of the carbohydrate that is consumed depends on the athlete. It is recommended toconsume a carbohydrate high in glucose and very low in fiber. This will decrease the instance ofgastrointestinal distress during the race. The less gastrointestinal stress an athlete has the betterthat athlete will perform (Pfeiffer, et. al., 2012).When fueling with carbohydrate through the triathlon, the athlete’s goal is to minimizethe time spent consuming the nutrient in order to minimize their time. Many competitive athletesplan and practice their intake before the race so they can consume the carbohydrate whilerunning or biking (Cox, et. al., 2010). This is done through a variety of ways depending on whattypes of foods that athlete is comfortable eating while exercising. Some athletes utilize gel shotsor blocks. Others bring granola bars, bread or a sport’s drink. Consuming a variety of solid andliquid carbohydrates is a good idea for the athlete to have a good fueling plan (Dolan, et. al.,2011). It is recommended to consume the real solid food carbohydrates towards the beginning ofthe race. Then toward the end of the race the athlete should rely more on liquid carbohydratesbecause as an athlete continues to exercise; their gastrointestinal tract is less tolerable of solidfoods (Frentsos, 1997).Ask the AthleteAmber Peterson, a well-rounded athlete, ran her first endurance triathlon in July of2014. The triathlon was called The Superior Man but was equivalent in distance to that of a halfIronman. Much was learned from this first triathlon from preparation to recovery. Amber sharesher insight regarding this experience.