Hold The Pizza. What You Need About Preparing Food For A Triathlon.

When it comes to triathlons, refueling is a necessity, not a choice. While varied depending on one's gender, size, the temperature of the environment, terrain and the intensity of the race, a person will burn anywhere between 500 – 1000 calories per hour. The aim during the race is to replace between 30-50% of calories spent. With some triathlons such as IRONMAN lasting anywhere up to 17 hours, replacing those calories is a serious business. But what does one eat during each phase? 

Swimming: Swimming is usually the first leg of a triathlon, which means that if you have been carb-loading, your muscles should be well nourished. Swimming on a full stomach also presents a health hazard as it directs blood flow and oxygen to the stomach instead of the brain. When it comes to pre and post-swimming preparations, a sports drink or gel is ample.  

Bike riding: The bike-riding phase of a triathlon is when the fuelling strategy really starts to take centre stage. If you have reached a phase of energy depletion, it may be too late. Given the stability of bike riding, this is the perfect time to inject some solid food into your routine such as a wholemeal sandwich or an energy bar. This again depends on the length of your triathlon.  This will, however, require you to slow down a little. Studies have shown that in order to absorb calories needed during a race, a rider will need to slow down to around 60-70 % of their VO2 (maximum oxygen uptake).  

The run: With the home stretch on the horizon, the final leg of a triathlon is also when competitors start feeling the full effects of fatigue. Fuelling on the run ,however, requires something that won’t require too much effort. Foods, which are easy to pack into a running belt such as energy gels, sports drinks, dry fruits and gummy sweets, present the best option.