Blog article written by Jean Thibaudeau, an experienced triathlete.
A triathlon is the somewhat masochistic succession of swimming, cycling, and running. Training in each of these three disciplines is obviously necessary, but people often talk about the fourth discipline of triathlon: nutrition.
Eating well is important for all physical activities, but in triathlon, it becomes critical to “make it go smoothly” (= no cramps) for short distances, or simply to have enough energy for long distances.
Nutrition is very, very personal, but I wrote this guide because my experience as a seasoned triathlete can certainly inspire both beginners and more experienced athletes. I figure that in nutrition, there is always something to learn!
Things to consider:
It starts with swimming!
A triathlon starts with swimming (obviously!), but for many people, swimming causes food-related abdominal cramps. The most common strategy is to eat something that goes down easily (e.g., oatmeal) 2 h before the effort and only have a little fluid before the race.
The swimming portion of a triathlon is fairly short, and you have enough glycogen to complete it. Races generally start quite early, and my personal routine is to eat a Zenit chocolate and coffee square in the car with a fruit-based smoothie.
The duration of the effort
People often count a race’s distance, but what really matters is the time. A beginner doing a sprint in 2 h will need a completely different nutrition strategy than an experienced athlete who finishes in nearly an hour.
The same applies if you are doing an off-road triathlon, which adds between 30 and 60 min to a sprint event. And that’s not even mentioning extreme Ironman races lasting more than 12 h!
This is where you need to try things out in training. Something like: “Okay, I can do 2 h of sustained effort with 2 bottles of water and 3 snacks.”
The temperature
It is too hot for marathons in July, but apparently heat does not stop triathlons from taking place. In hot weather, you will obviously drink more water, but it is possible that your stomach will not function as well. Doing a sprint in extreme heat without electrolytes is possible, but it is strongly recommended that 100% of your fluids contain electrolytes for longer distances.
Your tolerance for food
There is mental toughness, but we could also add stomach toughness. When I started, I would get abdominal cramps while running as soon as I swallowed anything.
Now, I can eat a Greek salad and go running right afterward without any problems.
The trick? I gradually trained my stomach to better tolerate food while moving. It may sound trivial, but it is literally impossible to finish a long-distance triathlon if you cannot eat properly during the race.
What will be on the course!
We want to get used to consuming what will be available on the course. I am a big fan of eating natural foods, but aid stations typically serve commercial products. It is better to get somewhat used to the sublime taste of warm Gatorade… LOL
My formula according to distance
Short distances
Goal number 1 is to avoid cramps while having enough energy for the final minutes of the event.
Sprint (750 m - 20 km - 5 km, approx. 1 h)
One Zenit protein square in the car + smoothie. Sports drink on the bike (I rarely finish my bottle), no water while running.
Olympic (1500 m - 40 km - 10 km, approx. 2 h)
One or two Zenit squares in the car + smoothie. Sports drink on the bike (I almost always finish my bottle) and one package of Zenit energy balls “just in case”; water or sports drink every 10 minutes while running (typically one out of every two aid stations).
Long distances
The number 1 goal is to eat as much as possible as long as it goes down well. Energy expenditure is greater than what your intestines can absorb, and a calorie deficit can have as much impact as muscle fatigue.
Half Ironman (1900 m - 90 km - 21.1 km, approx. 5 h)
One or two Zenit squares in the car + smoothie. At least 2 bottles of sports drink on the bike and half a Zenit energy ball every half-hour, whether I am hungry or not.
I take sports drinks at every aid station while running.
Ironman (3.8 km - 180 km - 42.2 km, >10 h)
A good breakfast + smoothie 2 h before the race + one package of Zenit energy balls 15 minutes before the start.
One bottle of sports drink per hour on the bike and half a Zenit energy ball every half-hour, whether I am hungry or not, plus whatever the organizers provide that looks like it will taste good. I take all the sports drinks at the aid stations and take the time to eat snacks while running.
Conclusion
Nutrition is highly personal, and it is up to you to find your formula. Try things out!
Maybe you will realize that you do not need to drink for events lasting less than 45 minutes (a cyclist’s trick…) or perhaps commercial sugary products give you a “sugar-crash.” That is why I like Zenit products: they do not cause a “sugar-crash.”
But when I say “try things out,” I mean BEFORE the race. Stick to your plan on race day.
Jean :-)