FUELLING THE COMP PHASE
Okay, so the 2020 race season might be on the back burner at present, but for when it does start up again you’ll have to adapt your diet to your racing needs and begin your nutritional taper. Here’s how…
Calorie requirements are difficult to prescribe in the competition phase, with much of that percentage over to you and how you felt during the build phase.
“If you’re racing for less than five hours, you can probably follow the nutrition guidelines in the pre-race cycle (namely the build period [see last issue]),” says coach Bob Seebohar. “However, if you’re racing over that period, especially over 12hrs, you can increase carb intake from 7g per kg up to 19g per kg, protein between 1.2g and 2g per kg, and fat from 0.8 to 3g per kg.”
This competition phase includes the taper – the period where you lower volume but maintain intensity. Once your taper arrives, it’s time to carbo-load, unless you’re a particularly swift sprint-distance athlete. “Carbo-loading – essentially increasing the amount of carbs you ingest – is useful for athletes racing for 90mins or more,” says professor John Hawley, though he adds that you must remain pragmatic during this period. “You will put on weight because when you store carbohydrate, you store water with it. But the benefits outweigh carrying that extra weight early in the race.”
STRIP IT BACK
Around two to three weeks out from a major race, it’s time to strip your diet right back, eating simple and clean foods. So, in with foods like pasta, light tomatobased sauces and cous cous. Low-fat protein like chicken and fish with every meal also keeps muscle repair on the menu. Fibre should also drop during the competition phase.
It’s also good practice to mimic your eating timings as per the race. And yes, that means if you start a race at 8am, it’s worth rising at 5:30am to consume your race-day breakfast. As for race feeding, follow the sports food routine you’ve honed in training. The general rule is around 60g carbs per hour via drinks, bars and/or gels.
COMPETITION CLUES
During the carbo-loading phase, grazing on good-quality high-carb snacks keeps the calorie count high. If you’re a heavy sweater and are racing in the heat, it’s also wise to increase the amount of sodium you take in around three days before your race. Make sure you use energy products that worked well for you during the previous training cycle and ensure your hydration levels are high by monitoring urine colour. Pale yellow is the goal. Here are some foods to help fuel you: High-carb snacks Jaffa Cakes, maltloaf, bagel, crackers, pretzels, bananas, apples, melon, grapes, popcorn. Low-fibre foods White bread, rice and pasta, refined cereals, most canned fruit, milk, ice cream, sour cream, yoghurt.