What to eat on competition days

SPORTS dietician Julia Scott Douglas, a consultant with the World Class programme and Professional Jockeys Association, and tutor in nutrition at the British Racing School, warns against skipping breakfast.

“Starting a competition with inadequate glycogen or dehydration will result in poor performance and the early onset of tiredness,” she says. “A healthy breakfast of cereal, porridge or toast, including wholegrain cereals and milk, will help you maintain energy through the morning.

“Every rider, discipline and level have different requirements, so a dressage rider with one horse will have lower energy demands than an eventer competing five horses. The key is good planning, so you don’t have to rely on the burger van or fast-food outlets.”

Pre-competition: Julia advises boosting carbohydrates, for energy, and eating a moderate amount of protein and fibre, which can cause tummy trouble.

“Eat a high-carb meal two to four hours before competing to allow food to empty from the stomach, although a carbohydrate snack 30 to 60 minutes before can be useful, as well,” she says. “Drink your meal — in a fruit-based smoothie or milkshake — if you are nervous.

“And at least four hours before, if possible, drink 5-7ml of fluid for every kilogram you weigh — for example if you weigh 60kg, drink 300ml. If your urine is dark, drink a further 3-5ml per kilogram.”

During Competition: “This depends on how long the event lasts and how well prepared you are,” Julia says. “The fuel preferred by the body for exercise is carbohydrate, which is broken down into glucose and stored in the muscle and the liver as glycogen. The stores are small and must be topped up to provide the body with the fuel it needs. Consuming carbohydrates — such as sports drinks, cereal bars, malt loaf and jelly sweets — on the run has been shown to delay fatigue as it provides energy to the working muscle, but don’t overdo it!

after competition: this is the time for recovery and planning for tomorrow. Julia advises a carbs-based meal or snack with some protein to aid recovery.

“Two portions of fruit and a yogurt, a sandwich with a protein filling or a milkshake are good choices,” she says. “If you get sore muscles, a milkshake is the perfect recovery drink as it provides the body with whey protein, which aids muscle recovery.

“A low-fat, high-protein yogurt, such as Skyr or Liberté, at bedtime can also help the muscles recover overnight.”