RACE DAY NUTRITION STRATEGY

Breakfast
To maximize your performance on the day eating a good hearty breakfast is the first important thing to get right. Although a bit of protein is good, the most vital ingredient to get in the correct proportions is the carbs. The carbs will top up your glycogen stores from your overnight fast, and start to provide your requirements as you get ready and get yourself to the start, as well as provide a fair amount of protein. For some this is going to be a very early start, and for these riders it is even more important to have something that will last. Good breakfast choices will be carb-based e.g. cereal, oats with milk or yoghurt and a large glass of fruit juice. Your portion should be as much as you can manage (without causing any discomfort). A 80kg athlete will need to achieve 1g carbs per kg bodyweight, so for example:

1 ½ cups of cooked oats (made with 250ml milk) + 250ml fruit juice

For those athletes with a very early start, I would suggest packing a snack or carb-based drink to take and slowly get through before the race starts. It is a good opportunity to continue to fuel prior to the start of the race, after which fuelling is not always that easy. Suggestions are, Energade/ Powerade/ Game etc or a peanut butter sandwich or fruit. The fluid option serves a double function in supplying fuel as well as fluid.

During the race the optimal fuelling rate is 30-60g of carbs per hour (because this is the rate at which muscles can burn glucose), generally your riders at the front may need as much as 60g per hour, but most riders will probably manage on only 30g carbs per hour. Therefore your fuelling during the race should be done in a structured fashion, avoiding long gaps where no fuelling is taking place, aiming to maintain a steady flow of fuel to the blood stream for the working muscles, and ultimately preventing the onset of fatigue. A combination of fluid and solid fuel is ideal, but each rider will have their choice sources. Good examples providing about 30g carbs are: 500ml most sports drinks, 1 Gu, 1 energy bar, 1 large banana, 5-6 salted baby potatoes, 2 slices of bread (with Marmite or Bovril). Remember that depending on the weather on the day fluid requirements will vary, the hotter more humid the day the more fluid will be required.

For those who don’t yet have a plan for the day, start working on it. Test out your breakfast, snacks and fluids. Decide how many portions of fuel you will need based on how long you intend to be on the bike, plus maybe one for luck!

Compiled by Keri Strachan RD(SA)
Registered dietitian with special interest in sports nutrition.

Centre for Sports Medicine
Umhlanga
Mobile: 082 448 6696
Email: keristrachan-kpmed@saol.com