SUMMARY

 

Fluid - 500 - 800 ml/hr

 

Carbs - 60-70 grams/hr (250 calories)

 

Protein – from 2^nd hr, 3-10 grams of soy protein (12-40 calories)

10% of energy requirements, so if 250 calories an hour, 25 calories from soy protein

 

Electrolytes - sodium chloride 200-400 mg/hr

 

 

PRE-RACE

Complete food consumption (200-400 calories is all that is necessary) three hours prior to the workout. This will prevent the too-rapid depletion of muscle glycogen stores, which is a hard-earned, premium fuel, the first your body will use when exercise begins.

If completing food consumption three hours prior to the beginning of a workout is not possible (if your workout begins first thing in the morning, for example) you can accomplish the same "muscle glycogen preservation" goal by either consuming a small amount of fuel (approximately 100-275 calories) 5-10 minutes prior to the workout or eating nothing at all prior to the workout; simply begin refueling the body shortly after it begins.

If you are having a pre-race meal, consume complex carbohydrates, perhaps a small amount of soy or rice protein, and little or no fibre or fat.

DURING RACING / TRAINING

 

FLUIDS

 

An intake between 500-750 milliliters/hr will fulfil most athletes' hydration requirements under most conditions. The balance is likely to be at a fluid intake not much above 500 milliliters per hour in most situations, unless predicted losses are very substantial.

 

Most athletes do very well, under most conditions, with a fluid intake of 500 - 800 ml/hour (roughly the equivalent of a typical small to large water bottle). Sometimes you may not need that much fluid and sometimes you might need slightly more. If more fluid intake is found to be necessary (under very hot conditions, for example), proceed cautiously, noting that it will most likely be necessary to increase electrolyte intake as well.

 

CARBOHYDRATES

 

Approximately 60-70 grams of carbohydrates hourly (240-280 calories). That will, in most situations, and for most athletes, provide enough carbohydrates for energy production (the limit of what the body can metabolize) while taking into account a percentage of those calories being lost/burned during the digestive/metabolic processes.

 

The only type that any athlete should consume, especially during exercise, are long-chain ("complex") carbohydrates and never short-chain carbohydrates ("simple sugars").

Complex carbohydrates will match body fluid osmolality, not at weak 6-8% solutions (as for simple sugars), but a more concentrated 15-18% solution. Even at this seemingly too-high concentration complex carbohydrates (such as maltodextrins/glucose polymers) will empty the stomach at the same efficient rate as normal body fluids and provide substantially more calories (up to three times more) than simple sugar mixtures will.

If the athlete consumes a simple sugar fuel the body will only permit 6-8% of it in solution into circulating serum for fuel replacement. On the other hand, complex carbohydrate fuels are easily absorbed, even in a 15-18% solution.

PROTEIN

When exercise goes into the second hour and beyond, supplemental protein will fulfil the 5-15% energy requirements of the body while also preventing the cannibalization of lean muscle tissue (which, among other things, produces excess amounts of performance-robbing ammonia). Therefore, it makes sense during long exercise sessions or races, to include some protein in the fuel mix. A donation in the range of 3-10 grams of protein (12-40 calories) will satisfy this 5-15% protein requirement.

Soy protein, with its specific amino acid profile and naturally occurring isoflavones, is an ideal protein source for use during exercise.

 

ELECTROLYTES

 

Too many athletes "over salt" their bodies during exercise, with bloating, water retention (edema-like symptoms), and stomach distress being the usual outcome. We want our body to re-circulate adequate amounts of sodium for supporting systemic balance of osmolality, carbohydrate transit across gastric membranes, and nerve transmission for muscle contractions. Too much of a sodium donation neutralizes this re-circulation process and again, may contribute towards those aforementioned, performance-inhibiting problems.

 

The key for electrolyte replenishment, as it is with calories and fluids, is to provide an adequate dose to support bodily functions without overwhelming the body with too much, which will override and neutralize those body functions. Therefore, to satisfy the body's crucial electrolyte requirements, we suggest consistent/hourly replenishment from a balance of electrolytes, which would include a donation of anywhere from 100 to 600 mg sodium chloride (salt) per hour, with the average hourly replenishment dose being approximately 200-400 mg.

 

 

RECOVERY

The key thing to remember is that recovery begins as soon as the workout ends and the sooner you "re-fill" the tank, the quicker your recovery will be and the better prepped your body will be for the next workout. In other words, how well you recover today greatly determines how well you perform tomorrow. To put the "finishing touches" on your workouts, and to get the full value out of every minute you've put into them, make sure you consume adequate amounts of high quality and easily digested carbohydrates and protein as soon as possible after each of your training sessions.

Therefore it might be worth having a “recovery” food immediately after the workout / race.  Something with protein and carbohydrates would be ideal.  There are specific recovery drinks out there, or a gel and a bar with protein in it would do the trick.  How much you have is dependent on:

1. Your body size / weight.

2. Length / intensity of the workout.

3. Food intake schedule - If you're planning on having a regular meal within a couple hours after your training session, no need to gorge on gels or powerbars straight afterwards!

The standard 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio is certainly acceptable for recovery, some companies recommend a 3:1 ratio as even more beneficial for hard training athletes.  This larger protein donation is because endurance athletes have habitually poor overall protein intakes (especially vegetarians?)

 

Whey protein is the best source for recovery protein.

 

Some companies may use monosaccharides and disaccharides ("simple sugars") such as glucose, sucrose, or dextrose in their recovery drinks, due to their high glycemic index (GI) (and thus fast elevation of blood sugar).  Others use only complex carbohydrates (maltodextrin).

 

Maltodextrin has a GI on a par with simple sugars (except fructose), so it too elevates blood sugar levels rapidly, with the added benefit of providing up to three times more calories compared to products containing simple sugars. This is vital for preventing stomach distress and also ensuring that your body quickly and efficiently obtains the full amount of calories it needs.