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 Training
Tips
Eating
During a Race
Obtaining
Faster Transitions
Performance
on a Vegan/Vegetarian Diet
Race
Tools
Sample
Gear Checklist
Epic
Energy Bar Recipe
Sample
Gear List
Of
course you will need to check the mandatory gear list for each race
carefully.
This
list is relatively comprehensive and can easily be modified to suit your
own team needs.
Click
here
to down load the sample gear list.
Eating
During The Race
Our
team put our heads together to share with you some of our favourite food
strategies for training and racing
Wayne
Nyman
For my race day
diet, I mix it up, depending on the length of race.
12 hours or less: PowerBars and junk food, I also use a 4/1 carb to protein
drink mix in transitions. In the
races over 12 hours I try to add real food at transitions. After the canoe section at FMIJ I had the best cheeseburger
of my life. I also refer to Coke as
“The nectar of the Gods.” No
matter what, I always seem to want and crave what someone else is eating.
Jen
Silverthorn
For
shorter races, I
rely mostly on homemade protein bars (click HERE for
recipe) or Perfect 10 bars
(cherry is my personal fav). Easier to chew
then PowerBars, they are dairy and gluten free (if that's a concern). I avoid bars too heavy in protein
content because they are hard on the stomach. However, protein has been shown in
many studies to improve endurance when taking during racing. I plan for warm
oatmeal, tuna wraps, lentil soup, boiled eggs and mash potatoes at transitions for longer
races. I also drink a can of Boast at each transition point and on
long legs. My body is use to normal food and it's worked well in
adventure racing for me. While PowerGels may seem good - they are quick sugar
and not able to sustain the long haul. Unless, I am in a shorter race,
when I take PowerGel, I take some energy with it that will last longer (use the
GI index of a food to give you a hint) - high GI like honey will be quick fuel
where lower GI will release energy slower to your body. A good on-line GI
index is http://www.glycemicindex.com/.
For some strange reason, salt and vinegar Pringles have worked well to settle my
queasy stomach later in the race when the thought of eating anything sweet is
unbearable. The salt definitely helps too! My favourite endurance
food is the high protein version of Strawberry Boost. It's not as
sweet as chocolate or vanilla and goes down smooth at any
temperature. It provides loads of calories along with 15g of
protein. It's ideal when paddling when consuming enough calories
becomes an issue. It takes literally seconds to down a can and you
don't have to worry about eating soggy bars. I should also
mentioned that I plan on try out Carnation
Instant Breakfast. It's been recommended highly by dietitians
for it's low fat and high protein content. I also like the fact
that it comes in Tetrapaks rather than metal cans - a real space saver
when racing.
Everyone says use the food you train with - but here are some things to
consider when trying out new foods:
-
Does the food taste good? When you've been eating the same thing for so
long - will it be appealing to you?
-
Is it easy to digest? (blood in the stomach to digest food is less
available for your motor functions)
-
If carrying it - is it light?
-
What if it's hot out - will it melt?
(chocolate coatings can get
messy)
-
What if it's too cold - will it get hard to eat?
(some
bars get tough - my homemade ones are ok).
-
Does it provide a source of quick energy as well as sustained energy?
-
Do you have food available that makes you happy? Have comfort
food available - for me it's Strawberry Boost
-
Does
the food have a high calorie value and combine high and low glycemic
energy sources?
For fluid replacement, I use Gatorade (though I have been experimenting with
Accelerade ( because it has a protein content). I like the taste of Gatorade
better. I mix Gatorade about 3/4 strength and I usually drink blue because
orange eats my Platypus containers! ;-) There are all sorts of
electrolytic drink replacements - try some and stay with one you like. I rely on
electrolytic drink replacements rather than water. Later in the race when
Gatorade doesn't appeal anymore, I simply consume water, Boost and
electrolyte tablets. Take
care of your mouth while racing longer events. Pack your toothbrush and
some paste to avoid canker sores. .
TOP
Obtaining
Faster Transitions
After
each race, analyze your transition times to seek opportunities for improvement. Debriefing your transitions with your teammates can improve your
performance. Many race placements are only minutes apart and fast
transitions can put you on top. Tailor your
transition times according to your race distance. In
shorter races, you
can shorten those times by minimizing clothing changes by wearing clothing
suitable for all your disciplines. For shorter races, you can skip food at
transition and eat on the fly. You'll go further walking out of transition
eating along the way then sitting down until the food is gone. Longer
races will require more time for giving some TLC to your toes and some good grub
in the belly. Taking more time in longer races could have payoffs but be
aware of your actual transition times. Below are suggestions for medium
races (18-36hr). Apparently in short enduro/sprint races, our teammates
follow a "the time it takes to eat 3 M&Ms
rule" for transition times. Kidding aside, some of these tips apply to those races
too
1.
Train for Transitions
Treat
the transition like any other discipline. As
a new team we will naturally learn to work together in the transition area.
Until then, during training sessions, try different techniques, food
selection or clothing that helps reduce transition time.
2.
Support Crew Pre-Assignment
Pre-assign
support crew to specific team members. This
helps them get to know a racer’s needs better and allows them to focus on
fewer people in the transition area.
3.
Preplan Your Transition
Think
and talk through the transition before you get there.
Assign tasks beyond personal needs - such as maps, new instructions,
water.
Ideally assign one support person per two people if possible.
4.
Increase Navigator Efficiency
Assign
another team member to plot new co-ordinates and swap maps to give the navigator
time to prepare for the next leg.
 5.
Maintain Speed through the Transition
Do
not think of the transition as a time to slow down or rest.
As you approach the transition team continue to proceed as quickly as
possible to the support crew. Try
to push yourself to be as fast as you can during the transition (not
withstanding injuries or illness). Avoid
sleep in transition areas unless it is necessary and there is a dark, quiet and
private area available. Support
crew should track transition times and announce 5-minute intervals though the
chaos of transitions makes actually doing this task difficult.
6.
Minimize Food Selection
Everyone
on the team will have different eating requirements.
Eliminate group food and make each team member responsible for his or her
own transition food. Minimize
eating in the transition area. When
possible, grab "to go" food and eat it on the run.
Use snack size Ziplocs to premeasure food or drink powders before the
race to avoid wasting time packing food in transition for the next leg. By minimizing food preparation demands on the support crew,
it will allow more time to assist team members with other issues.
Support crew may have a hot food item and drink available (preplan it).
They can simply announce its availability upon team’s arrival.
7.
Organize Equipment
Organize
equipment ahead of time in logical sequence using gear bags or compartmentalize your gear box. Label your gear and
bins to ensure support returns gear to the proper box.
It may be required again.
8.
Clothing Selection
Select
clothing layers that can be used throughout the race to minimize changing e.g.
keep the same wicking base layer for all legs.
9.
Avoid Interaction
Avoid
interacting with other teams in the transition area.
10.
Final Gear Check
Check
to see if you have everything you need before you leave the area - especially
mandatory items, maps, water, food, and passports to avoid surprises.
TOP
High
Performance Vegan Athlete
Being
a high performance vegan athlete is possible. Jen is a pesco-vegetarian and had the opportunity to meet Brendan Brazier, one of Canada's top
endurance athletes and ultramarathoner. He has kindly shared the following
information. More information about Brendan is available at www.brendanbrazier.com.
_________________________________________________________________________
I’ve
been in rooms filled with them, high level athletes who used to be vegan. Why
are there so many people who used to be vegan, people who have tried it and
decided it was not for them? “I’m
always hungry”, “I don’t have any energy”, “I’m scared I’ll get a
stress fracture”. It’s certainly not uncommon for competitive athletes to
try a vegan diet, just uncommon for them stick with it.
With sincere intentions - to naturally improve health – therefore
performance, many high-level athletes try eliminating animal products from their
diet. So why, after a short period,
do the majority revert back to consuming animal products? Quite simply,
there’s not enough information out there – so here you go.
Following
is a list of problems athletes commonly have when switching to a vegan diet –
and their solutions.
Problem
1
- Constant
Hunger / Low Energy Levels
This
is common for active people who have stopped consuming animal products.
Reasons
Dietary protein
Active people need more protein than the average person. Often when animal
products are eliminated from the diet so is a large portion of the protein.
Without adequate dietary protein the carbohydrate consumed will enter the
bloodstream faster, causing insulin levels to rise quickly (spike), then a short
time later decline (crash). With protein added to each meal and snack a
"sugar crash" will not occur. Protein will complement the
carbohydrate, allowing it to enter the bloodstream at a steady rate, by doing so
delaying the on set of hunger — sustaining energy levels.
Protein is also a vital part of an athlete's diet, used in the rebuilding
process of muscle tissue broken down by training. During endurance
training at a low heart rate (60-70% of maximum) fat is the body's primary fuel
source (90%) - protein is second (10%). Because Ironman and other
endurance training requires the body to be efficient at using fat as fuel long
rides in this zone are necessary. A six-hour-ride for example, would burn
nothing but protein as fuel for 36 minutes. If dietary protein needs are
not met muscle tissue will be catabolised - in turn strength will decline. A 4:1
carbohydrate to protein ratio has been shown to yield the best muscle glycogen
recovery results. The small amount of protein (25%) combined with a high
glycemic carbohydrate (sugar) has been shown to improve recovery over the
conventional "sugar only" approach. Sweetened soy drink is a
good provider of this ratio.
Dietary Fat
Once animal products are eliminated so is a large portion of the fat. The
dairy industry measures fat as percentage of volume not as percentage of
calories from, which is the standard. For example, 2% milk is in fact
33.5% fat. Cutting all fat out of the diet is not the goal, although
saturated fat should be minimized for optimum performance. A very low fat diet
is OK for a low to moderately active person. However, a highly active person,
especially an endurance athlete who has adopted a plant-based diet will benefit
by adding good quality fats to his/her meals. As with protein, fat helps
to slow the rate at which the carbohydrate enters the bloodstream — providing
sustained, consistent energy. Dietary fat also helps the absorption of
fat-soluble vitamins such as "E". Vitamin "E" is a
powerful antioxidant that will help quicken the recovery process.
Cold pressed oils such as flax and hemp are extremely valuable to the
vegan athlete. Both, flax and hemp
oils contain omega 3 fatty acids, and most importantly, have anti-inflammatory
properties. These oils vastly speed the recovery and repair of soft
tissue damage – a toll of daily training.
During times of level 1 (60-70% of maximum heart rate) endurance training in the
fat burning zone (also know as metabolism training) consume a combination of
carbohydrate and protein in an easily digestible form
Solution
Consume protein and good quality fat as part of each meal and snack.
*Tip
If you make bread, muffins or any baked good, leave out some of the flour and
replace it with soy protein powder, hemp flour, or bean flour. Use hemp seed oil
as base for salad dressing to mix with soy drink to make it “creamier”, use
it on cereal and in baking.
Good quality protein sources:
-
Hemp seed nut - flour
- tofu
- beans (kidney, black, garbanzo, soy, Adzuki)
- legumes
- soy protein powder
- unsweetened soy drink
Good quality fat sources:
- extra virgin olive oil
- flax seed oil
-
hemp seed oil
- avocado
- non-roasted nuts and seeds
Problem
2 - Muscle
cramps, muscle stiffness
Reasons
Low sodium level
Lack of dietary sodium combined with regular sweating will deplete sodium
stores. Athletes who have adopted a plant-based diet are prone to reduced
sodium levels, often resulting in muscle cramping and stiffness. Dairy
products in particular contain high levels of sodium. Also, salami,
pepperoni, baloney and most all prepared meats contain very high levels of
sodium. Most plant sources have little sodium with the exception of some
seaweeds. Sedentary people, vegan or not, do not need to be concerned with
a lack of dietary sodium, vegan athletes however do. As with many
nutrients, sodium requirements become elevated as activity increases.
During times of heavy training, producing a high sweat rate, the vegan athlete
will benefit by salting his/her food. By adding sea salt to regularly
eaten foods muscle cramping will subside — suppleness will return. Due to
excessive sweating, produced by racing in a hot environment, sodium tablets
might be needed. Leading up to a long race such as Ironman, special
attention paid to ample salt intake will result in lower dependence on race day
— salt stores will be preserved. A healthy, active person will not
experience a rise is blood pressure with the addition of dietary sodium.
Low Calcium levels
Low calcium levels in vegan athletes are usually due to a combination of lack of
dietary calcium and hard training. Calcium is used during muscle
contractions, causing many endurance athletes, vegan or not, to have reduced
stores. For example, an athlete who cycles for 5 hours at the standard
cadence of 90 rotations per minute will perform 54 000 muscle contractions.
The contractions are from a combination of the three biggest muscles in the body
(Gluteus maximums, quadriceps, and hamstrings) obviously a significant draw on
the body's calcium reserves.
Solution
During heavy training a vegan athlete would benefit by adding sea salt to at
least one meal or snack per day. One week prior to a long race in a warm
climate, it would be beneficial to consume sea salt at each meal.
An
athlete who consumes calcium rich foods at each meal will benefit by obtaining
supple, limber muscles.
*Tip
Add non-roasted sesame seeds to cereal, salads, and anything else you can think
of. Sesame seeds are very high in
calcium. 250 ml (1cup) of sesame
seeds yields 2900 mg of calcium, in comparison; 250 ml of cow’s milk contains
300mg of calcium. Of course it’s
much easier to down a cup of milk than a cup of sesame seeds, but once you
include them as a staple in your diet – it adds up quickly.
To
maximize the absorption of calcium from sesame seeds, grinding them in a coffee
grinder will help. I recommend
grinding up a mixture of sesame seeds and flax seeds and keeping them in the
fridge for convenient, daily use.
Calcium rich foods include:
- almonds
- beans
- dark, leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale)
- sesame seeds
- sunflower seeds
Problem
3
- Low
energy level (long term), reduced tolerance to aerobic exercise
Reason
Anaemia
When
red meat is eliminated from an active person's diet the long-term effect is
often a reduction in red blood cells — often leading to anaemia. Vegan
or not, athletes have traditionally had trouble maintaining satisfactory iron
levels for optimal performance. Maintenance of iron stores becomes
increasingly difficult during times of heavy training. As with sodium and
calcium, iron is lost in sweat, therefore making warm weather training more of a
draw on iron stores. Unlike sodium, iron levels can take up to six months
to become dangerously depleted. Often not realizing this, the athlete will
wonder how performance has declined without any change in diet or activity
level. Because iron levels take considerable time to become diminished,
rebuilding takes equal time. Obviously a six-month-rebuilding phase would
best be avoided. Iron is also lost as a result of compression hemolysis
(crushed blood cells due to intense muscle contractions). The more active
the person, the more dietary iron is needed. Constant impact activity such
as running reduces iron levels more dramatically due to a more strenuous form of
hemolysis. With each foot strike a small amount of blood is released from
the damaged capillaries. In time this will cause anaemia if close
attention to diet in not paid.
Solution
A bi-yearly blood test is recommended — iron levels will always be known,
never letting them become depleted. Iron rich foods are best consumed on a daily
basis with vitamin "C" — to help with absorption. If running
mileage is greater than 50 (80km) an iron supplement is recommended. Also,
if training in a warm climate (excessive sweating) year round, or training
consistently exceeds 15 hours per week — an iron supplement is recommended.
Iron rich foods
- fortified cereal
- split pea soup
- cookies or other baked foods made with molasses (also high
in calcium)
- dried peas and beans (kidney, lima, lentils)
- bran
- blackstrap molasses
- soybean nuts
- prune juice, raisins
- enriched rice
- peanut butter
- apricots
- green beans
- walnuts, cashews, pecans, almonds
If
a vegan diet is something you would like to try, make sure you go about it the
right way the first time. If you
have tried and failed in the past, it’s not your fault, there’s very little
support available. However, as with
sport its self, the rewards are worth the perseverance.
An improved recovery rate is something many athletes who have properly
adopted a vegan diet have noticed. Obviously
if the athlete can recover faster he / she can train more, facilitating quicker
improvement. I’m not saying that
more training is necessarily better, but I am saying that more training that can
be recovered from is.
Brendan
is a professional triathlete from North Vancouver, and the 2003, 50km Ultra
Marathon National Champion. For more info visit: www.brendanbrazier.com
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