How To Plan Your Race Day Nutrition Strategy

Race day nutrition and fueling has been a hot topic in the media recently. This is not because it is a new concept, but the topic of fueling has been reinvigorated. This is likely partly due to the renewed interest in race day fueling with modern-day nutrition supplements claiming to allow athletes to consume more carbohydrates without the same gastrointestinal issues. There are also vocal athletes out there trying to gain an edge on their competition, willing to push the boundaries of what we thought we knew were the limitations of how much fuel we can take in during racing and training. So it leaves some of us scratching our heads and wondering, "Do I really need to train the gut? Should I be trying to get 120 grams of carbs per hour during my training and racing? Is this even possible?"

My fuel for the Run Rabbit Run 50 mile ultra in 2017

Before we get into the weeds on topics such as "training the gut" or how many carbs you should be consuming per hour for training and racing, let's start with some basics. First, it is important to know that race day fueling is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. This is individual to each person and is based on goals and race distance. If you have never considered a race day fueling strategy, then it is not wise to try to do as the professionals do on the day of the race without testing this out during training. Race day nutrition does not start on race day; it starts the moment you plan your races for the season. You should be looking at your training schedule and start planning out what fueling products/foods and liquids you want to incorporate during your longer training sessions and start getting your gut used to taking in foods/fuel during workouts weeks before you even get to the race starting line. Now, if you are doing a 10k or really anything less than a half marathon, you can kind of disregard this. Of course, for any race, you will want to practice your pre-race meal and make sure you tolerate it before a harder training session. During a half marathon, you may also want to practice taking in some fuel midway, but you really don't need more than 1-3 gels or 30-45 grams of carbs during this type of race where many people finish in less than a few hours. If it takes you more than a few hours than keep reading.

When I talk about a race day nutrition strategy, I am referring to anything longer than 2-3 hours of racing. The problem here is that there is a big difference between a 3-hour marathon and a 24-hour ultramarathon. The fueling strategy in these two cases is not going to be the same. So when you hear of athletes consuming upwards of 120 grams of carbs per hour, please note that this may only benefit athletes in a few situations. First, trying to consume 120 grams of carbs per hour during a marathon lasting 4 hours or less is probably not going to come with any additional benefits. In fact, trying to jam that much fuel into your face for a marathon might take some of the joy out of running, and it is hard to do without slowing down a bit. I do think that it can be helpful to try to push your upper limit in fueling a little bit just to see what and how much you can tolerate, but for a marathon, this may mean upwards of 90 grams per hour. A general rule of thumb or starting point for fueling is around 0.5 grams of carbs/kg of body weight per hour. So for a 150-pound person, that is around 35 grams of carbs per hour. This is likely not going to be enough carbs for a race such as a marathon or longer distance, but it is a good starting point for someone who has never really fueled for a race. Starting at around 30 grams per hour can allow for some experimentation with different products and allows the body to get used to fueling during exercise.

So once you have figured out that minimum or intro fueling rate per hour, you can start to experiment with products. Now, I am not going to tell you what products to try. The sports nutrition market is kind of crazy, in my opinion, with so many different products and options. It is honestly overwhelming. It is also important to remember that there are some natural options that can work great for fueling but may not be as convenient. For instance, dates, dried mangos, or even homemade energy bites. I have even had clients using tortillas or crackers for fuel during runs. When I did my 50-mile trail ultra, I made homemade fuel pouches with sweet potato and maple syrup. So if you have the desire (and time), you can get creative and make your own fueling options for your race. But let's face it, most of us don't have the time to make our own fueling pouches, and dried fruit is great but also comes with a lot of fiber, which can be problematic if this is the only way you are getting fuel. If you have any history with using various products, you can use your personal experience to decide what you like. For instance, I am not a big fan of the very sweet, thick texture of certain types of products because they kind of make me gag. If I use a gel, I prefer a more liquid texture, and it is great if I don't have to take it with fluids just to get it down. Taste is also going to be a big factor. Just because you like the taste of birthday cake does not mean you will prefer this taste when you are in the middle of a marathon.

Here are some things to consider when you are choosing your fueling products:

• Texture - In general, things that are easy to swallow and don't require a lot of extra fluid to get down are going to be easier. Does it stick in your teeth? A lot of people enjoy gummies, but they can get stuck in your teeth, and this can be annoying during a race. Is it something you have to chew? This might be okay and maybe even desirable to have something to chew during an ultramarathon, but during a marathon, it might go down the wrong pipe, or you may have trouble chewing and breathing at the same time.

• Taste - As I mentioned above, it is wise to try different flavors out during your runs. I like cinnamon rolls, but this does not mean I am going to like this flavor in the middle of a long, hard training run. Does something sweet sound good or not so great during a run? There are several products now that boast a more neutral flavor, or you can even find more savory flavors.

• Volume - Some products pack a lot of carbs in a small amount, so you might be able to use a drink mix that boasts 30-60 grams of carbs in just 12 fluid oz. How much of something do you need to consume to get your recommended carb goal?

• What types of carbohydrates/sugar does the product contain? It is important to consider the types of carbs in the product. If the product is pure glucose, it might overwhelm the gut, so you want to choose products that boast different types of sugars/carbs or products that are more slow-releasing to avoid issues with absorption in the gut. I recommend a combination of starches with some more simple sugars like fructose or glucose. Again, this is why you test this out during training to make sure whatever combination of carbs/sugars you are taking in works well for your gut.

• Cost - For some people, cost might be a factor. Some products are quite pricey, and if you are taking in several gels during a workout and you are doing this a couple of times a week, the cost can start to add up. So if this is a concern, you can always consider looking for sales/deals or finding products that are a better price for your budget. I also don't recommend buying an entire box of each product you want to try. This could get costly. Some local running stores sell individual packets of gel or other fueling products that you can buy and try. Another option is to order from a company like The Feed (no affiliation), and most products come in individual sizes so you can buy a bunch that sound good and try them out during training. When you find what is going to work, you can always buy an entire box, which will be less expensive than buying them individually.

• What is available at the race? Many races have aid stations along the route, and some offer not just water or electrolyte drinks, but they may also offer gels or other products. This can be a good option if you would prefer not to carry your own fuel. So if you are interested in this option, you can find what will be offered on the race website and try out what they are going to have on the course during your training to make sure it will work. The only issue that can occur is that sometimes they may run out of products or may not have the flavor that you like on the course. This is why I often recommend taking some fuel with you just in case.

Another thing you may want to consider when you are planning your race day fueling strategy is the frequency with which you consume fuel. When it comes to fueling, it is always best to start early and fuel often. I have many athletes who tell me they don't start fueling until 60-90 minutes into the training session or race. By this point, you are likely already depleting your glycogen stores and digging yourself into a bit of a hole. It is best to start fueling around 30 minutes in and ideally fuel every 30 minutes. Now, the frequency can differ a bit depending on the race and goal. For instance, some people who have a sensitive gut may have to consume something every 20 minutes versus maybe every 40 minutes for someone else. It can be easy to tell yourself that you are feeling good during a workout and put off the fuel. This is not a good strategy. In fact, I argue that it is when you are feeling good that you should be fueling. So you may have to figure out how you are going to remind yourself to fuel. It could be an alarm or just keeping an eye on the watch. So an example of this would be fueling with a gel at 30 minutes in that contains 30 grams of carbs, then at 1 hour have some gummies or another gel, then at 90 minutes a gel or waffle or bar, and of course, it goes on every 30 minutes until the end of the race.

Experimenting is the name of the game when it comes to many things related to nutrition and fueling for a race. You may try products that work well and some that don't. You have to be willing to try these out during a training session when there is less on the line. Usually, if something does not work well, you may have to stop to use the bathroom, and you may feel a bit nauseated for a few miles, but you will usually recover and be able to carry on with your workout. During a race, these types of issues can be more catastrophic.

Lastly, once you have figured out your strategy, practice makes perfect. Try to have it figured out so that you can practice it during a few longer training sessions before the race. You may also want to figure out a plan for when things do not go as planned. For instance, what if you drop your fuel or bottle on the course, or what if the aid station does not have the fueling option that was promised on the website? Or what if you get to the start of the race and realize you completely forgot your gels in the car and you don't have time to go back? These things can happen, and as much as it sucks, you may want to have a plan. So if you drop your fuel or bottle, will you go back and pick it up? It might be worth figuring out what is offered on the course and just test out this option as a backup in case you end up needing to use this option on the course. What if you are 60 miles into the bike during an Ironman on a hot day and your fueling option that you have planned is no longer working well for you? Are you able to pivot and maybe rely more on liquid carbs? It is always good to practice some different scenarios or options just to know you will tolerate something during a race, even if that option is not what you planned on having. An example here is during my half Ironman. It was a hot day with temps hovering in the high 80s, and by the time I got to the run, I could no longer tolerate the gels and waffles I planned to take. I ended up having several cups of cola. It was the only thing that sounded good, and I was lucky that it worked out for me, and I was able to finish that half marathon because I had never practiced drinking soda during my training or any race prior.

This takes me to another point, and that is that even with the best plan, some races are long, and you just never know what things may come up on race day. I think this happens most often during something like an Ironman or ultra race. During my 50-mile ultra, I had everything I was going to eat all ready to go in my pack along with my water. I had the homemade fueling pouches, bars, waffles, and gels. I also had a plan for when I was going to take each. However, when I got to mile 30 and started to feel a bit nauseated, I decided to try the watermelon with salt at the aid station. This satisfied my need for some sugar and sodium. I also took a larger handful of Fritos at about mile 40. Neither of these things was planned; they just sounded really good to me at the time, and I was starting to get sick of the sweet products I had packed with me. So it ended up all working out okay, but sometimes it is okay to have what sounds good within reason. This was my first ultra-distance race, and sometimes it just takes a combination of creating a plan and doing a few races before you really get an idea of what to expect.

I want to mention the the concept of "training the gut," but will not go into too much detail here. What I do think is worth mentioning is that sometimes part of training the gut is being uncomfortable. If you are not used to eating before you run, you may find that initially, you have a full feeling in your gut when you start or even a little bit of sloshing. This is normal, and over time you will learn to tolerate it, and it will not be as noticeable. The same is true for fueling during your workouts. If you try a product and it maybe causes a few moments of initial nausea or maybe you can feel it in your stomach, this is okay and normal. If the product makes you throw up or you are having trouble keeping things down during training sessions, it may be worth seeking professional help. This may be a sign that you are having gut issues that may be more serious, or something in the product is irritating your gut. This can also be why it is helpful to start with a smaller amount, such as 30 grams of carbs per hour, and work your way up more slowly. This allows your gut to slowly get used to having fuel during exercise.

Hopefully, this gives you some ideas for planning your race day fueling strategy. Unfortunately, I am unable to tell you exactly what you need to do, when, and what products to use. If you are interested in getting some help with this, I recommend scheduling a nutrition consult with me. I also recommend checking out my podcast on this topic. In the podcast, Justin of Tabula Rasa Racing and I discuss many of these concepts and our own experiences with planning a race day fueling strategy. Here is a link to the episode:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2450527/episodes/16705869