On the run – tips to fuel up during long distance or endurance activity
If you participate in sport or physical activity that lasts for longer than 90 minutes, your body will be crying out for a refuel before the siren sounds or you reach the finish line. And that’s assuming that you had a full fuel tank to start with. You probably wouldn’t dream of getting going without a fluid plan, but what about the idea of some solid carbohydrate food as you go? During most endurance activity your body will steadily burn carbohydrate from its stores of muscle glycogen. And unlike your car that runs smoothly until the tanks suddenly empty, your body will start to feel the effects of fatigue as the minutes tick on. Sports dietitians generally recommend that you consider some solid fuel as well as fluids for events over 90 minutes, however this decision is incredibly important and depends on factors like the intensity of exercise and your training level. How much carbs? Studies of athletes show that around 30-60g of carbs per hour should be consumed in an endurance event to delay fatigue. This is equivalent to 500-1000mL of sports drink or 10-20 jellybeans. What to choose Along with a sports drink, popular solid foods for long duration events like road cycling include jelly beans and snakes, commercial sports bars and gels, jam sandwiches and bananas. How to pack The answer seems relatively easy for cyclists as they can carry food on board their bike. However, there are a huge range of issues to consider like the burden of additional weight and ease of access to the food. It’s important to fully work out and trial your refueling plan before the big race day, so that the only surprises are coming from the wildcard entries. If your event allows, it’s a great idea to utilise support people along the course or find out about the position of fuelling stations throughout the race, so you don’t feel like a pack horse as you set off. For further information see www.sportsdietitians.com
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