CALORIES!

The more calories you burn during a race, the more calories your body needs to stay energized. Therefore, it is essential that you’re consuming enough calories throughout the day. Makes sense right? Surprisingly it is easy to forget this vital information during a race simply because you are so focused on the competition. So remember, your body needs calories!

There are several products on the market that are sufficient for calorie intake on race day. Everyone is different so testing how you feel with each product is essential. I have tried several products from Cliff Bars to Power Bars, but my favorite product thus far has been Gu Energy Gel Usually races are fully stocked with free “GU” and several other similar products, but I always like to have 8 or 9 on me just in case. They are filled with 100 calories each and are exactly what your body needs for long lasting energy. Not the best tasting meal but the way I see it is if you fail to consume these calories, you run out of energy and fail to finish the race. I usually try to consume about 300 calories every hour throughout the race.

I also make sure these calories have carbohydrates that are easy to digest. (GU contains easily digestible carbohydrates) Being able to quickly digest carbohydrates means your body is turning those calories into usable energy quicker. This also helps avoid any uncomfortable cramping. In other words, a triathlete's calories are comparable to a football players helmet. I wouldn’t suggest showing up without it.