Like spring, triathlon season is in full bloom with nearly a quarter million athletes coming out of winter hibernation to gear up for a series of races in 2008. Special to this crowd, are the virgins of the sport, those who will be taking the triathlon plunge for the first time. If you fall into this category, welcome to the sport. And remember: while triathlon is officially defined as a three-discipline sport, it is important that you combine your swim-bike-run training with proper nutrition (the fourth leg of triathlon) to fuel your performance. Below, are nutrition essentials that will help you feel and perform your best as you prepare for race day.

Practice Fueling Before Your Workouts

With the kickoff of most triathlons falling in close coordination with sunrise, athletes who fail to fuel when they first wake up will enter the transition area with low blood-sugar levels, also known as ‘bonking.’ This can precipitate feelings of fatigue, dizziness and low motivation to perform — not quite the ideal scenario as you hit the water, especially if this happens to be your weak leg (not to mention the bike and run to follow). The goal of pre-race fueling is to correct low blood-sugar levels by consuming a carbohydrate-focused meal.

Prior to race day, it is important that you try several different pre-workout meals during training to determine what foods are best tolerated and which contribute to your best energy levels. Don’t wait until race day to find out.

Keep in mind that your body can efficiently digest only 200-300 calories for every hour before race start, so it is important to leave enough time to digest your pre-race meal. For example, if you plan on consuming 400-600 calories (such as a bowl of low-sugar cereal topped with milk and fruit), leave at least two hours for digestion. Failure to do so or being overzealous with such nutrients as fiber (>10 grams), protein (>25 grams) and fat (>20 grams) on race morning will slow down digestion, causing diversion of blood, oxygen and water to the stomach to aid in the breakdown of the meal. This will ultimately lead to cramping, diarrhea and nausea during the race. (See sidebar for a sampling of pre-race meals.)

Utilize Sugars Properly

While it is true that excessive sugar consumption at rest can contribute to a plethora of health problems — including a bulging waistline, insulin resistance and high blood triglycerides — consuming sugars during training and racing (especially when going beyond 60 minutes) has been shown to improve health and performance. In fact, beyond one hour of racing, if carbohydrates are not consumed, blood sugars will start to plummet causing a mental ‘bonk’ that drives you right smack into a ‘wall’ that is marked by muscle fatigue and cramping. Of course, this is not an invitation to stuff your pockets with candy bars or fill your water bottle with soda. On the contrary, it’s to encourage you to properly take advantage of the right types and concentrations of sugars for more efficient energy levels, optimal immune function and peak performance.

Most athletes require 150-300 carbohydrate-focused calories per hour to maintain optimal energy levels during racing. For reference, most energy gels provide 100-150 calories, sports drinks 50-75 calories per 8 ounces and energy bars 150-300 calories per bar. As with pre-race fueling, it is essential to experiment with a variety of different products in training so that you understand what products you tolerate best and which help keep your energy levels running at peak during competition.

Avoid Overcompensation

By overcompensation, I am referring to calories. I bring this up because I have worked with many athletes who enter my office discouraged by unwelcomed weight gain that can inhibit performance when preparing for a triathlon. While we definitely burn significant amounts of calories when training, the calorie deficit we incur during a race can easily be erased by taking advantage of the buffet of post-race foods. Thus, it is important that you are mindful of your calorie intake after you finish your race as well as during training.

To estimate your training and race-day expenditure, use the following calorie coefficients:

•Swim: 0.06 calories per pound of body weight per minute.
•Bike: 0.09 calories per pound of body weight per minute.
•Run: 0.63 calories per pound of body weight per mile.

Remember to take into consideration the calories you consume during the race and training to determine the actual calorie deficit incurred, which ultimately can be added onto your baseline or resting calorie needs.

Sample Pre-Workout Meals	Calories	Carbohydrate(grams)	Protein(grams)
Island Smoothie: Blend 1 cup low fat kefir with 1/2 cup frozen sliced mango and 1 sliced frozen banana.	300	55	12
1 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt blended with 1 cup strawberries, 2 Tbsp. natural granola and 2 Tbsp. slivered almonds.	440	65	15
2 whole grain toaster waffles spread with 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter and 2 tsp. dark honey. Serve with 1 cup nonfat milk or soy milk.	450	80	20
1 PureFit energy bar (www.purefit.com) served with 1 banana and 16 ounces sports drink.	450	75	18
Power Oatmeal: Prepare 1/3 cup dry oats and top with 2 Tbsp. natural granola, ¾ cup blueberries, 1 cup nonfat milk and 2 Tbsp. walnuts.	475	75	18
2 cups Special K® cereal topped with ¾ cup berries and 1 cup nonfat milk or soy milk. Serve with 1 cup 100% fruit juice.	475	100	25

Want more nutritional guidance as you prepare for upcoming triathlons? Kim Mueller, M.S., R.D., founder and owner of Fuel Factor Nutrition, is a registered dietitian and competitive athlete who provides nutrition coaching, race-nutrition guidance and customized meal planning to athletes worldwide. More information on Mueller’s services can be found at www.Fuel-Factor.com, and she can be reached at kim@Fuel-Factor.com.