Race Week: Pre-Triathlon Nutrition

Ok, so maybe switching my swimming routine with a night of wine drinking isn't highly recommended by serious triathletes, but sometimes you need it. Anyway, now I am ready to focus on my nutrition for the week. Let's eat!
Julie's rules: Keep processed foods to a minimum. Eat ingredients you can pronounce (GU's do not play nicely with this rule). Eat organic when its possible. Keep distance between you and your ingredient source to a minimum: minimize processing and eat local! Moderation really is key and, its ok to reward yourself.

I came across some tips from Trinewbie.com with some good tips for race week nutrition.
1. Hydration: This is key, but over hydration will cause electrolyte imbalance. A fluid replacement drink is recommended.
2. Eat Clean: Meals should be easily digestible!
3. Last Solid Meal: The last big meal should be consumed no later than 12 hours prior to race start!
4. Race Morning: Finish eating about 2 hours prior to race start then continue to drink water-down sports drinks up till race time.

I also collected some good tips from TriMarni, a dietitian and Ironman athlete. Here are some of her main points:

As far as loading up on carbs on race week, remember that you are cutting back your training volume (yet keeping the intensity with more rest) in order to properly rest your body. Because stored glycogen (carbs) aren't being used in a high quantity to fuel intense and/or long workout, you have no reason to over-eat on carbs.

Focus on your daily diet calories (around 1800-2200 for women, 2400-2800 for men..all dependent on training volume and intensity) and add in more snack calories, rather than bigger "carbo-load" meals. Meals should be around 400-500 calories and snacks around 150-200 calories on a daily basis...Because no one wants extra calories to be stored as fat, portion controlled meals and small, frequent snacks will help promote glycogen storage rather than excess calories stored as fat.

Don't forget the pre race dinner which should be high in carbs, but eaten 2 nights before race day morning (smaller dinner, of the same food, should be eaten the night before a race so that the smaller meal can be easily digested and the bigger meal will have time to pass through the body).

My lesson learned from my first half marathon was that: don't try anything new on race day! Eat what your body knows!

@*#! It's Race Week! Am I ready?

The hardest thing for a triathlete to do is to trust your training. Athletes leading up to a race will question themselves. Did I train hard enough? Did I bike or run as much as I should? Did I swim enough laps?

The best thing to do is not worry about what you could have done. You had a plan, you stuck to it, now you are ready. Visualize positive images - getting out of the water, riding well on the bike and crossing the finish line where medals, food and camaraderie await.

If this is your first race, the biggest thing is to race your race and the goal of the day is TO FINISH! Do not worry about what others are doing or who may pass you and "STOP, looking at the left calf of everyone around you!"(that is where they mark your age or special category)

It's Monday and your race is Saturday. If this is a shorter distance race (Sprint or Olympic) I typically train until Thursday (not hard week, but out there logging miles). I will swim easy on Thursday morning, take the rest of the day off and take Friday off completely. I find that my body responds better with a little more pre race rest. This is trial and error, I know people that do something each day until their sprint distance race so it all depends on your body. You will learn what works best for you the more races you compete in.

I would suggest that this week be a three day swimming week, Today, Wednesday and Thursday. Maybe today throw in a short run after your swim. Tuesday, ride your bike followed by another short run. Wednesday and Thursday just swim. Your nerves will be with you all week so trying to calm yourself throughout the week is ideal. If you typically train with an ipod or music, try doing a workout without that distraction, so you can work on your mental state of mind. Triathlon is almost as much mental as it is physical so preparing for that aspect will only strengthen you for race day.