With three disciplines to get through, a triathlon is a long event. Even a sprint triathlon (the shortest type of triathlon) will take the average person 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. The full iron distance can take the average person 13-14 hours to complete. Therefore, adequate fuelling is super important to help you perform at your best over any given distance.
The general rule for events over 70 minutes is that we should consume additional carbohydrates, ideally 30-60g of carbs per hour. This is a big range, so it's important to work out what works best for you by experimenting with different brands and timings during training. Test your strategy over and over again - what works for you might be totally different to another triathlete. Be confident in your own plan and don't try anything new on race day!
Energy gels
The easiest option is to consume gels. Most energy gels contain 20-25g of carbs, so we recommend taking one every 30 minutes. A Sprint or Olympic distance triathlon is short enough that gels, energy drinks and chews should all be ok on the stomach, but again - please test this in training! For the half or full distance, it is worth trying some solid foods on the bike and saving the gels for the run section.
Transition 1
Fuelling during the swim is pretty impossible so your first carbohydrate intake will either be during transition 1 or on the bike. If you are waiting to bank time at transition, then we would recommend having an energy drink on your bike and sipping this from the get-go. Hereon in, it is really important to fuel regularly so you avoid hitting the wall. If you wait until you are starting to feel low in energy then you've left it too late - it will be much harder to resurrect your energy levels and this could prove detrimental to your performance.
Fuelling during the cycle
We would recommend an energy drink and solid foods on the bike, such as bars, flapjacks, fruit loaf, bananas or sweets! If you have practised consuming gels in training and you are confident they work for you, then these are still an option for the bike section. However, a variety of carbohydrate options will mean that you're less likely to get sick of things and more likely to stick to your regular fueling plan! You will have a few options for storing your nutrition, including taping items to your top tube and attaching a storage bag/box to your bike. Your tri-suit will also have some pockets, but you'll need other options for the longer events so you can carry plenty with you. We would advise taking more than you think you'll need - don't risk running on empty!
Fuelling during the run
This is where we'd start taking on gels. For the Sprint and Olympic distances, we'd take a gel at the start of the run. Run out of Transition 2 and find your rhythm, then get some energy into you! For the longer triathlon, aim to refuel every 30-40 minutes. Most courses will have water and aid stations so feel free to make use of these too, but remember - no new brands on race day!
Electrolytes
If you are a salty sweater or you are racing somewhere warm, then make sure to add some electrolytes to keep your sodium levels topped up! You can pop an electrolyte tablet in your energy drink/water, or try a drink that also contains salts (we like SIS Electrolyte Go). This will help to prevent cramping during longer-distance triathlons (half and full).
Fuelling is in your control so be organised, practice regularly and stick to your own plan!
