Momentary bliss is forever. Scott Tinely
Peak performers need to be fueled by peak performing foods. You are what you eat and what you eat when you train and race is very important. Think of yourself as a very fast car, a Porsche or Corvette. These high powered vehicles require high powered fuels in order to get their maximum performance. And so do you. The question is what foods provide the most energy and promote recovery?
Historically, pasta, bagels and other complex carbohydrates have been the mainstay of the runner’s diet. The thinking is that these foods provide the glycogen and quick energy endurance athletes need. However, a new paradigm, based on nutritional science, offers a point of view based on Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA). BCAA — valine, leucine, glutamine, and isoleucine are necessary for proper muscle building and repair. According to Dr. Loren Cordan, “these amino acids work best when consumed in the post exercise window.”
The nutritional scientist, Dr. Kenneth Layman proved that specific BCAA regulate muscle protein synthesis like an on-off switch. More specifically, “this pathway allows muscles to sense diet quality and determine if the meal has the proper balance of amino acids and energy (carbohydrates) for muscles to begin the repair and building processes. Without the proper signal, muscles stay in a dormant state and store dietary calories as body fat for future use. . . This is the threshold effect of leucine as a trigger at each meal.” In the simplest terms, this means if you do not eat the right proteins at the right times, then your muscles, at the cellular level, are told the meal just consumed is in inadequate for proper functioning and eventually will to tune that dreaded fat belly.
In the spring of 2013, I developed my personal nutritional plan and incorporated it into my triathlon training. Almost immediately, my energy level increased as did my enthusiasm. My training went from biking about 50 miles a week to biking 150 miles a week. My swimming volume also increased, doubling from 4000 to 8000 yards a week. In October, I finished third in my age group in Ironman Austin 70.3. My nutritional plan was a huge success. The BCAA energized me and reduced athletic fatigue which allowed me to train at high levels. I find it easier to take BCAA and protein supplements. I use the following products:
- I use Xtend in my water bottles when training. I buy it online through Amazon.
- I buy Six Star Whey protein at Walmart. Costco also sells a whey protein supplement.
- When I am training at a high volume for a specific endurance event, I use a protein product, Metabolic, marketed by Qivana. In my opinion, Metabolic is probably the best protein supplement on the market. If you are interested in more information, contact me.
Typically, if your peak performance race will last more than 2 hours, then you will need a nutritional plan to help you through those last few miles. Here are my recommendations:
- Between 2 and 3 hours before your race, eat a breakfast which is balanced in carbs/protein/and fats. Stay away from simple carbs like waffles or pancakes. I suggest Ensure and an English muffin with peanut butter. Coffee and tea are okay.
- About an hour before your event, have a sports drink and a Power Bar or Cliff Bar, etc.
- About 90 minutes into a long race, depending on your size, you will need between 300 and 400 calories, I recommend a sports drink and gels. Repeat about every 20 minutes or so.
- The first 30 minutes after your complete your race it is very important that you consume proteins that contain BCAA. BCAA start the muscle healing and recovery process (VERY IMPORTANT). Consume water or a sports drink and eat a balanced meal within 5 hours of your finish. I also take Ensure before long work outs and an English Muffin with peanut butter before short ones. I always take BCAA after working out. This habit has increased my overall energy level and reduced the time needed for recovery.
Here’s a word of warning. If you have not consumed any of the products, do not do so on race. Incorporate them in your training prior to race day.