We regularly receive questions about nutrition and sports nutrition in relation to the triathlon distances. Questions such as:

  • Which sports nutrition should I now take when?
  • How do I deal with sports nutrition?
  • What should I drink?
  • How much sports nutrition do I need now?

Our vision is that to understand well when you take something, you must have information about ONWhich energy sources your body works. When do you use which energy source and how long can you maintain this. This information can be found on the pages about the General physiology. 

The intake of sports nutrition depends on many factors. By having the above insight you will soon be able to switch and switch based on the circumstances.

The Triathlon has many different distances of which we have drawn up an overview below. We have gone more in detail of the most famous and made distances. These are marked in orange.

The distances of an Ironman are 3.8 km of swimming, 180 km cycling and 42.2 km running.

Triathlon name Swim Bike Running distance
Sprint 0.5mi (750m) 12.4MI (20km) 3.1mi (5km)
Olympic distance / 5150 0.93mi (1.5km) 24.8MI (40km) 6.2MI (10km)
ITU LONG 1.86MI (3km) 49.6MI (80km) 12.4MI (20km)
Half Triathlon / Ironman70.3 1.2MI (1.9km) 56MI (90km) 13.1mi (21.09km)
Entire triathlon / Ironman 2.4MI (3.8km) 112mi (180km) 26.2MI (42.195km)

Theoretically, a whole triathlon does not differ much from half. The biggest difference is in the numbers that you will have to use. The weather also plays a greater role. If it is very hot, you will have to increase the intake of a thirst quencher and a hydration drink in order to have enough moisture in the body.

Planning and calculating when you drink or eat is of even greater importance ... Know what you eat, and especially when.

The intensity of a whole triathlon will be even lower than at half. You just have to keep it up for much longer !! So you want to stay in the fat burning zones for longer to appeal to as little as possible of your carbohydrates. This is difficult and therefore also requires many hours of (expensive) training.

Elements that you have to take into account:

  • Start with Stacking carbohydrates
  • Pay attention to your moisture balance in the days before the event. And keep supplementing the electrolytes
  • Take 1 Energiegel 15 minutes before swimming
  • Take a gel with you in every sleeve while swimming
  • Stay out of the hustle and bustle when swimming.
  • Tape a number of gels on your bike and make sure you have some energy and energy bars ready to be in you trisuit to stop.
  • During a whole triathlon you will soon need 20 energy/energy bars. You cannot take all this with you, so check what the organization offers you and at what points.
  • Provide separate gels for running.
  • Use how further you are in the competition more and more isotone products to burden your body less and less with its processing.
  • Listen carefully to your body
  • Most dropouts are due to dehydration. So keep drinking well. Preferably a thirst quencher interspersed with a hydration drink. On the bike you can possibly still use an energy drink interspersed with a thirst quencher and hydration drink.
  • Know where the drinks are when running

 

Congratulations!! You are finished .. The recovery starts immediately, so make sure you have one in the first 30 minutes recovery Including, with a proteinereep after 60 minutes. Normally you will certainly not want to eat yet, ... so keep drinking (hydration drink) and try to eat small snacks so that your digestion starts slowly. In the days after the race, well supplementing the lost moisture is very important. Drink per liter of lost moisture, at least 1.5 liters ... and a good recovery will be between 24 and 72 hours with a whole triathlon.

Need personal advice?

Do you want to receive personal advice from our sports food expert? Then send us an email with your question forinfo@athletesportsworld.comOr visit our showroom Amsterdam

Support from Sportvoeding Triathlon?Do you also want to enter into a partnership for your association? Then contact us for the possibilities. Cooperation can take place in many areas such as social media, presentations, meetings, banners on website, affiliate program, blogs, etc.

You can contact us via theContact Form

Muscle cramps? !! Do you regularly suffer from muscle cramps? Perhaps support is possible compression clothing help you? Compression cubes and socks help you with better circulation and support the muscles during the effort.

You can also think of extra intake of magnesium before and during the effort.