First, I want to congratulate you on becoming a triathlete! Only when we move out of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves, do we truly grow!

So, I am assuming you are racing a sprint for your first tri. There are several things that I can see you might want to change. For short course, you should try to eat more for breakfast, such as a bagel or English muffin with peanut butter, a yogurt and bring a banana with you to the race site. Or find something that works for you. As my mom used to say, “It needs to stick to your ribs!” I think you are starting out calorie depleted.

A short course triathlete should not require much nutrition during the race. If you have had a good breakfast, then you should take 2-3 bottles of your race drink (not water) with you to the race site. One bottle you will work on as you set up transition and get ready to race. The other will be on your bike and you will drink most of it while riding. If you have had stomach problems, then HEED would not be my choice. I think it is not as easily digested as others.

I do not recommend you drink much water at all. That gives you no calories, only something to slosh around in your tummy. (YUK!) When you transition to the run, take along a gel (that you have tried in training and know you like) and depending on how long you think it will take you to run, maybe a small bottle of your drink. Get a bottle holder for your waist and have it loaded up with the small bottle and the gel and use them only as you feel the need. If you are hungry, and you have been out on the course for over an hour, take your gel. If you are thirsty, sip on your bottle, but don’t gulp it.

After the race, eat as soon as possible, ideally within 20-30 minutes. But, absolutely eat something solid. I prefer that over the recovery drink. I like to chew and always crave fat, protein and carbs. It is your body’s way of telling you what it needs. Your headache may well have been the result of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) depending on what you had to eat (or didn’t) that day.

Electrolytes are needed when it is a very hot day or if you are a “heavy sweater”. You will know that if, when you come in from a workout, you have salt rings on your workout clothes. Otherwise, you probably won’t need electrolyte tabs for a sprint. But, it never hurts to have them in your bag, just in case.

The per-hour calorie requirement depends on the distance you will be racing. If mixed according the the manufacturer’s specs, most 20 oz bottles will be 250 cals. (I don’t know on what the 100 calories an hour is based.) One 250 cal bottle on the bike should be sufficient. And then refer to what I recommended for the run.

There is so much literature out there about nutrition, it is confusing. I like to keep it simple. That is what works for me. And, PS, it is usually the least expensive. (I like to save my money for a new bike or a sweet new outfit from Athleta!)

Train safe and have fun on the race! Look forward to hearing about your successes!

Like: 0

Like: 0

Always glad to find fellow GF athletes!

Some of my favorite post-workout eats: on the weekend

rice cakes or corn cakes with almond butter, raw honey and sliced banana
baked (microwave) sweet potato with almond butter

my regular breakfast (post-workout) on work days
GF oats or quinoa flakes (a recent add to my list) or a combo of the two, with almond milk (instead of cow’s milk), a scoop of rice protein powder, 1T of chia seeds – then I add berries, canned pumpkin, banana, nuts/nut butter, depending on what I feel like and what’s in the house, and sometimes top with a bit of a crunch item like Perky’s Flax cereal or Rice Chex. Quick tip – you can mix all the dry ingredients the night before in a bowl that’s then ready to make. When I use just GF oats, I can even mix all the ingredients (except the topping) ahead of time and stick it in the fridge. Makes a lovely texture, and in the summer, I don’t even heat it, just take it out of the fridge when I’m grabbing my workout drink and let it come to a cool temp instead of cold. That and tepid/iced coffee help cool me off in the summer heat post-workout and shower.

GF friendly products I use:
Ultima electrolyte drink
Hammer Gel and drinks
some Clif products (not the bars – check labels on all)….I’ve found Clif Roks (protein gobs) to be a great travel companion – I can eat as little or as much as I need at any time.

Like: 0

Some of my favorites:

Ener-G Tapioca Bread
Pamela’s Pancake Mix (anything by Pamela is yummy)
bakked potatoes
Kind and Think Bars

:)

Like: 0

I’m gluten-free, and here are some of my favorites:

Millet Bread
Rice
Mary’s Gone Crackers
Perky’s Puffed Rice Cereal (great in homemade trail mix!)
Quinoa
mashed sweet potatoes
yukon gold, red, or purple potatoes
All sorts of fruit!

Hope this helps!

Like: 0

Like: 0

Another good after race snack later in the day. Chocolate milk. In medical studies was helpful in restoring muscles back to shape due to good mix of proteins, sugars, and fats. I would choose skim or 1% over others. This is not recommended during a race though. :(

Like: 0

Like: 0

As an endurance weightlifter, I use L-Glutamine, an amino acid supplement powder that aids my muscle recovery, eliminating any soreness. I take it mostly pre-workout (and sometimes after my workouts depending on how I feel).

I hope this helps you. For me, I do consider it ‘food’ since I mix it readily into my steel oats every morning. Glutamine is listed as a safe gluten free food, see link below for details. :)

http://www.celiac.com/articles/181/1/Safe-Gluten-Free-Food-List-Safe-Ingredients/Page1.html

Like: 0

Anyone have any gluten-free favorite training or recovery foods?

Like: 0