The Difference Eating Enough Makes To Your OC1 Race Experience
Have you ever wondered if you are eating enough or considered how underfueling negatively impacts your performance?
My recent experience from the Doctor race week in Australia really highlighted for me what happens when I don’t eat enough and how much better I perform and recover when I do.
Racing in the afternoon and evening for the first two out of four races and dealing with logistics of transporting cars and canoes in an unknown place meant I missed eating a proper lunch and didn’t have good enough snacks with me.
Consequences of Insufficient Fueling:
While racing my attention wandered, I had a hard time focusing and my vision narrowed slightly. I struggled to repeatedly accelerate onto waves, I stopped enjoying myself and started to feel physically stressed, which is a different feeling from working hard.
After the race I felt nauseated, which was actually hunger in disguise. I felt stressed and grumpy while washing and re-loading canoes, and felt anxious about getting enough food in the evening.
Even though I ate a good dinner, it was late in the evening and hours after finished the race. The accumulation of not enough food throughout the day led to restless sleep, waking up feeling hungry at 3 am, and waking up feeling depleted in the morning.
Turning it Around:
I made sure to be better prepared for the next two races. By the end of the week, I had all my meals sorted, and it made a huge difference!
Race day fueling for The Doctor event :
Breakfast 6:45am
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- 3 egg omelet with ground pork, broccoli, and avocado.
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- Porridge with fruit.
Pre-race meal 10:45am (race start 1 pm)
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- Sweet potato, one chicken breast, half an avocado.
Race food
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- 15 mins before the race ¼ of a peanut butter and honey sandwich.
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- 70 mins into the race ¼ of a peanut butter and honey sandwich.
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- 100 mins into the race ¼ of a peanut butter and honey sandwich.
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- 30 minutes, and then 15 minutes before the finish 6g of glucose each time (link to what I use*).
Post race fueling
Immediately after I finished the race I ate a packet of Australian biltong, drank an amino acid drink, and I finished the last ¼ of my peanut butter and honey sandwich.
Within about an hour (after washing and loading canoes on the trailer) I ate the food provided by the race and followed it up with a very enjoyable ice cream sandwich!
Once home, three hours later, I ate a proper meal. The next morning I got up and repeated my pre-race breakfast as part of my recovery.
The Power of Proper Fueling:
Unlike earlier in the week, I had prepared plenty of food to eat before and during the race, and kept eating after the race.
Positive Outcomes:
With sufficient food, my concentration was consistent through the race. I enjoyed myself while working hard, I felt strong in the middle section, I even passed half a dozen people in the last third of the race.
I didn’t feel anxious while putting the canoes away. I was hungry after, but not desperate. I didn’t wake up at 3am hungry, and while I was tired, I didn’t feel like I was hit by a truck the next morning. With light movement, I felt better as the day went on.
Key Takeaways:
Practice Eating: It is part of your training. You won’t feel like eating while racing, make a plan and stick with it to learn what it feels like to be well fueled.
Protein and Carbohydrates are Crucial: Women need to focus on protein for muscle recovery and carbs for energy. (Read past articles about carbs here and protein here.)
Never Skip Breakfast: Eat plenty for breakfast every day. Get used to eating in the morning and never start a day off without fueling for life!
As women athletes, we do best eating before, during and after intense activities. Remember, eating isn’t just about satisfying hunger; it’s about fueling your body for peak performance and recovery. So, eat like the athlete you are and feel the difference!
*I earn a teeny tiny commission if you purchase Lyft using the link provided.