Articles
The Post-Race Performance of PreRace
Diet & Fueling in Taper Time
By Matt Hanson, EdD
The Ironman World Championships are finally going to happen and I couldn’t be more excited. I have had a fantastic build, am healthy, and eager to toe the line – It is officially taper time.
I’ve been asked quite a few times recently by the athletes I coach about how they should change their diet when they are leading into a high priority race, so I thought I’d throw a few of my thoughts on the matter together since I’m sure others have similar questions.
How Your Biggest Gains Can Be Found In The Off Season
By Matt Hanson, EdD
As a coach, I’ve noticed a trend that goes on repeat year after year. Athletes tend to reach out 4-5 months prior to their first big race of the season and continue working with the coach through the fall when their final race is complete, but then they disconnect for the winter months. While I certainly understand the need to check out from the daily grind for a period of time at the end of the season, I really think this is a difficult approach to take if you are looking for the best possible performance.
Drinking in the “Off” Season
By Burke Swindlehurst
If you’re looking for some insightful tips to keep the pounds off during the Holidays, I’m going to stop you right here, because this isn’t going to be that sort of article. I’m not a nutrition expert, and I’ve never played one on TV. If anything, I’ve always just been more of an amateur philosopher, so if that’s your jam, then read-on…
The Do’s, Don’ts, and Donuts of Fueling for Gravel Riding and Racing
By Burke Swindlehurst
So, you’ve been hearing a lot about this “gravel” thing lately, amiright? Color yourself intrigued. Indeed, gravel is on the tip of seemingly everyone’s tongue, and by now you’ve heard enough to know that there’s a lot to consider when looking to tackle this emerging genre of events.
There’s the bike, the tires, the tire pressure, the gearing, the tactics, the fashion—wait, what? Uh, yeah, we’ll not go there.
But there’s also another aspect to gravel that truly can make or break your day regardless of how dialed your rig is or how on-point your fanny pack game.
Fuel.
“Full stick until the line” – Facing the Heat in Castelo Branco
By Kyle Murphy
Rally Cycling’s talented all-rounder, Kyle Murphy, has been quietly putting together another impressive year with strong showings throughout the season. He finally clawed his way to the top step on stages two of the Volta a Portugal.
Calling that race “hot” is an understatement, so we asked him about his approach to hydration and fueling, as well as his general impressions of how the day went. His initial response was, simply, “Tough race!” However, he did elaborate on fueling, hydration, tactics, and the importance of keeping a cool head when the race is figuratively (and, in this case, literally) heating up.
The Fourth Leg – A Professional Approach to Ironman Fueling & Hydration
By Matt Hanson, EdD
We have all heard the saying, “nutrition is the fourth leg of a triathlon.” And no doubt we have all heard horror stories and seen (and even smelled!) the evidence of when someone gets their nutrition plan for long-course triathlon racing very wrong.
How to Fuel For Success on HOT Days
Training and racing in cold weather is entirely different than training and racing on hot days. Strange things happen in hot conditions; some athletes thrive while others fall apart. Your nutrition program has a lot to do with how well you handle extreme conditions. Dehydration, cramping, and GI distress can wreak havoc on your performance, so it’s important to pay attention to your sweat rate.
