Fueling For Spartathlon Ultramarathon Athletes
At Saturday, our mission is to elevate athletic performance by utilizing the power of sports nutrition, with a special emphasis on the relentless demands faced by competitors in the Spartathlon Ultramarathon. This article sheds light on the pivotal components of intra-workout nutrition that are vital for participants engaged in this demanding race. We explore the synergistic combination of glucose and fructose, the advantageous role of caffeine, whey, and beyond.
The Cornerstone: Carbohydrates
Consuming exogenous carbohydrates, especially sugars, is fundamental during training. These carbohydrates are instrumental in conserving muscle and liver glycogen stores, consequently aiding in maintaining high energy levels. This paves the way for an effective training stimulus and facilitates marked advancements in training.
Furthermore, the category of carbohydrate ingested holds equal weight. Merging glucose with fructose is advantageous as they make use of different transport mechanisms. Specifically, glucose is dependent on the SGLT-1 transporter, whereas fructose utilizes the GLUT-5 transporter. It is crucial to keep the glucose to fructose ratio around 2:1 to 1:1. This concurrent absorption leads to improved carbohydrate uptake rates per hour and significantly minimizes the occurrence of gastrointestinal (GI) distress.
For endurance athletes, particularly those competing in the Spartathlon Ultramarathon, carbohydrate intake can range widely from 30g to 150g per hour. The exact intake hinges on aspects such as the duration of training, intensity, and individual digestive abilities. For shorter durations, a lesser carbohydrate intake per hour is typically adequate, especially if preceded by a carbohydrate-rich meal.
For athletes who prefer training first thing, it is advantageous to incorporate additional carbohydrates in your shake, ideally within 20 minutes before initiating your training. This approach kickstarts the increase in blood glucose levels, facilitating a more fruitful training session and preventing rebound hypoglycemia. While Gatorade is a feasible option, regular table sugar can be an economical substitute.
The Caffeine Edge
Caffeine proves to be a potent ally for training sessions lasting from 30 to 120 minutes. Recommended dosages are in the range of 3-9mg per kg of body weight. Once blood concentrations of caffeine are elevated, it is essential to maintain these levels, which can be achieved through smaller, regular doses of approximately 0.5-1mg/kg each hour during training or the Spartathlon Ultramarathon.
Diet Choices and Gastric Emptying
During training, keeping an eye on the intake of dietary fiber and fats is important due to their slower digestion, which can cause GI issues. Additionally, the concentration of carbohydrates has a notable impact on gastric emptying rates. Optimal rates are generally associated with carbohydrate concentrations of 10-14%. However, for ultramarathons lasting more than 5 hours, 6-10% carbohydrate solutions are more appropriate. Likewise, it’s advisable to curtail whey consumption. Protein can still be integrated but should be kept to a minimum, such as BCAAs or whey protein isolate or hydrolysate, to mitigate gastrointestinal strain that is aggravated by reduced blood flow during physical exertion.
Conclusion
In summation, devising a shrewd intra-workout fueling approach is vital for reaching peak performance and making substantial training progress. Ensuring an ample intake of carbohydrates, with a focus on the interplay between glucose and fructose, is key. Incorporating caffeine into your nutritional regimen can also offer a performance boost. Moreover, acknowledging that individual physiological differences necessitate tailored adjustments to nutrition intake is crucial for finely tuning performance and recovery.
