Fueling For Ultra Distance Duathlon Athletes

At Saturday, we dedicate ourselves to elevating athletic performance through the principles of sports nutrition. We're pleased to present this comprehensive guide about intra-workout fueling specifically designed for athletes who are involved in ultra-distance duathlons. It will cover important subjects including the role of carbohydrates and caffeine, and the use of protein.

Carbohydrates: Critical for Duathlon Performance

During training, exogenous carbohydrates, sugar in particular, serve an indispensable function. They chiefly act to preserve muscle and liver glycogen, which in turn lets us uphold higher power outputs. This arrangement results in a more potent training stimulus that spurs significant training adaptations.

The efficacy of carbohydrates largely hinges on the amount and type ingested. Usually, a blend of glucose and fructose is recommended as they are assimilated through distinct pathways - glucose through the SGLT-1 transporter and fructose through the GLUT-5 transporter. Attaining a glucose to fructose ratio from 2:1 to 1:1 encourages dual absorption, enhancing the digestion speed of carbohydrates per hour and reducing the likelihood of gastrointestinal (GI) distress.

For endurance-oriented sports such as ultra-distance duathlons, it's suggested to ingest between 30g to 150g of carbohydrates per hour. The exact amount is contingent on the intensity and duration of the event, as well as individual digestive tolerance. For shorter periods, a lesser hourly intake may suffice, especially if a carbohydrate-rich meal is consumed afterward.

For those accustomed to training first thing, not dawn, incorporating additional carbohydrates about 20 minutes before commencement is advisable. This helps maintain stable blood glucose levels and facilitates a more effective training session without a sudden drop in blood sugar levels. Convenient sources like isotonic drinks can be utilized, though even common table sugar will suffice.

Caffeine

Integrating caffeine can significantly enhance training sessions that last between 30 to 120 minutes. An appropriate dosage would be approximately 3-9mg per kg of body weight. To sustain optimal levels of caffeine in the bloodstream, smaller regular doses of around 0.5-1mg/kg each hour during the event or training are recommended.

Digestion: Diet Restrictions and Gastric Emptying

Keeping track of dietary fat and fiber intake during training is crucial as these can decelerate digestion and possibly lead to GI issues. Furthermore, the carbohydrate concentration notably impacts gastric emptying rates. Optimal rates are generally achieved with carbohydrate concentrations of 10-14%. For activities lasting beyond 5 hours, solutions with 6-10% carbohydrates are advised. Moderate the intake of whey. While proteins are permissible, choosing BCAAs or whey protein isolate or hydrolysate is recommended to reduce the risk of GI discomfort due to decreased blood flow during high-intensity activity.

Conclusion

In summary, building an effective intra-workout fueling strategy is key to achieving peak performance and facilitating remarkable training adaptations. A vital component of this strategy involves ensuring adequate carbohydrate intake, ideally a mixture of glucose and fructose. Incorporating caffeine can further enhance performance levels. Given individual physiological variations, nutritional strategies should be personalized for optimal performance and recovery results.