I was advised years ago that I should eat before a long/hard workout but it’s ok to do a sub 90 minute easy workout on an empty stomach (after waking up) as long as you fuel straight after.
This morning I did a fasted hard 1 hour zwift ride followed by a 30 minute run which was meant to be easy but felt really good so picked up the speed to close to 5k race pace (~7m/miles). I was a little worried about bonking but felt great throughout the run.
Anyway, it got me thinking that I should consider doing a Sprint distance triathlon on an empty stomach as an experiment (should take around 1 hour 15m). It does make sense that having food digesting in your stomach must reduce blood flow to the legs etc., but I was curious if other people on here have experimented with eating/not eating before races?
I eat my normal breakfast (bagel + oatmeal or cereal (smaller than normal amount) + coffee) 3-4 hours before the race. I’ve settled on this for all races from sprint to full IM. Lets my body digest it, makes me visit the potty with plenty of time before the race, and nothing in my stomach to get upset when I start hammering. I do eat a caffeinated Gel, usually 30 minutes before the race, and another right before the race.
Question. Are you familiar with any advice by a reputable coach, physiologist or dietician to do, for whatever purposes, a fasted triathlon of any duration?
I don’t see the point of a fasted sub 90 min race. Top up in the morning on some simple carbs. Yes you have enough glycogen stored on your body to do a 90 min workout on NOTHING, but with simple carbs in the morning, your performance SHOULD be better
Hammer Nutrition is a proponent of less is more:
“Eating a pre-race meal at the wrong time - Let’s assume that you’ve been really good, you’ve been training hard (yet wisely) and replenishing your body with adequate amounts of high-quality calories as soon as possible after every workout. As a result, you’ve now built up a nice 60-90 minute reservoir of muscle glycogen, the first fuel your body will use when the race begins. A sure way to deplete those hard-earned glycogen stores too rapidly is to eat a meal (or an energy bar, gel, or sports drink) an hour or two prior to the start of the race.”
I was advised years ago that I should eat before a long/hard workout but it’s ok to do a sub 90 minute easy workout on an empty stomach (after waking up) as long as you fuel straight after.
Necessary ≠Optimal. You can do it. You shouldn’t. You’ll be faster with fuel. Elevating blood glucose before and during training is ideal. Just because you have sufficient glycogen doesn’t mean it’s optimal to rely purely on it, for performance.
Anyway, it got me thinking that I should consider doing a Sprint distance triathlon on an empty stomach as an experiment (should take around 1 hour 15m). It does make sense that having food digesting in your stomach must reduce blood flow to the legs etc., but I was curious if other people on here have experimented with eating/not eating before races?
Thanks in advance!
Food should be consumed such that digestion is just finishing during your warm-up and is leaving blood glucose elevated for the start of race.
Elevated blood glucose increases cognitive drive, not to mention aerobic exercise performance.
Some simple carbs should be consumed mid-bike for optimal sprint tri performance. You can go without, but it’s not optimal. Blood sugar will drop by mid-run at the latest. Probably sooner.
Table of Intra-workout Carb Needs Per Hour of Training from the book linked in my signature. Might help inform your decision. The table is all you need for the present consideration.
I just did Du Nats sprint distance. Non-draft started at 1.00p, so a normal race breakfast at 7.00-ish and then topped off at 10.30-ish plus a gel 30 min before. Did all I thought I could do and more, including a PR for the 5k. Draft-legal started at 7.20 the next morning. Oatmeal and 1/2 english muffin at 5.00. Too full at 7.00 for even a gel! Thought that I had made a huge mistake. But a new 5k PR! I can’t imagine not eating before, but I could have left the english muffin behind. But something crunchy and sweet (jam topping) just sounded irresistible…
I eat my normal breakfast (bagel + oatmeal or cereal (smaller than normal amount) + coffee) 3-4 hours before the race. I’ve settled on this for all races from sprint to full IM. Lets my body digest it, makes me visit the potty with plenty of time before the race, and nothing in my stomach to get upset when I start hammering. I do eat a caffeinated Gel, usually 30 minutes before the race, and another right before the race.
I agree with this, but skip the gels for a sprint. Up around 3 hours before race time, some coffee, water and something simple and light like one piece of toast with peanut/almond butter, or some saltines and peanut butter. ( best to experiment in training of course). Helps get the GI system moving, which sometimes can make or break your race!
I get too hungry in the morning to wait to eat until after a race. I always eat breakfast when I wake up on race day (~3 hrs before race start). Then I have a gel about 2/3 of the way through the bike. I’ve never tried to do a race without either of those, but what I’m doing now seems to work great, so I figure why change?
I was advised years ago that I should eat before a long/hard workout but it’s ok to do a sub 90 minute easy workout on an empty stomach (after waking up) as long as you fuel straight after.
This morning I did a fasted hard 1 hour zwift ride followed by a 30 minute run which was meant to be easy but felt really good so picked up the speed to close to 5k race pace (~7m/miles). I was a little worried about bonking but felt great throughout the run.
Anyway, it got me thinking that I should consider doing a Sprint distance triathlon on an empty stomach as an experiment (should take around 1 hour 15m). It does make sense that having food digesting in your stomach must reduce blood flow to the legs etc., but I was curious if other people on here have experimented with eating/not eating before races?
I do mainly sprint distance duathlons and we’re burning calories like a fighter jet at take off so topping off the tank before hand is recommended. I train all the time fasted but racing no.
I usually have 1 or 2 clif bars two or so hours before and right before the start a clifshot gel with caffeine.
Fasted short-ish workouts in the AM are totally fine. But remember that you may not achieve peak performance in that workout. But peak performance is not usually the goal of a workout. The goal is training effect, which you would get regardless.
I wouldn’t carry that logic over to a short race though. I would want fuel to work with to make sure I actually can achieve the best I have. Races are not workouts. They have different purposes.
Personally before a sprint tri I would have something “very carby”.
(If it’s a stupid short race like a 5k run, however, I might change my thinking, or I might make sure to eat something long before the race, in order to avoid puking on the finish line)
This morning I did a fasted hard 1 hour zwift ride followed by a 30 minute run which was meant to be easy but felt really good so picked up the speed to close to 5k race pace (~7m/miles). I was a little worried about bonking but felt great throughout the run.
How long was it from when you woke up to when you started the bike ride? It’s a lot easier to do a workout fasted when you can pretty much start immediately after waking up. With a race, you’ll likely have to get up hour(s) before the start, in which case I’d eat before the race even if it was a 1 mile run.
Over the years I don’t think I’ve ever race before a sprint race with one starting as late as 10:00 or 10:30 AM.
I have a really sensitive stomach and found that a caffeine tablet and perhaps a gel 30 minutes before the start was a good combo for me. If you don’t have stomach issues though, topping up the glycogen is likely to help or be neutral at worst, so why not have a little something?
I likely could train my stomach to be a bit more tolerant, however, I do all my workouts at 5:30 in the morning fasted, so I figure it makes sense to race as I train, nothing new on race day!
I would never have anything except a cup of coffee before any race or workout that lasts under 3 hours.
This is what I do minus the coffee lol. Any race/workout under 3 hrs I can eat later.
Olympic distance I have a gel in t1, then again in t2. No on course nutrition needed.
Now, with that said, in my bike hydration, I use a ketone(GoBhB)/essential amino acid product which I sip on during the bike (bta torpedo) then a quick chug in t2.
If you’re a fasted racer/athlete definitely look into supplementing with ketones in order to spare/save muscle glycogen and prevent cramping during activity/races