Fuel your triathlon training

Correct nutrition is critical for getting the most out of your training. Fuel your engine with these simple tips from sports nutritionist Aaron Deere.

Pre-training

Aim to eat a meal that includes a mixture of complex and simple carbohydrates – such as a wholegrain rice dish followed by some fruit – roughly two to three hours before your session, as this will help to top up your glycogen stores and provide you with quick and slow release energy, without making you feel bloated. 

During training

If your session lasts less than 90 minutes, you don’t need to worry about refuelling. But once you pass that point, you should try and ingest 90g of combined glucose and fructose during every subsequent hour to help replenish your glycogen stores. Most people do this via energy gels, bars or sports drinks, as they’re convenient to consume and easier to digest on the go. 

Post-training

You’ve got a two-hour window after your session when your body is primed for carbohydrate uptake, so try and replace as much glycogen as you can by consuming up to 180g of carbohydrates, ideally containing a mixture of glucose and fructose. A brown bread jam sandwich will provide ideal ratios of both (and taste great!) 

Aaron Deere is a sports nutritionist at KX Gym   in London and the developer of the Train Me fitness app (trainme.fitness). For more information, contact him at aaron.deere@trainme.fitness