Triathlons are referred to as endurance events because an athlete will race consecutively in three separate sports -- typically swimming, cycling and running. Triathlon racing and training can be tough on your body, and you will need to ensure your diet provides sufficient and high-quality nutrients to ensure your triathlon performance is the best it can be. Consult your doctor for medical advice before making any significant dietary or lifestyle changes.
Triathlon Diet Composition
A study published in the peer-reviewed journal "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" examined triathlete training programs, training diets and physical response to strenuous and prolonged triathlon competition. The study examined nine trained triathletes, of whom three were female and six were male. The athletes all took part in an Ironman-distance triathlon. The average composition of each athlete's training diet was 20 percent protein, 21 percent fat and 59 percent carbohydrate.
Triathlon Diet Quality
The quality of the nutrients you eat while training for a triathlon are as important as their proportions in your diet. Complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, are more beneficial to your health and training than simple carbohydrates such as processed sugar. To support your muscle growth and repair during triathlon training, you will typically need between 0.5 and 0.8 g of protein for every pound of your lean body weight, equating to between 5 and 6 oz. of meat -- or a meat substitute -- daily, in addition to two or three portions of dairy foods. Include some fat in your diet, but choose unsaturated fats and small quantities of saturated fat instead of the trans fats found in processed and fried foods.
Nutrition During Triathlon
The most common causes of fatigue during a triathlon of any distance are dehydration and carbohydrate depletion, according to an article published in the 2005 issue of the peer-reviewed journal "Sports Medicine." The authors of this article, a group of researchers at the University of Birmingham's Human Performance Laboratory, indicate that consuming large amounts of glycogen may aid your triathlon performance. The authors also recommend drinking fluids during the cycling section of the race, and also consuming between 60 and 70 g of carbohydrates for every hour of the race. An Olympic-distance triathlon may last under two hours; an Ironman distance event typically takes somewhere around 14 hours.
Considerations
To maintain your current weight during training for a triathlon, you will need to ensure that the number of calories you consume daily is broadly equal to the number of calories you burn. If you wish to lose excess weight ahead of the triathlon, your daily calorie intake will need to be less than your expenditure. Make sure you provide your body with sufficient nutrients and calories to cope with training and to heal and grow muscle tissues.
References
- "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise"; Triathlete Characterization and Response to Prolonged Strenuous Competition; RG Holly et al., February 1986
- "Sports Medicine"; Nutritional Considerations During Triathlon; AE Jeukendrup AE et al.; 2005
- MarathonGuide.com: Nutrition for the Endurance Athlete; Allegra Burton, RD, MPH
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