TECHNIQUE NUTRITION
We all know you should never count on the British weather, but I’m optimistic that I have scraped ice off my car on the way to the pool for the last time. This can only mean one thing: we are approaching the start of the traditional open water season.
In the last issue, I alluded to the boom in open water swimming in the UK, which has led to more mass-participation events, including – for the fi rst time in 2011 – 10km marathon swims. While for Keri-Anne Payne this distance is a rapid two-hour paddle, for the majority of people getting into Dorney Lake in Eton on 28 May for the Human Race 10km, this ‘marathon’ swim will be just that. The average Joe will take more than four hours to fi nish, pushing the race into the ultra-endurance event category. In terms of the nutritional demands placed on the body, a 10km open-water event can be compared to a marathon or half-Ironman event. The good news is that this demand can be met. However, to do so takes careful planning, preparation and at least a cursory understanding of the dietary hurdles that need to be overcome. Hopefully this step-by-step guide will help you prepare for any race longer than 90 mins, when you will need to make sure you can refuel before, during and after every race. These guidelines, especially those for hydration and feeding before and after, can be adapted to any swim.
WHAT’S NEEDED? Because marathon swimming races are still a relatively new phenomenon, there is a lack of research specifi cally looking at the nutrition of such events. However, it is possible take the nutritional strategies used in other endurance sports and make them appropriate to open-water events. Two areas are key: carbohydrate supplementation and
hydration. The body can’t store carbohydrate for long – during endurance exercise its supply may run out in under two hours – so everyone taking part in a 10km swim will need to supplement during the event. Additionally, as the practicalities of this are more diffi cult than when running or cycling, there is an added need to make sure carbohydrate and hydration levels are as full as possible before the race starts.
WHAT IS CARB-LOADING?
Carb-loading refers to the period before an event, when carbohydrate intake is maintained, or slightly increased, while training volume is reduced. This does not mean eating a massive bowl of pasta the night before a race! Studies have shown that carbohydrate stores remain elevated for 3-5 days after a 3-day loading phase. So, if an endurance race is on a Sunday, the swimmer might want to start carb-loading as early as the preceding Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, with a 3-day carb maintenance phase up to the race. Although athletes aren't specifi cally recommended to try this out during training, this strategy may reduce the risk of bloated feelings or stomach problems during a race, while maintaining maximised energy stores.
WHAT IS PRE-RACE HYDRATION? Alongside a lack of energy, dehydration is the other factor that will limit endurance performance, so it’s hugely important to make sure that you are hydrated before an event, however over- hydrating or using supplements like glycerol (recently banned by
30
the World Anti-Doping Agency), which increase total body water, have not been shown to signifi cantly aid performance. The urine hydration chart, or ‘pee-chart’, on page 33 will help you to keep an eye on your levels of hydration in the lead up to a race. You should be aiming for level 1 but levels 2-3 are still acceptable.
COUNTDOWN TO THE EVENT
3-4 hours before: As if jumping into cold, dark water wasn’t enough, swimmers like to get into the water as early as possible, making a pre-race nutrition strategy diffi cult. Ideally, before any endurance swim lasting signifi cantly more than an hour, swimmers should aim to consume a high-carb breakfast – a bowl of cereal and two slices of toast is about right. It’s OK for this to be mid- to high-GI* (refi ned cereals or white bread, which are processed quickly by the body), and low in fi bre (as fi bre slows digestion). Caution should also be taken with fruit and vegetables as these have been shown to cause stomach problems for some people.
Hydration: drink 500ml of fl uid now, and another 200ml two hours before you get in. This will allow you to nip to the Portaloo to get rid of fl uid, if necessary.
POWER UP!
Long-distance swimming events take a lot out of you, so a proper nutrition plan is important. Our expert nutritionist Joel Enoch outlines some guidelines for peak performance on race day
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