Proper nutrition is one of the most important aspects of your triathlon training.  Nutrition is, however, the most easily overlooked of all training aspects of any triathlon training program.  We tend to focus so much on conditioning and not on fully optimizing our training.  We have all heard the saying “work smarter not harder”.

To a certain extent, that saying can be applied to your training program.   Nutrition is the fuel for our bio-mechanical engine.  If we don’t put in the right fuel, we don’t get optimal results.  You’ll have a far better chance of succeeding if you eat the right foods and consume the proper amount of calories, minerals, and vitamins.

Your body needs to be in top shape if you really want to succeed in a physically demanding sport like triathlon. That means you’ll follow the proper training regimen, and do what you can to avoid any injuries.

The “I Can Eat What I Like” Myth

Many people say to themselves “I burn X number of calories a day, I can eat what I want when I want” or “I need to eat less to lose weight for my event”.  Both of which may be true in some regards, but without proper structure this can keep you from getting maximum benefit from your training.

Triathletes and other athletes often assume that since they are fit they can eat whatever they want.  While it is true that being physically fit enables people to consume more “junk food” and still have more energy and overall better health than the average person, unless your nutrition matches your training in terms of quality, your performance will suffer.

The Good Foods

Grains, lean meats, vegetables, and fruits are all wholesome foods that will give your body the energy it needs to keep on training.  Relying on pricey drinks and energy bars can get really expensive, so you’ll do better if you plan meals that contain these foods.

Stay away from foods high in sugar and fat when you’re training for a triathlon.  Your training will be negatively affected when you consume a lot of junk food.  You should also steer clear of alcohol, because that will leave you dehydrated and contains a large amount of ‘empty’ calories.

You’ll achieve your goals quickly when you incorporate proper triathlon nutrition as part of your training.

Eat More Meals

The idea of eating 5 to 6 smaller meals during the day as opposed to 2 to 3 large meals is a great concept if it can be incorporated into your lifestyle and has tremendous benefits.   If nothing else try to incorporate healthy snacks between meals to keep metabolism up and proper fuel throughout the day.

Nutrition and Training Sessions

For maximum weight loss it is best to exercise on an empty stomach.   Simply put, your body will search for needed fuel and with nothing immediately available it will turn to stored fat for fuel. This is fine if you are looking to lose body fat, however, working out on an empty stomach can lead to early exhaustion and poor performance.

Try a small, healthy 100 to 200 calorie snack before your workout and then a sensible snack or meal afterwards for recovery.  Keep fuel available for your workouts so you get maximum benefit.  The result is better performance and a better gain from the training session.

Monitor Your Calorie Intake

Learn to monitor how and when calories are taken in.  A long day of work and/or tri training can result in major hunger at the end of the day.  Try to load earlier in the day to avoid the desire to hit the pantry late at night.  Chances are you won’t be reaching for that healthy snack you convinced yourself you would eat at night.

Weight Loss

For weight loss, concentrate on a 100 to 300 hundred calorie deficit during the day.  No crash diets, just sensible weight loss resulting from burning just a few more calories than you take in.  It is pretty simple math.  And the earlier in the day you put those calories in the better.

Understand the Different Types of Fat

It is very important for endurance athletes to understand good fat versus bad fat.  As mentioned, our bodies will search out stored fat to use for fuel during training.  We are asking a lot of our bodies and it is important to keep this supply stored up for our bodies as we push through these rigorous activities.

Learn to understand good fuel – more nuts, olive oil, salmon, peanut butter, fatty fish and less fried foods, saturated fat, bacon and butter.

Increase Your Protein Intake

Normally, a person’s recommended daily intake for protein consumption is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.  But endurance athletes such as triathletes have different needs.  Depending on body type, size, and weight, they need anywhere from 1.4 and 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.

Summary

Providing proper nutrition will make you more efficient and let you fully optimize your training sessions.  Give your body what it needs and it will be there for you when you need it the most.  Stay focused, train hard and train smart.

After each race and especially during the off season, your triathlon wetsuit needs a bit of care and attention.    After all, triathlon wetsuits are not cheap and you can easily use yours one for a few seasons if you look after it.

When it comes to tri wetsuit care there are 3 simple things you need to remember:

Clean.  After each race you need to rinse your triathlon wetsuit with clean water.  Chlorine or oily waters that you may have been swimming in will not your wetsuit any good.  Some use special wetsuit shampoos, but a good rinse with clean water is more than sufficient.   When you dry your tri wetsuit avoid direct sunlight or putting it next too heat.

Check.  Make sure your wetsuit has not been damaged during a race or the frantic moments of the transition.  Long nails are neoprene’s worst enemy.   If necessary use neoprene cement to repair your wetsuit and prevent further damage.   If you have a big tear you should contact the manufacturer for assistance.

Store.  Don’t just put your triathlon wetsuit on a hanger.  If the hanger is not big enough the shoulders will get misshaped and ruined.  It is far better to store your tri wetsuit flat.  Storing in a dark place at room temperature will do just fine, but a cold dump garage is not a good idea.

As you probably already know, you should never use petroleum lubricant, vaseline and similar products on your triathlon wetsuit.

It all seems like common sense, but it is surprising how many people actually mange to ruin their triathlon wetsuits only and a few races and end up buying a new one every year.

You don’t buy a new tri bike every year, do you?

The same goes for wetsuits.

Triathlon wetsuits are much more than the normal wet suit employed by divers simply to slow heat loss underwater and keep warm.  Diving and surfing wetsuits are engineered for different functions that impair your swim in a triathlon. 

Designed specifically for athletic competition, their first priority of a triathlon wetsuit is to keep a competitive swimmer on top of the water, reducing drag and stalling muscle fatigue, enabling the swimmer to race faster and for longer periods of time.

A triathlon wetsuit is different from other types of wetsuits and is specifically designed for better performance in the water.  These wetsuits are made with a special neoprene coating to help you slide through the water easily and also with buoyancy panels to help you float.   The seams are made better to help keep water out and they are cut to give you more flexibility.

Your suit should have excellent flexibility around the arms and shoulders, otherwise you are wasting serious amounts of energy to propel yourself through the water.   Prices usuall start at around $150 and can range up to $700 or so.

The benefits of triathlon wetsuits include:

Insulation.   Cold water can drain your body heat quickly.  Generally you are adding 3-5mm of neoprene insulation to your body.  Coping with the cold will make the swim not only more physically challenging, but also mentally draining.

Buoyancy.   The closed cells reduce weight and help you swim on the surface.  A thicker wetsuit may be warmer and buoyant, but it can hinder your movement for swimming.

Drag Reduction.  Wearing a triathlon wetsuit contributes to more efficient movement through the water.  Since the outer layer of a tri suit is designed to reduce drag, you may find increased speed without an increase in effort.

Prevent Stings and Scratches.    Triathlon wetsuits can also help you minimize jelly fish stings, which are not only distracting for the race, but some serious stings can be potentially hazardous.   The wetsuit will also guards against coral scratches and rocks.

Manufacturers websites of triathlon wetsuits each claim to use some unique technology or other which will help you glide in the water and slash minutes off your swim time.

There are 5 main factors in choosing which triathlon wetsuit to buy:

Price.  Most manufacturers have different models in 3 price ranges – under £150, £150-£300 and £300+.  Before you decide which wetsuit is for you, you need to decide how much you can afford to spend.

Style.  There are a couple different styles of suits, as well as different options for features.  You can get either a full wetsuit with sleeves or a long john style wetsuit that is sleeveless.  The full wetsuit is best for colder waters, while the long john style suit is easier to get on and off during the transitions.

Stretch.   You also need to figure out how much stretch you want in your wetsuit. You can get these suits with linings that have two, four or six way stretch.  More stretch means more flexibility and movement in the water, but you will pay more for your wetsuit.

Buoyancy.   More expensive wetsuits usually also come with larger buoyancy panels.  You can get suits with buoyancy panels that cover just the chest, the chest to the thighs or the chest to the ankles.

Thickness.   Some manufacturers opt for the 2mm thickness, going towards producing a suit that weighs less and subsequently feels lighter to the user and is more flexible.   Other manufacturers go with the thicker rubber, up to 5mm thick, following the rule of thumb that shows that the thicker the rubber used, the more buoyant the suit will be and ultimately, even though it weighs more, will save the user more energy.  You may find that certain suits can use thinner material in different areas that are less susceptible to heat loss or areas that may be hampered by inflexibility and suit bulkiness.

In addition to these 5 factors, the fit of the wetsuit is the most important consideration.  If the suit doesn’t fit well, you will either be uncomfortable, create extra drag on each stroke, or suffer a combination of the two.

The zippers and seams should not rub or chafe.  If they are uncomfortable now they will certainly intensify as you race.

Remember, you have to get out of your suit quickly.   Races can hinge on seconds wasted or gained in transition.