NUTRITION masterclass

PERIODISING YOUR FUELLING WILL PAY DIVIDENDS COME THE RACE SEASON. HERE’S ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PLAYING AROUND WITH YOUR PERFORMANCE PLATE FOR MULTISPORT MAGNIFICENCE…

- JAMES WITTS

The periodised model of nutrition’s a popular strategy among athletes where you match your food intake with your training demands at that particular time of year. Those of you who follow a traditional periodised model of training will be aware of the phases ‘base’, ‘build’, ‘competition’ and ‘transition’. Each of these is designed to stimulate a specific physiological adaptation whether it’s to increase stamina (base), boost speed (build), ensure you’re fresh for racing (competition) or ease off training in preparation for the following season’s goals (transition). The periodised model of nutrition is its fuelling mirror where you change macronutrient and micronutrient intake as the year rolls by.

The lower-intensity base period takes you up to spring and, depending on your amount of training, carbohydrate intake should be between 6-9g per kg bodyweight. Six is for athletes on less training with a higher body fat percentage. Protein nestles between 1.2-1.6g per kg with fat around 1.1-1.3g per kg. The high-intensity spring build phase sees carbohydrate intake rise to between 8-12g per kg. Protein intake also increases to around 1.5g-2g per kg. Fat is around the 0.9-1g per kg mark.

Come the competition phase, if you’re racing for longer than 12hrs, in the last four weeks before your race you should increase carb intake from 7g per kg up to a whopping 19g per kg, protein between 1.2-2g per kg, and fat from 0.8-3g per kg.

Other nutritional snippets include following the 80:20 rule, where you eat healthy 80% of the time and ‘less healthy’ the remaining 20%.

Also, whatever the time of year, choose foods rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc to improve immune function. Right, time to serve up your new personal best…