Amino 12500

Marathon nutrition

Important nutrition tips for running a marathon

Basic nutritional recommendations for marathons

The nutrition strategy before and during a marathon is basically a very individual matter, especially for longer running distances. Nevertheless, there are important guidelines to follow in order to get through the competition optimally. Special attention should be paid to the following three parameters:

• Fluid balance: Drink regularly and according to your thirst.
• Energy: Use easily digestible carbohydrates as the main source of energy, approx. 60-80 g per hour. Sports drinks and energy gels are particularly practical during marathons.
• Electrolytes/salt balance: Preferably use sports drinks and additionally take electrolytes (salt capsules) if the race lasts more than three hours. Especially, if pure water is drunk and warm temperatures prevail.

» The graphic marathon nutrition illustrates what runners need to pay attention to when it comes to nutrition within a marathon.

No experiments in competition!
Prior to use during competitions, we recommend testing all products in advance during training under competition-specific stress. Because even though optimal digestibility of the products is a central development component of SPONSER®, there are always individual and situational factors that have to be considered. Many an elite athlete has had to learn the hard way in this regard. Rule number one is therefore: No nutritional experiments on the day of competition or immediately before!
Ideally, your nutrition concept should be tested during long runs. Experienced athletes start them in a sober state and start later with the competition specific energy supply (after about one hour). Like this strategies, ingestion and tolerance can be tested under realistic conditions.

BEFORE COMPETITION

Activation of NO metabolism
Formerly a secret tip, the so-called nitric oxide activation has spread in recent years thanks to broad scientific support. In addition to professionals, this concept is also used today by numerous ambitious amateur athletes. The activation of the nitric oxide metabolism (NO) aims, among other things, at increased oxygen availability and improved blood flow. The most efficient products are NITROFLOW PERFORMANCE² and RED BEET VINITROX.

Carboloading
The longer the competition, the more the body's limited carbohydrate reserves and absorption capacity become the performance-limiting criteria. As a rule, marathon runners therefore benefit from carboloading prior to a marathon. Efficient carboloading means filling the body's various carbohydrate stores to the maximum. Study results suggest that one to two days of carboloading before competition is the adequately efficient. However, large amounts of food on the eve of a competition often lead to an unpleasant feeling of fullness or even digestive problems, and are therefore not recommended.
Consequently, in addition to a generally carbohydrate-rich diet immediately before the competition, we recommend taking the specially developed CARBO LOADER on pre-race days. CARBO LOADER is a highly concentrated, carbohydrate-electrolyte drink without free fructose. Ideally, one portion should be taken after each main meal.

The advantages of such a carboloading are:

• Maximally filled glycogen stores.
• No feeling of fullness and less flatulence.
• Practical handling: CARBO LOADER, especially in a portion bag, can be easily taken at any location.

Electrolytes
The electrolytes balance should be maintained before the race start. A little extra salt during the last meals is a suitable measure in this respect. Ideally, you should take one or two salt capsules (SALT CAPS) or dissolve ELECTROLYTE TABS in a water bottle. If you want to take carbohydrates at the same time, take a sports drink (COMPETITION®).

Breakfast and last hour before competition
The last meal should preferably be eaten about 3 to 4 hours before the start. It should be easy to digest (as little fibre as possible!) and rich in carbohydrates. POWER PORRIDGE is ideal as such a pre-race breakfast. It is also advisable to drink regularly (but not excessively) until the start of the competition. Ideally not only water, as it does not contain electrolytes. It is recommended to take half a tube of LIQUID ENERGY GEL with some water about 5-10 minutes before the start.

IN COMPETITION

Energy
For almost all marathon runners, carbohydrates are the main source of energy in competition. However, their absorption capacity is physiologically limited. As a rule of thumb: Consume between 60-80 g carbohydrates per hour or approx. 1 g carbohydrates per kg of body weight.
Provided that carboloading has been carried out, you should start taking 60-80 g carbohydrates per hour (gels/drinks) about 30 to 60 min into your run. Without previous carbolading, carbohydrate ingestion should be started at the latest starting from 30 min run duration. In principle, it does not matter whether the energy intake is achieved through sports drinks or gels. Intake intervals of 15 to 20 minutes would be ideal. If too much energy is absorbed, this can lead to flatulence or digestive problems.

Fluid and electrolytes
Not only fluid but also electrolytes are lost through sweat. Therefore, it is important to drink regularly right from the start and to pay attention to the feeling of thirst, which is the most reliable indicator according to scientific findings. For nutritional and physiological reasons, we recommend taking COMPETITION®, LONG ENERGY or ULTRA COMPETITION carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks. The advantage: These sports drinks provide the body with valuable electrolytes, fluids and, of course, the necessary energy in hypotonic form. The drinks are also acid-free, provide a broad carbohydrate spectrum and are only discreetly flavoured, which makes them optimally tolerated.

Practical implementation
In practice, it is rarely possible to carry your own drinks during a marathon. Organizers rarely make an individual catering zone available, as it is known in professional sport. For this reason, we recommend carrying some LIQUID ENERGY GELS (attached to the running belt) in order to standardise energy and electrolyte absorption. As a rule of thumb: 1- 1.5 LIQUID ENERGY gel tubes or 60 to 80 g carbohydrates distributed over one hour. Ingest the major part preferably shortly before arriving at the refreshment stand in order to cover the concomitant fluid requirements with water.
The choice of gels (LIQUID ENERGY PLUS, BCAA, PURE, or SALTY) is individual and can be varied at preference. The LIQUID ENERGY SALTY gel is a good change in heat - not least from a taste point of view. It contains more salt, tastes spicy-salty and less sweet. With increasing competition duration, high temperatures and a tendency to cramp, we recommend the use of SALT CAPS as an additional electrolyte source (approx. 1-2 caps per hour).

Performance Optimizer
If you tend to cramp with increasing competition duration or in general, you can use the MUSCLE RELAX shot as a remedy. The pickle juice-like, sour-sharp drinking solution activates neurosensory receptors and helps to normalise muscle function.

AFTER COMPETITION

Fast regeneration pays off
The regeneration phase begins immediately after the finish line and is particularly decisive. The faster, the better for the body, even if there is usually no feeling of hunger at this point.

The following three factors are central to your rapid regeneration:

• Replenishment of glycogen stores through easily digestible carbohydrates.
• Rehydration with fluid and electrolytes.
• Restoration/repair of the muscles with protein.

Elite athletes consume a professional regeneration drink with a protein content of approx. 20 to 30 g within 30 minutes after passing the finish line in order to cover all important elements easily and efficiently. PRO RECOVERY, RECOVERY SHAKE or WHEY ISOLATE 94 are used most frequently. The RECOVERY DRINK (combined with a flask AMINO 12500) has also proven itself in practice thanks to its practical portion size.

Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences FH
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ

Mountainbike Marathon

Important nutrition tips for racing a bike marathon

Basic nutritional recommendations for marathons
The nutrition strategy before and during a mountainbike marathon is basically a very individual matter, especially for longer distances. Nevertheless, there are important guidelines to follow in order to get through the competition optimally. Special attention should be paid to the following three parameters:

• Fluid balance: Drink regularly and according to your thirst.
• Energy: Use easily digestible carbohydrates as the main source of energy, approx. 60-80 g per hour. Sports drinks and energy gels are particularly practical during marathons.
• Electrolytes/salt balance: Preferably use sports drinks and additionally take electrolytes (salt capsules) if the race lasts more than three hours. Especially, if pure water is drunk and warm temperatures prevail.

» The graphic MTB marathon nutrition illustrates what you need to pay attention to.

No experiments in competition!
Prior to use during competitions, we recommend testing all products in advance during training under competition-specific stress. Because even though optimal digestibility of the products is a central development component of SPONSER®, there are always individual and situational factors that have to be considered. Many an elite athlete has had to learn the hard way in this regard. Rule number one is therefore: No nutritional experiments on the day of competition or immediately before!

BEFORE COMPETITION

Activation of NO metabolism
Formerly a secret tip, the so-called nitric oxide activation has spread in recent years thanks to broad scientific support. In addition to professionals, this concept is also used today by numerous ambitious amateur athletes. The activation of the nitric oxide metabolism (NO) aims, among other things, at increased oxygen availability and improved blood flow. The most efficient products are NITROFLOW PERFORMANCE² and RED BEET VINITROX.

Carboloading
The longer the competition, the more the body's limited carbohydrate reserves and absorption capacity become the performance-limiting criteria. As a rule, long distance mountainbikers therefore benefit from carboloading prior to a marathon. Efficient carboloading means filling the body's various carbohydrate stores to the maximum. Study results suggest that one to two days of carboloading before competition is the adequately efficient. However, large amounts of food on the eve of a competition often lead to an unpleasant feeling of fullness or even digestive problems, and are therefore not recommended.

Consequently, in addition to a generally carbohydrate-rich diet immediately before the competition, we recommend taking the specially developed CARBO LOADER on pre-race days. CARBO LOADER is a highly concentrated, carbohydrate-electrolyte drink without free fructose. Ideally, one portion should be taken after each main meal.

The advantages of such a carboloading are:

• Maximally filled glycogen stores.
• No feeling of fullness and less flatulence.
• Practical handling: CARBO LOADER, especially in a portion bag, can be easily taken at any location.

Electrolytes
The electrolytes balance should be maintained before the race start. A little extra salt during the last meals is a suitable measure in this respect. Ideally, you should take one or two salt capsules (SALT CAPS) or dissolve ELECTROLYTE TABS in a water bottle. If you want to take carbohydrates at the same time, take a sports drink (COMPETITION®).

IN COMPETITION

Individual parameters
The longer the duration of the competition, the more important it is to keep individual parameters in balance in order to maintain optimal performance. The most important factors to keep in mind are: energy, fluid and electrolytes.

Energy
For almost all mountainbikers racing a marathon distance or more, carbohydrates are the main source of energy in competition. However, their absorption capacity is physiologically limited. As a rule of thumb: Consume between 60-80 g carbohydrates per hour or approx. 1 g carbohydrates per kg of body weight.

If too much energy is ingested, digestive problems may occur. Flatulence or digestive problems, for example, are two such indicators. In principle, it does not matter whether the energy is ingested through sports drinks, gels, bars or the like. In addition to the competition route (topography), individual experiences and preferences play a decisive role here. We recommend a combination of the different sources. The longer the competition, the greater the need for solid food. In this respect, our HIGH ENERGY BARS have proven to be the most suitable. For ascents and with heavy breathing the energy is preferably taken via liquids. Intermittent energy shortage can optimally be countered with LIQUID ENERGY gels.

The choice of gels (LIQUID ENERGY PLUS, BCAA, PURE, or SALTY) is individual and can be varied at preference. The LIQUID ENERGY SALTY gel is a good change in heat - not least from a taste point of view. It contains more salt, tastes spicy-salty and less sweet. With increasing competition duration, high temperatures and a tendency to cramp, we recommend the use of SALT CAPS as an additional electrolyte source (approx. 1-2 caps per hour).

Fluid and electrolytes
Not only fluid but also electrolytes are lost through sweat. Therefore, it is important to drink regularly right from the start and to pay attention to the feeling of thirst, which is the most reliable indicator according to scientific findings. For nutritional and physiological reasons, we recommend taking COMPETITION®, LONG ENERGY or ULTRA COMPETITION carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks. The advantage: These sports drinks provide the body with valuable electrolytes, fluids and, of course, the necessary energy in hypotonic form. The drinks are also acid-free, provide a broad carbohydrate spectrum and are only discreetly flavoured, which makes them optimally tolerated.

Performance Optimizer
To ignite one's supercharger in the second half of the competition, the use of ACTIVATOR is beneficial. The small 25 ml ready-to-drink shot with 200 mg of caffeine corresponds to about 2 to 3 cups of coffee. Caffeine activates and improves endurance performance, concentration and alertness. It also has a positive effect on motivation. As with all products, it is advisable to test ACTIVATOR for individual digestibility in the run-up to the competition.

If you tend to cramp with increasing competition duration or in general, you can use the MUSCLE RELAX shot as a remedy. The pickle juice-like, sour-sharp drinking solution activates neurosensory receptors and helps to normalise muscle function.

AFTER COMPETITION

Fast regeneration pays off
The regeneration phase begins immediately after the finish line and is particularly decisive. The faster, the better for the body, even if there is usually no feeling of hunger at this point.

The following three factors are central to your rapid regeneration:

• Replenishment of glycogen stores through easily digestible carbohydrates.
• Rehydration with fluid and electrolytes.
• Restoration/repair of the muscles with protein.

Elite athletes consume a professional regeneration drink with a protein content of approx. 20 to 30 g within 30 minutes after passing the finish line in order to cover all important elements easily and efficiently. PRO RECOVERY, RECOVERY SHAKE or WHEY ISOLATE 94 are used most frequently. The RECOVERY DRINK (combined with a flask AMINO 12500) has also proven itself in practice thanks to its practical portion size.

Author: Yvonner Forster Nigg
dipl. eng. food sciences UAS
dipl. dietitian HS

Interview Timo Hummel

Read the full interview in German:

«Trailrunning ergänzt das spezifische Traithlontraining optimal»

Immer wieder schickt uns Timo Hummel spektakuläre Fotos von seinen Bergläufen, die ihn mal mit SPONSER-Riegel vor dem Gipfelkreuz, mal auf unwegsamen Singletrails zeigen. Der Deutsche Ausdauersportler, in Vorarlberg lebend, ist aber nicht nur Trailrunner aus Leidenschaft, sondern vor allem auch ein sehr erfolgreicher Triathlet, der beim Ironman Hawaii starten wird. Wir wollten von Timo wissen, warum er Trailrunning betreibt und wie er sich dabei verpflegt.

Timo, welche Wettkämpfe bestreitest du in dieser Saison noch?

Ich komme eigentlich aus dem Triathlonsport und betreibe vor allem dort Wettkämpfe. Meine nächsten Triathlon-Wettkämpfe sind der Transvorarlberg-Triathlon am 25. August 2019, die Ironman 70.3 WM in Nizza am 9. September 2019 und schließlich der Ironman Hawaii am 12. Oktober 2019.

Warum Trailrunning?

Während Triathlon für mich ein Wettkampfsport ist, betreibe ich Trailrunning eigentlich nur für mich selbst. Es stellt für mich ein perfektes Ausdauertraining dar und ergänzt das spezifische Traithlontraining optimal. Doch der eigentliche Reiz ist - reduziert auf das Allernötigste an Ausrüstung - die zügige Fortbewegung in anspruchsvollem Terrain. Es bietet die perfekten Rahmenbedingungen, um den Genuss unserer wundervollen Bergwelt zu kombinieren mit Herausforderungen konditioneller, technischer und mentaler Art, wobei die Grenze hier durch den Satz des Alpinisten Paul Preuß definiert wird: «Das Können ist des Dürfens Maß.»

Welche Verpflegung führst du mit, wenn du im Training unterwegs bist?

Wenn ich – wie beispielsweise auf der Kanisfluh im Bregenzerwaldgebirge (2044 m ü. M.) – zwischen zwei und fünf Stunden unterwegs bin, nehme ich neben Wasser meist nur ein bis zwei Riegel mit. Zurück am Auto fülle ich meine Speicher dann mit zuckerhaltigen Getränken sowie einer Ampulle AMINO12500 von Sponser wieder auf.

Welches ist dein Lieblingsprodukt für SPONSER beim Trailrunning und warum?

Niemals fehlen dürfen die HIGH ENERGY BARS von Sponser, welche es in vier verschiedenen Geschmacksrichtungen gibt. Sie schmecken super und die Energie wird aufgrund der unterschiedlichen Kettenlängen in den Kohlenhydraten nach und nach aufgenommen. Meist habe ich nur einen Riegel dabei. Den gibt es klassischerweise am Gipfel.

Timo Hummel auf Social Media folgen:

https://www.facebook.com/timo.hu.798 und https://www.instagram.com/timo_hummel_tri/

Nutrition tips Swiss Epic

Which nutrition strategy is recommended for Swiss Epic?

On a multi-day event like the Swiss Epic, certain conditions that influence nutrition change almost daily. Factors such as weather, acclimatisation, training status, body weight and individual biological variability are too varied to permit universally binding nutritional recommendations. In addition, the diet must be adapted to the objective: Is it about winning or is it simply about comfortably finishing? And, last but not least, the general conditions and catering options on site must also be incorporated into the nutrition strategy. For these reasons, it is not possible to provide generally valid nutrition rules in quantity and order for the Swiss Epic mountain bike race or similar long-distance endurance events.

Of course, there are certain basic rules and measures that remain roughly the same. One conceivable nutrition strategy could be the following:

Before the start
• The two days before the competition: Carbo loading with CARBO LOADER, 4 x 1 portion per day each
• 3 to 4 hours before the start: POWER PORRIDGE, portion size according to your own feeling of satiety.
• Up to 1 hour before the start: LONG ENERGY sports drink and one / a few bites of HIGH ENERGY BAR, depending on the individual feeling of hunger and thirst, also depending on whether you are able to eat at all at this moment.

During competition
• Drink sufficiently, adapted to the situation and according to your feeling of thirst. Recommended drink is the mildly flavoured, acid-free LONG ENERGY sports drink.
• During competition it is recommended that you take some easily digestible solid food every 3 to 5 hours. However, this must be tested under similar conditions beforehand! For example, half a bar, but also a few bites of white bread or a ripe banana are useful to maintain gastrointestinal activity. To a certain extent, the ULTRA PRO drink can also be taken instead during long periods of endurance activities (1 sachet every 3 to 4 hours). This may already be sufficient for one-day events.
• For competitions lasting several days, something «solid» between the teeth is highly recommended, as solid food supports digestion. What and how much varies from person to person. A few easily digestible bites (white bread, banana, pretzels, energy bars, or similar) every few hours are enough, the rest can be taken in liquid form.
• If warm food (such as pasta, boiled potatoes, rice, etc.) is offered on site, make sure you try to use it. Also POWER PORRIDGE would be a valuable warm catering, if the possibility exists.
• Our OAT PACKs are recommended as very long satiating bars. These are based on oats and contain nuts, which increase the total energy content, but also puts a little more strain on the digestion. In contrast to the HIGH ENERGY BAR, OAT PACKs are also suitable for competitions in the cold because they are not as hard as the finely ground HIGH ENERGY BARs. However, the HIGH ENERGY BAR is the ideal solution for one-day competitions.
• If performance drops and/or tiredness occur, LIQUID ENERGY gels with caffeine are recommended (approx. ½ tube or 1 sachet, followed by some gulps of water or sports drink). An ampoule of ACTIVATOR with caffeine can also help in this situation; the caffeine's effect lasting about 2-4 hours.
• Especially during long competitions, the LIQUID ENERGY SALTY is very well received. This energy gel contains more salt and tastes sweet and salty, thereby offering a welcomed taste alternative.
• En route, it is important to estimate the situational needs correctly. In the case of cold/weakness, it is advisable to consume more carbohydrates in the form of gels or sports drinks. If stomach problems become noticeable, suitable solid food, oat bars or white bread should be eaten. Pure water is not recommended if diarrhoea occurs! In such a case it is advisable to eat and drink salty.
• Most important during very long events is keeping enough flexibility and listen to one's own desires. Experience has shown that even the most popular drinks/foods can quickly put you off if exertion lasts for several days.
• Furthermore, particularly with events lasting several days and high intake of (usually) carbohydrate-rich sports food, a sudden appetite for salt, protein and fat appears. This usually happens at a stage when the body has already reduced exercise intensity (partly from exhaustion) and can therefore tolerate such food. In this situation one can tolerate a lot of «normal» food in a reasonable amount: dried meat, sausages, chips, nuts, cheese or whatever else the organizer offers. However, fatty foods are of course unsuitable for daytime events and for strictly performance-oriented goals. During long exercise bouts and low intensities, however, one should and may listen to one's body desires, even if a food may be somewhat more difficult/slower to digest. Specific hunger for a certain food is usually a good indicator that it also can be tolerated.

Recovery after competition
• For occasions where you do not want to take too many different products with you, it is a good idea to use the ULTRA PRO as a regeneration drink. Also conceivable: LONG ENERGY Berry in double concentration (60-80 g + approx. 500 ml water). Like this, there is no need for additional recovery products. It is recommended to drink a portion within 30 minutes after finish arrival and possibly a second one, if there is no main meal within 90 minutes.
• On multi-day events, it makes sense to take another portion of CARBO LOADER or a portion of ULTRA PRO before going to bed in order to start the next day with energy stores refilled.

Rough nutrient dosage guideline

Carbohydrates
Approx. 60-80 grams per hour, during long-term endurance up to slightly more than 100 g/h can be absorbed and metabolised.

Liquid
Depends on and varies strongly according to the situation, 0.4 to 1 litres per hour advised. Note: with drinking volume also the ingested energy content changes, which has to be considered with the intake of other energy sources accordingly.

Protein
Basically not necessary, but some studies point to an increase in performance and recovery if protein is already taken during performance. Approx. 20 g protein every 3 to 4 hours for events lasting 6 to 8 hours or longer. Ideal for this: ULTRA PRO or AMINO 12500. The ULTRA PRO drink can be considered an alternative to solid food, but must be prepared with water immediately before consumption and cannot be mixed several hours in advance. On shorter occasions it is easier to add/take some protein directly in the sports drink or swallow capsules/tablets such as AMINO EAC or BCAA.

Fat
Fat intake only plays a role at endurance duration beyond approx. 10 hours, when performance intensity is very low and fat can be digested. It can be neglected and should not intentionally used in a one-day event as it may quickly act negatively, if exercise intensity becomes too high.

Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences UAS
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ

Recovery drinks

What is the difference between RECOVERY SHAKE, RECOVERY DRINK and PRO RECOVERY?

SPONSER® offers a range of recovery drinks that are suitable for quick regeneration after hard endurance exertion. A quick overview is provided by this table comparison of our regeneration drinks.

Basics on regeneration in endurance sports
From a nutritional point of view, endurance athletes primarily need carbohydrates and protein following exercise. However, it is virtually impossible to determine the exact amount and ratio of carbohydrates and protein required for each type of exercise. There are too many individual and situational factors involved. For example, the utilisation rate of food intake alone is different for each individual.

However, there are a few rules of thumb that should be adhered to in order to promote recovery:

• 50-60 g carbohydrates per hour after an energetically demanding load, every hour until the next main meal.
• Each main meal should contain 20-30 g protein.
• Take a late meal (possibly also without carbohydrates) with slow protein (for example CASEIN or MULTI PROTEIN) to bridge the night phase.
• Goal: Take one serving of protein every 3-4 hours. A dose of approx. 20-30 g is the necessary trigger amount to optimally support protein synthesis, i.e. recovery.

RECOVERY SHAKE, RECOVERY DRINK and PRO RECOVERY by SPONSER® are equally suitable for recovery or muscle building. The shakes differ primarily in their carbohydrate content and functionality. Briefly described, the shakes differ as follows:

• PRO RECOVERY and RECOVERY SHAKE both deliver approx. 20-25 g protein per prepared portion. PRO RECOVERY, in contrast to RECOVERY SHAKE, contains significantly less carbohydrates, so that the carbohydrates can be added according to hunger or need (bar, banana, pasta, etc.). Depending on the training goal (e.g. low glycogen training) or also for physiological reasons (body weight) it is advisable to reduce the carbohydrates in a certain training phase.

PRO RECOVERY is, as the name suggests, even more geared towards professional and ambitious athletes. It consists of a broad protein mixture with quickly and slowly available protein sources including colostrum, and offers higher convenience through lower drinking volume and its preparation with water. PRO RECOVERY with its functional ingredients delivers the highest possible quality in the regeneration area and is also suitable for taking shortly before strength training or hard units.

• RECOVERY SHAKE is more satiating and tastier for many grace to its preparation with milk, but it also provides significantly more carbohydrates, which is ideal for classic muscle build-up but also for energetic regeneration.

• RECOVERY DRINK is intended for the first replenishment of the energy stores at the competition or training site, or in the changing room. It provides a light, well-tolerated first portion shortly after the end of a performance in a comfortable portion sachet, and is designed for preparation with water. In combination with AMINO 12500, RECOVERY DRINK is an ideal recovery product in competitive situations.

Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences FH
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ

Recovery after cycling

Nutrition tips for a fast recovery during multi-stage events

Recovery is decisive in a multi-stage competition. Consider the following tips to maximize recovery between stages!

- Directly after finishing a race consume at least 20 g of protein plus 50-60 g of carbohydrates that are easy to digest. Recommended products and combinations are:

Pro Recovery + 1 Banana
Recovery Drink + 1 Amino 12500
Recovery Shake
Whey Protein + Sandwich

- Stay hydrated with sports drinks even after the race and throughout the evening. Sports drinks contain electrolytes such as sodium, chloride and potassium which are essential for rehydration and balancing fluids in the body. In addition, they also contain carbohydrates that play a key role in recovery by replenishing muscle glycogen stores.

- Between crossing the finish line, cooldown and shower a first snack can be consumed such as bananas, sandwiches, fruit bread, chocolate milk, semolina slices, rice cake or boiled potatoes.

- Consume a proper meal that is well-balanced within the first 2 hours after a race that includes protein, carbs and cooked vegetables. Raw foods and salads are only recommended to a limited extent as they prolong digestion and increase stool volume which can negatively impact your performance the next day. But anyway, be aware consume high quality vegetable oils like canola, flax seed or walnut oil. These oils supply the body with essential nutrients and polyunsaturated fatty acids including omega-3 fatty acids that aid in recovery. Suitable meals are:

Riz Casimir
Boiled potatoes with fish and spinach
Spaghetti Bolognese
Risotto with meat and cooked vegetables
Pasta with scrambled eggs, cooked vegetables

- Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in recovery for the body. NO improves the delivery of nutrients throughout the body and the excretion of metabolic waste by increasing blood flow. As vegetables and fruits should only play a minor role during multi-day competitions, supplements such as plant-derived polyphenols can also be used to stimulate NO formation. Suitable supplements are Nitroflow Performance or Red Beet and have been shown to improve performance when consumed in the morning during a multi-stage race.

- Eat only until you feel full. Rather than overeating, complement your meals with supplements for more energy. These supplements are easily prepared and easy to digest.

- After dinner another 20 g of protein should be consumed. Suitable products are Whey Isolate 94 or Pro Recovery.

- Make sure to replenish your glycogen stores by consuming 1-2 portions of Carbo Loader after dinner. Carbo Loader supplies the body with highly concentrated carbohydrates and is prepared according to your body weight.

Author: Yvonner Forster Nigg
dipl. eng. food sciences FH
dipl. dietitian HS