6 Nutrition Tips for TransRockies Runners
If you’ve never run a stage race before, or even if you have but neglected your nutrition strategy, you might not realize how big an impact what you eat can have on your overall experience. Sure, running 120 miles over 6 days could be considered a free pass to scarf everything in sight as you belly up to the aid station, but you could be missing a key opportunity to improve your performance and enjoyment of the race. Not to mention, nobody wants to run behind the person who ate too many of the wrong snacks and is now paying the price. Here’s how to get the most out of your nutrition strategy during TransRockies:
1. Hydrate early and often:
Don’t wait until you toe the line to start your hydration plan!
2-3 days leading into the race, aim to drink 2-4 liters of water daily. Add flavored electrolyte drink tablets to enhance palatability and encourage intake. Continue to drink this much during each day you run. (Note: altitude causes dehydration, so don’t skimp on the fluids!)
During the race, take advantage of aid stations so you don’t carry extra weight: aim for 16-30 oz of fluids—either water or sports drink—per hour. Not only does dehydration make it harder for your heart to pump blood to working muscles, it also makes you feellike you’re working harder due to its effects on the central nervous system. Drink up!
2. Sip and nibble:
Think of your fueling strategy like an IV-drip. The goal is to take in calories and fluids in small, frequent doses rather than large quantities.
Try to eat or drink something every 20 minutes, however small it may be! An Energy Chew or two, a sip of drink mix or a gel, something to keep a steady flow of electrolytes and energy to your working muscles. (Pro tip: set an alert on your watch to help keep you on track!) The “trickle feed” method will also reduce the likelihood of having GI issues, which means no more emergency trips into the bushes!
3. Train your nutrition:
However you chose to fuel during TRR, be sure to practice, practice, practice! Race day is not the best time to try something new. Your nutrition plan should be dialed, even down to which flavors you know work well during long runs. Practice your plan during long training runs leading up to TRR, and adjust as needed. A good starting goal is to consume 150-300 calories per hour for runs longer than about 90 minutes. Remember, calories come in many shapes and sizes: gels, chews, waffles, and even drink mixes. Mix up the flavors and textures to find what works best for you. Pro tip: Knowing what will be offered at aid stations will help you plan ahead!
4. Protect your muscles:
During prolonged, strenuous exercise, your body will start to break down its own muscles to supply fuel for energy production. To protect your muscles from breakdown and help kick start recovery, I recommend supplementing with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are the most important amino acids for muscle repair and rebuilding. Not only that, BCAAs are metabolized directly by the muscles for energy, providing an additional fuel source! Tip: take four Roctane BCAA Capsules before and after each stage to minimize muscle breakdown, promote muscle repair, and reduce muscle soreness. This will come in handy with all that downhill running!
5. Choose wisely at mealtimes:
While it’s tempting to go for the all-you-can-eat dessert table the night after a hard effort, this might not be the best strategy for next-day performance. Chances are, you’ll end up overeating on foods you’re not used to digesting and regret it later. Instead, try upping your carbohydrate intake in the form of starchy tan carbs (think potatoes, rice, pasta), while cutting back on fat and excessive fiber. Doing so will effectively stock your muscle and liver glycogen stores (think of this like a car’s fuel tank) without leaving you feeling bloated and uncomfortable. Try to get 3-5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of bodyweight daily. Example: a 150 lb runner should target 450-750 grams daily for 2-3 days before as well as throughout the race. Try filling ½ your plate with starchy carbs at meals, add ¼ plate of fruit and veggies and ¼ plate lean protein.
6. Recover and repeat:
For multi-day events, you need to bounce back quickly in order to perform at your best again day after day. What do you need to recovery quickly?
Carbs to restock glycogen stores
Protein to promote muscle repair
Electrolytes and fluids to replenish what you’ve sweated out
Recovery drinks such as Roctane Protein Recovery Drink Mix “check all the boxes” and are a delicious, convenient, and easy to digest way to kickstart recovery after a long day on the trails. Feed yourself some carbs and protein as soon as you reasonably can after crossing the finish line each day for best results. And save the celebratory beer until after your recovery nutrition!
TransRockies Run is an awesome event and a rare opportunity to run miles of trails fully supported. Take advantage of aid stations on course and carry less weight as a result. GU Energy products will be at every aid station, along with a wide selection of snacks and sips to satisfy every odd craving. Find what works for you during training and stick to it as best you can. Everyone is unique in their needs and what works for your partner may not work for you. Take the time to figure it out and you’ll be sure to have a blast day after day.
About the Author
Roxanne Vogel, MS, CSCS*D, EP-C, CISSN, is a certified exercise physiologist, sports nutritionist, and strength and conditioning specialist who works at GU Energy Labs as the Nutrition and Performance Research Manager. She is an avid trail runner and alpinist, who recently set the record for the fastest ever sea level to summit of Mount Everest in 14 days door-to-door. She does science for fun and her PhD research focuses on the intersection of sports nutrition and environmental physiology (heat, cold, and high altitude). This is her second time running TransRockies and she couldn’t be more psyched to return.