Sports nutrition specialists Maurten answer the T100 Triathlon community’s most-asked questions about fuelling for endurance sports events.
When it comes to fuelling for triathlon – or any endurance sports event – getting the balance right can be the difference between feeling great all day or not making it to the finish line. With Maurten partnering with T100 Triathlon for on-course race nutrition, we took the opportunity to put our community’s questions to the experts. Here’s what they had to say.
How should I fuel for different race types (10K, marathon, triathlon) using Maurten products?
Fuelling strategies are based on the duration, intensity, fuelling experience, weather and logistics of the race and sport. They aren’t one-size-fits-all — each athlete needs to find a fuel plan that fits their carbohydrate needs. Shorter distance races (5-10km) will have less demand for in-race fuelling. The focus for these races will be on a carbohydrate-rich breakfast (1-4g per kg body weight of carbohydrates in the 1-4 hours prior) alongside a Maurten Gel 15 minutes before the start of the race to ensure enough energy to fuel the intensity ahead.
In-race fuelling becomes more critical during longer distance events — like marathons and triathlons — due to the body’s limited glycogen stores. During these longer events, it’s recommended that an athlete consumes up to 60-90g of carbohydrates per hour to support the working muscles. A combination of Maurten Drink Mix and Gels can make these numbers easier to achieve while simultaneously helping an athlete meet their fluid intake needs.
Cycling often allows for greater comfort of higher carbohydrate intake, as there is much less impact and stomach bouncing — compared to running — as well as more opportunities to reach for bottles and chew whole foods. Solids can be helpful to add in during ultra events like iron-distance triathlons or long training rides — they reset the taste buds, help prevent flavour and texture fatigue, and provide a chewable, easily digestible carbohydrate source.
It is important to practice your race day fuelling in training to allow ample time for your gut to adapt to higher carbohydrate intake during exercise and make changes as needed. Maurten Fuel Guides show how fueling needs can be accomplished with only Maurten products for many different training and race distances. Explore Maurten Fuel Guides here.
How can I prevent stomach issues and train my gut to tolerate fuel better?
Utilise your training sessions to practice your nutrition and get your stomach used to taking in calories while exercising. Start by introducing a small amount of sports nutrition during easier sessions and then replicate this practice across different intensities and environments — not just fuelling a 90-minute easy long run, but also a 60-minute threshold workout. Repeat several times before increasing the carbohydrate amounts, such as from 25 to 50g of carbohydrates per hour. Just like how your muscles adapt the more you practice, your stomach will too.
Stick to the exact products you plan to use on race day. Keep a log of both training and food eaten before and during sessions and note any stomach issues — by gathering information and feedback from your body, you may be able to notice patterns and identify solutions. If you have stomach problems repeatedly, don’t forget to look at the makeup of your pre-exercise meals — limit high fibre and high fat products to minimise stress on your body, as well as ensure you are adequately hydrated.
How should I adjust my fuelling strategy if I have a medical condition or special dietary needs?
Carbohydrates will be essential for fuelling endurance performance for all athletes — they are the primary and most efficient source of energy for both the muscles and brain. If you have a medical condition or special dietary requirements, work with an accredited sports dietitian — they can help you determine how to adjust your daily intake to ensure that you are getting nutrient-dense meals and snacks to support your exercise demands. Adequate carbohydrate and total energy intake both in and outside of training will not only be essential for performance, but for overall health and recovery as well.
How and when should I use caffeine during training and racing?
Caffeine is a well-documented ergogenic aid and can help lower perceived exertion and increase alertness. Dosing is individualised, although benefits in scientific literature occur when consuming 3-6 mg caffeine per kg of body weight. Caffeinated Maurten products provide 100 mg of caffeine, similar to a cup of coffee. If new to caffeine during training and racing, start with one Gel 100 Caf 100 or Drink Mix 320 Caf 100 during training and take note of how you feel before adding more.
Caffeine can take 15-45 minutes to reach peak concentration in your bloodstream — so the timing of caffeine can be important in a race. If there is a big hill ahead on your run or ride, take a Gel 100 Caf 100 about 20-30 minutes prior to ensure you are getting the maximum benefit. If you are doing a longer endurance race — marathon or long-distance triathlon — alternate non-caffeinated with caffeinated products to spread out the benefits. The half-life of caffeine can range upwards of 5+ hours — be aware of having caffeine too late in the afternoon to protect your sleep quality. The optimal strategy you choose will depend on duration of activity, body weight, and caffeine tolerance.
Learn more about using caffeinated gels here.
How do I manage hydration and sodium intake with Maurten products?
Hydration needs are highly personalised — heat, intensity, duration, body composition, fluid tolerance and prior training will all impact fluid loss. Training gives the opportunity to understand how your body responds to fluid loss during different conditions, intensities, and durations. Try weighing yourself before and after training to refine a hydration plan.
Maurten Drink Mix has been formulated to meet the needs of endurance athletes — it’s not recommended to add electrolyte supplementation to the solution in order to protect the hydrogel formation. The competing electrolytes can affect the structure, strength, and functionality of the hydrogel which can potentially increase the risk of stomach upset.
Studies show that the sweat glands and kidneys will adjust as needed by minimising electrolyte loss to keep the levels in the body balanced. Maurten Drink Mix is therefore formulated to prioritise evidence-based amounts of ingredients that would best serve all athletes during training and competition. The level of fluid replacement compared to sweat loss will dictate if there is a need for additional electrolytes for those who are heavy, salty sweaters during ultra-endurance events in hot humid climates. Otherwise, post-training salty foods will provide the sodium needed to aid in rehydration and recovery. Electrolyte loss is not a big priority for the body and studies show it will not affect performance — however carbohydrate intake certainly will.
To achieve the appropriate hydrogel concentration and formation when fuelling with Drink Mix, mix 1 sachet of Drink Mix with 500ml water. For athletes who may want to use larger bottles, mixing 3x Drink Mix sachets across 2.750ml bottles will achieve the same ratio. We do not recommend mixing 1 sachet with more water than prescribed (500ml) — this can weaken hydrogel formation and effectiveness. Those with extensive gut training can certainly increase the ratio of Drink Mix to water — 2 sachets per bottle — although this will create a much more viscous solution that may be less comfortable in the stomach.
Learn more about Maurten Drink Mix.
Should fuelling recommendations be based on time, weight, or intensity?
Sports nutrition research shows that carbohydrate needs are currently based on grams per hour, as this directly relates to the amount of carbohydrate the body can use for fuel. Currently, the American College of Sports Medicine’s guidelines recommend 30-60g per hour for activities under 2.5 hours and 60-90g per hour for activities over 2.5 hours. The body has a limited capacity for absorbing and utilising carbohydrates, which can vary greatly from athlete to athlete and may be influenced by many factors — diet, body size, experience, and genetics.
Intensity will play a role in the speed in which carbohydrates are utilised for energy. As intensity rises, so will the demand for carbohydrates. Athletes that extensively train their gut can tolerate much more carbohydrate intake during racing than those who may be just starting to fuel, as the body will adapt by creating more transporters in the intestine. If looking to fuel with over 60g per hour, a blend of glucose and fructose is necessary due to the rate-limiting effects of intestinal transport. Maurten products are formulated to support high carbohydrate fuelling for the best performance possible.
Which Maurten products should I use, and how do they compare or combine?
Maurten works as a modular system, offering different forms of carbohydrates to meet your total carbohydrate needs. Maurten encapsulates carbohydrates in a hydrogel structure, allowing for smooth and efficient transport through the stomach to minimise stomach upset. There are varying amounts of carbohydrates found in Maurten products — from 25g in Gel 100 to 80g in Drink Mix 320. A visual of how to combine various Maurten products to reach 25-90g per hour can be found here.
Each product has been made to solve common fuelling issues for athletes. For instance, Maurten Gel 160 provides 40g of carbohydrates in one serving to help athletes hit higher carbohydrate needs without carrying too many products at once. Drink Mix 160 offers a more fluid-forward option with less carbohydrates than Drink Mix 320, which makes it a good choice for hot days or lower intensity sessions. For more information on Drink Mix, refer to Maurten FAQS.
Sodium Bicarbonate can offer 1-2% performance improvement in high intensity efforts, and Maurten has created the Bicarb System to help athletes tolerate this without stomach upset. It is recommended to check the proper dose for body weight (.2-.3g per kg) and follow the protocol as prescribed. Avoid taking the Bicarb System on an empty stomach and ingest the product between 90 minutes to 2 hours prior to race start to allow for it to peak in your bloodstream.
How should fuelling differ between training and racing?
When pushing the body at higher intensities, it will utilise more carbohydrates as fuel for the working muscles. Therefore, performance-based efforts and races will benefit from higher amounts of energy intake. Race day will also require a full gas tank — which means fuelling prior to toeing the line is also critical for performance. If you have an event over 90 minutes, carbohydrate loading — 10g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight per day — in the 48 hours prior will also become essential for peak performance to optimise glycogen stores.
Fuelling is not just for race day. Adjust your fuelling to match the demand of each training session — include increasing amounts of sports nutrition as training ramps up as well as the amount of total carbohydrates in your daily diet to match the elevated output. Keep in mind that recovery starts before you finish a session — consuming carbohydrates during training is extremely helpful in any sessions over 60 minutes.
Learn more about how to fuel with Maurten here.
