Many athletes are super type A.  If there is a workout on the schedule, no matter what, they complete the activity.  So much discipline!  For some reason, that same discipline does NOT always carry forward into daily nutrition.  Proper nutrition is of equal value to proper training, yet this aspect of training is often overlooked.  But, why?

Many adults who begin training, do so to lose weight.  The first few months, the plan seems to work.  As the adult becomes more active, more calories are burned.  The body begins to shed a few unwanted pounds.  After a few weeks, the weight loss plateaus, and the athlete becomes frustrated.  Often, when an adult begins swimming, biking, or running, over time he or she inadvertently begins increasing caloric intake.  I’ve actually heard runners and triathletes say, “I do this so I can eat what I want.”  While to some degree caloric intake should increase while training,...

When Dean completed his first Ironman race in 2013, he was having his perfect race... until he wasn’t. He was on pace to Kona Qualify until the proverbial 16th mile of the marathon. At that point he bonked. I was a bit shocked, as I’ve been watching him race since middle school. This guy is always prepared and always implements his race plan with precision.

As with any good wife , I congratulated him and celebrated at the finish line. But as a coach, I had questions. After letting him bask in the glory of completing his first Ironman and giving him a day or two to recover and self-reflect, I could wait no longer. “So, Babe, typically when an athlete bonks, it’s related to execution. Have you thought about a root cause?” Over bike? No. Bike nutrition? Executed to a T. Pace too aggressive at beginning of run? No. Run nutrition? “I wasn’t hungry on the run...”. Wait. What?

Lesson Learned

Ironman is quite the long endurance event, so...

As athletes, sorting out how to properly fuel requires much research and experimentation. Many of our athletes not only seek guidance with training, but also with nutrition. While neither of us are certified dietitians, we have done our research and provide resources and guidance in helping athletes properly fuel on a daily basis.

If you have tried to solve the nutrition equation on your own, then you perhaps have read many authors with varying ideas such as Matt Fitzgerald, Scott Jurek, Shalane Flanagan, Jeff Galloway, Stacy Sims, etc.

Many of these authors are fabulous, and with each book we’ve read, we add ideas and tools to our arsenal that help us find the right nutritional balance to properly fuel ourselves and each athlete.

Many of these books offer recipes, recommended macros per pound or kilogram of body weight, variations depending on body type, and a myriad of additional information. Most of these books also...