Oxfam Trailwalker Australia

Nutrition and hydration

Photo: Anna Zhu/OxfamAus

Food for thought

To get you across the finish line at Oxfam Trailwalker, adequate nutrition and hydration are just as important as your fitness training. You may not be able to complete the 100 kilometres if you don’t provide your body with the fuel it needs. And, on a more serious note, if you don’t drink enough liquids — or not the right types — you may find yourself in hospital.

Fuelling up

Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are all fuel for your body. Carbohydrates and fats are your primary energy source during exercise. Most people have a plentiful store of fats in their bodies – enough to last 100 kilometres and beyond – however the body’s store of carbohydrates is limited. That’s why it’s essential to replenish these stores during an endurance event like Oxfam Trailwalker.

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates are your main fuel source during high-intensity exercise.
• Your body only stores limited amounts of carbohydrates, so it’s essential to replace them to avoid ‘hitting the wall’.
• Foods that contains carbohydrates include bread, cereals, starchy vegetables, legumes (e.g. lentils), fruit and their juices, dairy products, sugars, honey, soft drinks, cordial and confectionary
• Scientifically-formulated sports foods (e.g. sports drinks and gels) will also provide carbohydrates (and electrolytes) and assist with hydration. Sports drinks will be provided along the trail, but remember to test them during training.

Proteins

• Proteins are building blocks for your muscles.
• People who are in the early stages of an exercise program may require more protein than people who don’t regularly exercise but, in reality, most people already consume enough protein to meet this extra requirement.
• Foods that contains protein include meat (red, white and fish), dairy, eggs, nuts and legumes (e.g. lentils). Other foods provide small amounts of protein.

Fats

• Your body only needs a small amount of dietary fat, which provides fat-soluble vitamins and assists with other bodily functions.
• Your body will use fat as fuel during the event, but you probably don’t need to increase your fat intake during training or the event (unless you’re trying to prevent weight loss). Your body probably already has enough fat available for the event.
• Foods that contain fats include meat, dairy, eggs, margarine, oils, nuts, seeds, fried foods, takeaway foods, certain confectionary and bakery goods.

What to eat before the event

Your body can only store a limited amount of carbohydrates. However, you can increase your store of carbohydrates directly before the event by ‘carbohydrate loading’.

Carbohydrate loading

• Three to four days before the event, increase your carbohydrate intake to 8–12 grams per kilogram of your body weight. For instance, if you weigh 75 kilograms eat up to 900 grams of carbohydrates per day.
• During this time, eat less high-fat food because it makes you feel full and you won’t be able to eat enough carbohydrates.

Pre-event meal

• On the morning of the event, eat a high-carbohydrate breakfast to top up your carbohydrates one last time.
• Eat breakfast 1–4 hours before the event.
• If you have an early start, eat a bigger dinner the night before and a smaller, carbohydrate-rich snack in the morning.
• Alternatively, you can simply be mindful of eating carbohydrates early and consistently in the event to ensure your levels are topped up. This will help you to avoid ‘hitting the wall’.

On the starting line

• During the hour before the event starts, continue to hydrate but make sure you have time for bathroom stops!
• If you’re consuming additional carbohydrates at the starting line, try to eat a fair amount — at least 50 grams.

What to eat during the event

Beginner to intermediate participants

• Eat meals and snacks that are high in carbohydrates, and drink appropriate fluids at regular intervals. Eating every three hours should keep you on track.
• Meals can include sandwiches, wraps, rolls, noodle soups, rice and pasta.
• Snacks can include fruit, pikelets, muesli bars, fruit loaf with jam, and pretzels.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Drinking water is particularly important when eating a salty meal or snack. Otherwise, sports drinks are a good way to stay well hydrated and they provide carbohydrates for your muscles.

Intermediate to advanced participants

• Every hour, try to eat one gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight. The minimum amount is 60 grams per hour. So if you weigh 75 kilograms, that’s 75 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
• If you’re part of an advanced team and you’re aiming to finish the event in close to record time, your carbohydrates will primarily come from sports drinks and sports gels. This helps to avoid the discomfort of having bulky food in your stomach while travelling at high intensities.
• Try out sports drinks and gels while you’re training to ensure they work well with your body.
• Try to consume gels with water. Drinking gels with sports drinks often raises your carbohydrate levels too high and can cause indigestion.
• Plan when you’ll eat and drink. It’s often hard to replenish carbohydrates and/or rehydrate once you’ve ‘hit the wall’.

Recovery

• Drinking water and eating carbohydrates and protein is important for recovery.
• Fifteen to thirty minutes after the event, have a snack that includes some carbohydrates and protein. This will help you recover effectively. During this time your muscles can easily absorb carbohydrate and protein.
• Make sure you drink plenty of fluids 24 to 48 hours after the event. Try sports drinks if you need to recover more quickly.
• Avoid drinking alcohol after the event. It has a negative impact on the recovery of nutrition and on soft-tissue injury caused by exercise.

Hydration

• Maintaining the right level of hydration is essential for events like Oxfam Trailwalker. In extreme cases, over-hydration can result in a severe medical condition called hyponatremia. On the other hand, failing to hydrate sufficiently can lead to significant health consequences like dehydration.
• Have a drinking plan and stick to it — this will ensure you maintain a good level of hydration. Drink to your plan, not to your thirst. Know the distance between each checkpoint and what you will drink at each checkpoint. (Water and sports drinks are available at each checkpoint.)
• A general rule of thumb is to drink 250ml every 15 minutes. However it’s beneficial, particularly for advanced teams, to consult a health professional for a personal hydration strategy.

Text by Emilie Isles, accredited sports dietician and Trailwalker past participant.

For more information, consult a local sports dietician via Sports Dieticians Australia.