Quick Nutrition Tip: Eat Fat for Optimal Race Performance

Training your body to burn fat rather than, or in addition, to carbohydrates is a great way to improve endurance. In long events, such as half or full Ironman races, or marathons, this can be the difference between having the race of your life and seriously bonking. Fat is a longer lasting energy source than carbohydrates, and in all of us there is plenty of it to burn. Yes, even those that have a very low body fat percentage. Whereas, carbohydrates burn quickly, and if you are not keeping up with the burn rate, you will bonk.

You can train your body to more effectively transfer to fat burning. For more on this read my post titled "Let the Tank Hit Empty". However, you can also do this through pre-race day diet. A 2012 study out of Tokyo had athletes undergo 60-90 minutes of cycling two consecutive days. Immediately following each session, one group ate a "normal" diet, consisting of 30% fats, while the other ingested a high amount of fats (56%). Then, on the third day, the athletes cycled at 65% VO2max to exhaustion (simulating a race). The researchers found that the group that ate high amounts of fat showed enhanced fat metabolism and carbohydrate oxidation sparing. Meaning, they burned more fats and less carbohydrates, which is ideal for long races.

What can we take from this?

In the few days leading up to a long race (Ironman, 70.3, marathon), ingest high amounts of healthy fats (such as avocados) as part of your recovery meals following light tapered work outs.