@everyone 𝗛𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀—O𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗹𝘂𝗶𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝘆𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀
Proper hydration is a cornerstone of endurance performance. Balancing fluid and electrolyte intake before, during, and after exercise ensures optimal physiological function and prevents performance decline.​

𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗛𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Begin hydrating well before your workout. Consume approximately 500 ml of electrolyte-rich fluids per hour in the 2–3 hours leading up to your session. This practice helps establish a fluid reserve and maintains electrolyte balance.

𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲
Monitor your sweat rate and environmental conditions to determine fluid needs. Incorporate electrolyte beverages containing sodium, potassium, and other essential minerals to replace losses through sweat and support muscle function.

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗵𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
After training, aim to replenish fluids lost by drinking 1.5 times the amount of weight lost during exercise. Including electrolytes in your post-exercise hydration aids in quicker recovery and restores balance.

𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀
Overhydration can be as detrimental as dehydration, potentially leading to hyponatremia. Listen to your body's signals, and adjust intake based on thirst, urine color, and volume.

@everyone 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲—M𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗵𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻
Often in the “off season I’ll see and hear that” endurance athletes grapple with the challenge of sustaining energy during prolonged training sessions. This can be due to temperature changes and being less diligent in our preparation. Our approach to the off-season is just as important to build a pivotal strategy to combat fatigue and maintain performance by optimising carbohydrate intake.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗵𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿
Carbohydrates are the body's primary energy source during endurance activities. Consuming adequate carbohydrates helps maintain blood glucose levels and delays the onset of fatigue. For training and events lasting longer than an hour, it's recommended to ingest:​

30–60 grams of carbohydrates per hour for activities up to 3 hours.​
60–90+ grams per hour for sessions exceeding 3 hours, especially when using multiple carbohydrate sources like glucose and fructose to enhance absorption.

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀
Incorporate a mix of carbohydrate sources such as energy gels, sports drinks, and carbohydrate-rich snacks. Testing these during training helps identify what works best for your body, minimising gastrointestinal discomfort on race day.

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆
After intense sessions, replenishing glycogen stores is crucial. Aim to consume 1.0–1.2 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per hour for the first 4 hours post-exercise to optimise recovery.

𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻
Individual needs vary based on factors like body weight, training intensity, and environmental conditions. Working with a sports nutritionist can help tailor a carbohydrate strategy that suits your specific requirements, alongside documenting your nutritional intake before including the timing of the nutrition, during your training and post-workout. These notes can be very useful for reflection and insights into your performances in training to help your racing results.

Sweat Test Calculator

I've had some good conversations recently with a few people regarding hydration and sodium target goals for their events. It's hard to know for certain the exact numbers but you can start to build a better understanding of what you should be doing by completing a Sweat Test. As the temperatures for our training sessions continue to get hotter this gets more and more important.

" The body is approximately 60% water. Studies have shown that just a small amount of dehydration can have negative effects on athletic performance and may predispose them to heat illnesses. Dehydration occurs when fluid loss (via sweat, urine and through respiration) is greater than fluid intake (via drinking and food).

Sweat rate calculations determine how much fluid an athlete should consume during a training session by calculating the amount of fluid that is expelled through sweat during exercise. Sweat rate is specific to the discipline being tested, so athletes should conduct this test for swimming, biking and running. "

IMO: Swimming - while it's useful to understand this, we can't rehydrate during swims, it helps us to understand what we might have to add into our ride to start rehydration earlier!