The following nutrition guide was written by Yuri Hauswald, Community Development Manager for GU Energy Labs. Riding for Team iRide, Yuri and teammate Andrew Young won the Masters Male 40+ Category and finished a very respectable 9th place team overall.
At GU Energy Labs our goal is to create the highest quality nutrition products to fuel your personal best during adventures like the one you’re about to begin—an epic, and physically taxing, seven day journey through the Southern Alps of New Zealand. In seven days you will push your body to its limits, but that’s where our nutritional knowledge, and products, can help fuel your best performance.
A nutrition plan for a race like The Pioneer can take many forms and use many different products (liquids, gels, solids, and capsules). The idea is to experiment until you find a nutrition plan that fits your needs. You get the idea…the better prepared you are nutritionally, the better your body will perform and the more fun you’ll have.
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Try to consume anywhere from 200 to 250 calories per hour, in liquid, gel, or solid.
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Drink at least one 21 oz (620ml) bottle per hour, and 1.5 to 2 bottles if it’s over 26 degrees (if you’re a heavy sweater, you need to consume more fluids). Highly suggested to ride with a CamelBak so that you can have hands free hydration.
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If you are prone to cramping, and it’s going to be hot, begin by taking two Roctane Electrolyte Capsules and carry some with you.
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Take a GU or Roctane gel 5 to 10 min. before the start of each stage and continue on an every 20 to 30 min routine, depending on the intensity of the effort(s) and the duration.
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Within 30 minutes of finishing, be sure to consume Chocolate Smoothie Recovery Brew, or something that has protein, so that your muscles can begin to repair themselves. You will also want to eat lunch as well.
Most importantly of all, listen to your body’s cravings. You will be operating at a caloric deficit the whole week, so don’t skimp on eating. Make sure you have snacks, preferably salty snacks, so that when you do get hungry in between lunch, dinner or after, you can snack. Feed your engine. You can have all the fitness in the world, but if you don’t fuel properly, you won’t perform to the best of your abilities. Fuel to perform.
Entries for the 2017 Pioneer MTB Stage Race are now open.