Eat to Win: The Game-Changing Fuel Strategy for Your Fastest Long DIstance Ever!

The start of a new year often sparks resolutions focused on improvement; for many, weight loss is at the top of the list. It’s easy to assume that shedding a few pounds will enhance performance; for some, this is an appropriate focus.

However, for others, especially when it comes to endurance sports, there may be other goals that offer more significant performance benefits.  As coaches, we highlight resolutions supporting an athlete’s overall health, endurance capacity, strength, and recovery. Here, I have outlined some solutions to help athletes achieve just that.

1. Sleep

Sleep is one of the most critical components of health. While many athletes may focus on training volume, struggling to increase the hours of training, most would benefit from simply increasing their hours of sleep each night. Sleep is often overlooked despite its profound impact on recovery, mental focus, and athletic performance. During deep sleep, the body undergoes a crucial restorative period, with increased emphasis on muscle repair and memory consolidation. Without enough quality sleep, athletes can experience reduced reaction time, delayed recovery, increased risk of injury, and impaired cognitive function.

Commit to getting at least eight hours of quality sleep every night. Athletes should set a regular bedtime and wake-up time and prioritise sleep hygiene by limiting screen exposure, keeping the bedroom cool and dark, and avoiding caffeine late in the day.

2. Hydration

Undoubtedly, hydration is essential for endurance athletes, and each season offers unique challenges when it comes to hydration. In the northern hemisphere, it’s the middle of winter, making it easy to forget to hydrate and fall behind on beverage consumption. Meanwhile, temperatures are soaring in Australia, where hot and humid weather results in higher sweat loss during exercise, increasing fluid needs to meet demands.

Dehydration can impair both strength and endurance performance. A drop in hydration of just 2-2.5% body weight can lead to a noticeable decrease in performance, increasing cardiac output, reducing the ability to regulate body temperature, slowing recovery, and increasing the risk of cramping during exercise.

Make it a goal to drink enough fluids throughout the day, not just during workouts. Carry a water bottle with you and include a beverage with meals and snacks. Hydrate appropriately during training. Fuelin makes dialling in your hydration needs simple, allowing you to hydrate confidently during your workouts.

3. Strength Training

Endurance athletes often underestimate strength training, but it’s essential for injury prevention and long-term performance. Building strength can improve running economy, correct muscle imbalances, and increase power, resulting in faster race splits. Furthermore, a resilient body can handle the repetitive nature of endurance training without breaking down, reducing the likelihood of injuries derailing your season.

Commit to a simple strength training routine. It should be tailored to your current fitness goals and planned accordingly. It doesn’t need to be complicated to be effective.  Aim for consistent strength sessions each week, even if only a few minutes of preparation daily. 

4. Diversify Diet

It’s easy for athletes to fall into a monotonous eating routine. Simple meals are great, but eating the same thing daily may limit exposure to beneficial nutrients. Trying new foods can introduce diverse vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to enhance endurance, reduce inflammation, and improve recovery. For example, adding new fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein foods can provide beneficial phytochemicals that help reduce oxidative stress and support immune function. Not only does eating a variety of foods support physical performance, but it can also be a fun way to explore new tastes and cuisines.

Incorporate one new food or ingredient into your diet every week. Try adding different vegetables to your meals, experimenting with grains like barley or farro, or incorporating a new source of protein such as tempeh or salmon. Our Fuelin recipe portal has many options to help athletes meet their needs, and the recipes suggested to athletes are similar to their meal targets, making it easy to fuel their day.

5. Pre- and Post-Workout

What you eat before and after a workout can significantly impact your performance and recovery. Pre-workout fuel provides the energy necessary to train hard, while post-workout nutrition is key to kickstart recovery.

Pre-workout meals should focus on carbohydrates to ensure sustained energy levels. After a workout, you should replenish glycogen stores with carbohydrates and repair muscle tissue with protein. Nailing post-workout nutrition is key for muscle repair, glycogen replenishment, and reducing recovery times, so you’re ready to train again sooner.

With Fuelin, we make it easy to nail your nutrition. Simply follow the Fuelin recommendations for pre and post-training! The food choices are up to you, but we recommend keeping it simple by choosing options with limited fibre before the workout starts and not skimping on the post-workout refuel. Athletes who nail these details see huge benefits without putting on more training hours.

6. Micronutrient Deficiencies

While macronutrients like protein, fats, and carbs receive the most attention, micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, play a necessary role in supporting our health and performance. If athletes become deficient, these deficiencies can lead to fatigue, delayed recovery, or even increase the risk of bone stress injury.

Addressing and fixing micronutrient deficiencies can improve overall athletic health, reduce the risk of injuries, and help athletes achieve consistent improvement. Micronutrient needs can vary based on factors like training intensity, diet, and individual physiology, so testing and addressing any imbalances is essential. Common micronutrients of concern for athletes include iron, magnesium, and Vitamin D, so it’s vital to ask for these tests in addition to your regular blood labs.

Athletes can book consults with Fuelin coaches to discuss their results. Food is fuel, and it should also be the first strategy utilised to fix micronutrient issues. However, there are some cases where supplementation may be recommended, but only after discussing it with a healthcare professional

7. Creatine

Are you looking for a sports supplement to try? Creatine may be an athlete’s best choice. Creatine is frequently associated with strength and power sports rather than endurance training. However, recent research suggests that creatine supplementation can also benefit endurance, improve performance in high-intensity efforts, and aid recovery.

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in small amounts in foods like red meat and fish, and it's stored in muscles to provide energy during short bursts of activity. In endurance sports, especially those that include sprinting, hill climbs, or other intermittent high-intensity efforts, creatine can help replenish your muscles’ energy stores more quickly. This means you can maintain a higher power output during sprints or repeated efforts, improving your performance in certain key moments during a race or workout.

Additionally, creatine has been shown to reduce muscle damage, positively affect brain health, lower inflammation, and enhance recovery, all essential for endurance athletes engaging in back-to-back training days or long-duration events.

Consider adding it to your routine this year. Current recommendations suggest consuming 3-5 grams per day. Creatine can be taken at any time of day, but many athletes prefer to consume it post-workout alongside carbohydrates. If you’re concerned about possible weight gain (a possible side effect), remember that the initial weight increase from creatine is typically water retention in the muscles, not fat, which usually levels off after a few weeks.

Conclusion

As you enter the new year, consider choosing goals that result in incredible benefits. Prioritise sleep and recovery. Nail your daily hydration. Build a strong foundation with strength training, or try new foods to expand your diet variety. Address micronutrient deficiencies and perfect your pre-and post-workout nutrition. Incorporating creatine into your routine. No matter your goals, here at Fuelin, we're ready to support you through it all. By focusing on these details, you’ll develop a well-rounded approach to training that helps you perform at your peak while maintaining overall health. The result? Better endurance, improved race times, reduced injury risk, and a greater sense of balance in your athletic life. Happy New Year, and here’s to reaching new personal bests!

Megan