Athletic Performance, Training & Race Day Fuel

Common signs include fatigue, poor recovery, plateaued performance, digestive issues, recurrent injuries, low mood, and in women, irregular menstrual cycles. As sport dietitians specializing in Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), we assess your intake in relation to your training load to identify gaps and build a structured fueling plan for both training and race days. We also collaborate with your physician to recommend appropriate lab work and referrals when needed.

We recommend a carbohydrate-focused meal or snack 1–2 hours before most workouts and races. What works best depends on the timing, intensity, and duration of your session, as well as your individual tolerance. We provide clear, personalized guidelines and test them in training so your race-day fueling feels predictable and confident.

Gastrointestinal issues during races often result from a combination of dehydration and poorly tolerated fuels, such as high-concentration sugar gels during prolonged endurance exercise. It’s important to time your hydration and fueling consistently every 15–20 minutes from the start. to stay ahead of dehydration and support digestion.

We also use “gut training” strategies to gradually improve your tolerance to fluids and fuel during exercise, helping to reduce symptoms and improve race-day comfort.

Muscle recovery is often impacted by having a recovery snack with enough carbohydrates and protein immediately after every training session. If your legs are heavy and tired going into a workout, it is often because you did not eat quickly enough after your last workout. We give you a plan that prioritizes recovery snacks, so your muscles recover quickly and stay energized after back to back training.

Carbohydrate needs vary widely—from about 30 g per hour up to 120 g per hour—depending on the duration and intensity of your activity. We calculate your specific needs for each training session and race based on your body weight, effort, and goals.

We also help you choose and test the right food and fuel options, so your carbohydrate strategy works seamlessly in both training and competition.

Sports nutrition products can be helpful for exercise lasting longer than an hour, but they’re not always essential. Many athletes can also use whole-food alternatives. We help you choose, test, and refine the fueling strategy that works best for your body and your training.

We structure your nutrition differently for single training days, double training days, and game or race days—ensuring your fueling matches your workload. This includes adjusting your meal timing, carbohydrate intake, and recovery nutrition so you are properly fueled, recovered, and ready to perform – no matter the schedule.

Bowel urgency early in a run is often linked to underlying constipation, which can increase bowel sensitivity during exercise. Bowel urgency hours into in a long runs may be related to dehydration or intolerance to certain fuels, such as gels. Your sport dietitian will assess your specific triggers and develop an individualized plan to resolve symptoms and improve comfort and confidence during training runs and races.