Nutrition plan for triathlon

When it comes to triathlon training, you need grit, determination, and the metabolism to push through with the multi-sport race. A helpful factor in preparing yourself is to have the right approach in regards to diet. Bob Seebohar, who is a renowned sports dietitian for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Triathlon team, has developed his own cutting-edge approach. Keeping in line with his Metabolic Efficiency Training philosophy, he based his nutrient timing system for UCAN using the experiences he gained from people he worked with.

ENERGY THAT LAST

UCAN delivers a steady flow of energy to help you avoid the dreaded bonk!

NO SPIKES, NO CRACH

Avoid the highs and lows of sugar-based fuels with our slow-releasing SuperStarch®!

EASY

Fuel with UCAN 30 min before your workout rather than sipping on it slowly like a traditional sports drink.

NO HEAVY FEELING

Do you have trouble fueling before or during your training? SuperStarch® exits the stomach quickly and gives you steady energy without the heavy feeling.

What is UCAN, and how can it help with triathlon nutrition?

UCAN products contain SuperStarch®, carbohydrate provides a different energy source compared to other sugar-based fuel sources. What makes it unique is that it provides you with long-lasting energy by the slow release of complex carbohydrates. That’s why it has its own fueling protocol depending on the type of triathlon training you will have.

Here are brief guides to help you with your fueling strategies for each triathlon distances:

Different triathlon, different nutrition plan

Half Ironman Triathlon

Steps you should follow:

Before the start of the race, you may eat a balanced breakfast, then depending on what is best for you as an athlete, you can choose the following fueling intake:

- Consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy 30-45 minutes before the race.
- Consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy + Protein or a UCAN Energy Bar 2 hours before the race and 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy 30-45 minutes before the race.
- Consume 2 servings of UCAN Performance Energy or UCAN Performance Energy + Protein 60-90 minutes before the race.

During the race, for the finish time of 4-5 hours, you need to consume:

- 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy beginning at 15-30 minutes on the bike and an additional serving of UCAN every 75-90 minutes on the bike.
- On the one hand, while 20-30 minutes into the run, you need to consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy in 8-12 oz. of water or in paste format with 2-3 ounces of water.

For the finish Time of 5 or more hours, you need to consume:

- 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy beginning at 15-30 minutes on the bike and consume an additional serving of UCAN every 60-90 minutes on the bike. Remember to time your final serving as close to the end of the bike as possible.
- On the one hand, every 60-90 minutes during the run, you need to consume 1 packet of UCAN Performance Energy with 8-12 oz. of water or in paste format with 2-3 ounces of water.

Upon finishing the triathlon race or workout, you can then enjoy 1 serving UCAN Performance Energy + Protein in the first 30-60 minutes.

Ironman Triathlon

Steps you should follow:

Before the start of the race, you may eat a balanced breakfast, then depending on what is best for you as an athlete, you can choose the following fueling intake:

- Consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy 30-45 minutes before the race.
- Consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy + Protein or a UCAN Energy Bar 2 hours before the race and 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy 30-45 minutes before the race.
- Consume 2 servings of UCAN Performance Energy or UCAN Performance Energy + Protein 60-90 minutes before the race.

During the race, you need to consume:

- 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy beginning at 15 minutes on the bike and consume an additional serving of UCAN every 60-90 minutes on the bike. Remember to time your final serving as close to the end of the bike as possible. On the one hand, every 60-90 minutes during the run, you need to consume 1 serving of UCAN with 8-12 oz. of water or in paste format with 2-3 ounces of water.

Upon finishing the triathlon race or workout, you can then enjoy 1 serving UCAN Performance Energy + Protein in the first 30-60 minutes.

Sprint Triathlon

Steps you should follow:

Before the start of the race, you may eat a balanced breakfast, then depending on what is best for you as an athlete, you can choose the following fueling intake:

Consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy 30-45 minutes before the race.
Consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy + Protein or a UCAN Energy Bar 2 hours before the race and 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy 30-45 minutes before the race.
Consume 2 servings of UCAN Performance Energy or UCAN Performance Energy + Protein 60-90 minutes before the race.

During the race, for the finish time of 1-2 hours, you won’t need a calorie intake while for the finish time of 2-3 hours, you need to consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy beginning at 15 minutes on the bike.
Upon finishing the triathlon race or workout, you can then enjoy 1 serving UCAN Performance Energy + Protein in the first 30-60 minutes.

Olympic Triathlon

Steps you should follow:

Before the start of the race, you may eat a balanced breakfast, then depending on what is best for you as an athlete, you can choose the following fueling intake:

Consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy 30-45 minutes before the race.
Consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy + Protein or a UCAN Energy Bar 2 hours before the race and 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy 30-45 minutes before the race.
Consume 2 servings of UCAN Performance Energy or UCAN Performance Energy + Protein 60-90 minutes before the race.

During the race, for the finish time of 2-3 hours, you need to consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy beginning at 30 minutes on the bike. While this might be optional, you can consume 1/2 to 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy in 6-12 oz. of water or in a paste format mixed with 2-3 ounces of water at 15 minutes into the run.

For a finish time of 3 or more hours, you need to consume 1 serving of UCAN Performance Energy beginning at 15-30 minutes on the bike and consume another serving beginning at 90 minutes on the bike or as close to the end of the bike as possible to carry you through the run. While this might be optional, you can consume 1/2 to 1 serving of UCAN in 6-12 oz. of water or in a paste format mixed with 2-3 ounces of water at 20-30 minutes into the run.

Upon finishing the triathlon race or workout, you can then enjoy 1 serving UCAN Performance Energy + Protein in the first 30-60 minutes.

How UCAN helped Tim O’Donnell to finish 2nd on IRONMAN Kona?

Tim O’Donnell just made history at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, being the first American to break 8 hours at this challenging race. Tim went on to place 2nd, his highest finish ever, and his first year using UCAN!

Tune in for a LIVE episode of The UCAN Show with TO to hear how the race played out, how he overcame a broken foot, and how UCAN helped him achieve his best.

TRIATHLON TIPS FROM THE BEST

Triathlon Taren shares his experience with UCAN SuperStarch at Challenge Roth Triathlon and how it helped fuel him to a 9 hour 41 minute finish.

We chat with Ironman Champion Matt Bach about how to get the most out of UCAN for triathlon training and racing.