Recovery is an important factor in endurance races, especially in back-to-back events. I have a few thoughts on the best practices for maximizing subsequent performance. By no means comprehensive, these are just a few principles that I try to follow. Recovery begins immediately after an exercise event and the following concepts are a few of[…]
Hydration status of an athlete is a critical component to performance and a commonly discussed factor among physiologists. Equally important, electrolyte balance can greatly affect health and performance if not considered. Electrolytes in the body regulate fluid balance, blood acidity, and allow muscle and nerve activity through maintenance of a precise concentration gradient. An endurance[…]
Without proper fuel, a ski tour can turn into a day of unnecessary suffering. My previous post covered some basic concepts for fueling. This post compares some of the different options for fast energy on the skin track. See the full gallery on Posterous Nick fueling up during a break from skiing pillow lines on[…]
Nutrition strategies during a Speed Traverse or Skimo Race. I wanted to detemine the optimal fueling strategy for an upcoming attempt at a fast – in a day – speed ski traverse. This is an approximately 4-6 hour effort with significant time spent climbing. Saturday’s attempt at the Garibaldi Neve is a good example of pace for[…]