A Professional Athlete on Traveling and Nutrition.
While on the road between races, nutrition and recovery are paramount, especially when living and training abroad with differing food options and foreign stressors on the body. It’s important to keep as many variables consistent in your routine as possible, as well as adapting to what the new environment presents. Furthermore, prior to your travel, it’s important to have a nutrition and supplement plan in place before take-off. That way race-week and the period of time between back-to-back races are accounted for in terms of daily vitamins and minerals, as well as general snack options and meal ideas.
In this week’s blog, I’ll discuss my nutrition and supplement plan that I’m following during my 3-week trip to South Korea and Japan for some late-season World Cup races in the sport of triathlon. As previously mentioned, I’ve been on a comeback campaign from a navicular stress fracture that had me sidelined for the majority of the year. Fortunately, I’ve healed enough and — along with my support team — have created an injury management plan in order to maximize performance in some of the late-season races on the International Triathlon Union circuit.
Before departure, I contacted my nutritionist to check-in on any last-minute items I may have forgotten to pack in the food and supplement department. We went over the main necessities (protein powder, vitamin C, iron, calcium, etc.) all the way to: “bring a bottle of hot sauce so you don’t get bored with your food” reminders. After our conversation, I had some homework to do:
1. Count out the days and nights to pack as many vitamins and snack items needed for that duration of time. This helps optimize travel weight allowances.
2. Research local grocery stores and restaurants near the race site hotel in order to have an idea of what will be available upon arrival. This helps minimize surprises.
3. Once onsite, prepare to invest in a hot water kettle, hot plate or toaster in order to maintain the conveniences of home while abroad. This puts you in control of your nutritional options and timing.
Yes, I checked a spare suitcase full of snacks (applesauce, granola, peanut butter, nuts, dried fruits) and sport-specific nutrition items (gels, bars), along with vital supplements like E-Lyte Sport & PC, in order to maintain electrolyte levels and bolster cellular regeneration after the wear and tear of racing, training and general travel-life abroad. Yes, I bought a multi-pot boiler and toaster with my teammate for our make-shift kitchenette here at our training camp between the races in Tongyeong and Miyazaki. This nutritional preparation along with the quality BodyBio supplements in tow are helping keep me healthy, balanced and fueled.
The deliberate practice described above might sound sport-specific; however, it crosses over to a wide range of individuals. From the international business person with an important meeting half-way around the world to the new mom simultaneously traveling and breastfeeding, the planning and prep described above help keep the body in form for optimal performance.
