When you are preparing for the Long Course Weekend, your nutrition strategy can be just as important as your training plan. The key is targeted nutrition that supports endurance, recovery, and performance at every stage of the race weekend.
Elite athletes often rely on nutritionists and personal chefs to ensure they receive the right fuel at the right time—but what can recreational athletes do to perform at their best?
To help answer that question, we’ve worked with Dr. Emily Jevons, a Registered Nutritionist for Team Picnic PostNL, the elite cycling team, to share practical strategies for fueling before, during, and after endurance events. As the Official Nutrition Sponsor of the upcoming dsm-firmenich Long Course Weekend in Maastricht, The Netherlands, we’re excited to support participants both on and off the course.
Whether you are planning to run, swim, cycle—or take on all three—a strong nutrition strategy can help you maintain energy, support recovery, and perform at your best throughout the weekend. Here’s how to fuel like a pro.
PRE-RACE NUTRITION
Do you need to carb-load?
Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source during high-intensity exercise because they are easily converted into glucose, providing fast and efficient energy for your muscles. While the body also uses fats for fuel, glycogen (the stored form of carbohydrates) is particularly important for intense endurance efforts like running, cycling, and swimming.
The challenge is that there’s a limit to how much muscle glycogen your body can store. To maximize glycogen stores, endurance athletes often use carb loading as a dietary strategy to help sustain performance and prevent fatigue.
You should consider carb-loading if your event will last longer than 90 minutes. For shorter events, your body will typically have enough stored glycogen to support performance without additional loading.
How do you carb-load?
Start 24 to 48 hours before race day. At this stage, your training plan should already include a taper, reducing the intensity and volume of exercise. This helps your body store glycogen rather than continually using it for training demands.
Aim to consume 8-12 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day. For a person weighing 75 kilograms (165 pounds), that equals approximately 600 to 900 grams of carbohydrates per day.
Focus on simple, easy-to-digest carbohydrates and reduce fiber intake to prevent gastrointestinal discomfort on race day. Good options include oatmeal, bananas, sweet potatoes, white bread, white rice, and pasta. Sports drinks like the up4™ Isotonic Energy Drink, juice, and chocolate milk can also be useful choices when you need quick, convenient sources of carbohydrates.
RACE DAY NUTRITION
How to fuel optimally on race day
Race day nutrition starts first thing in the morning. Even if you have a nervous stomach, it is important to top up glycogen stores and maintain good hydration levels throughout the morning. Your pre-race meal should be eaten 2-4 hours before the race, giving your body enough time to digest. Aim for 1-3 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight in this meal. Good options include oatmeal with honey and banana, or white toast with jam.
In the hours before the race, continue sipping on water and electrolytes, aiming for approximately 7 mL of fluid per kilogram of body weight. For a person weighing 75 kilograms, that equals roughly 500 mL of fluids before the race. Around 30–60 minutes before the start, aim to consume one final snack which contains 30–60 grams of carbohydrates to top up glycogen stores. The up4™ Date and Oat Energy Bar can provide a convenient source of pre-race fuel.
During the race
Fueling during a race depends on the duration and intensity of the event. Are you running a 5K or a marathon? Are you cycling at maximum intensity or pacing yourself over a longer distance? Your fueling strategy should match the demands of your event.
As a general rule, athletes completing endurance events lasting longer than 90 minutes should aim to consume around 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour of activity. That is equal to approximately two up4™ energy gels per hour. The convenient format of energy gels and isotonic drinks makes it easy to bring your fuel with you on the course.
POST-RACE RECOVERY
Not done yet: Recover and reset
Recovery is always important for athletes, but it becomes even more critical during a multi-day event like the Long Course Weekend. Without proper rest and refueling, glycogen stores become depleted, muscle damage accumulates, and the risk of fatigue and injury increases as athletes compete across multiple events.
It’s common for athletes to experience suppressed hunger after intense exercise. However, it’s still important to refuel soon after finishing. Don’t wait until you feel hungry. Aim to consume your first recovery meal containing carbohydrates, protein, and fat within 30 minutes of crossing the finish line. Options like an up4™ Super Protein recovery shake, a banana with chocolate milk, or any easily tolerated snack can help kickstart recovery.
Keep nutrition needs in mind throughout the day
Within 1-3 hours of the event, you should consume a high-carb meal with lean protein to continue replenishing energy stores and support muscle recovery. Good choices include pasta with chicken and veggies, or rice with your preferred protein choice. It’s also important to plan ahead, considering what meal options will be available near the finish line or what foods you can safely bring with you. Throughout the rest of the day, try to maintain a regular eating schedule with meals and snacks every 2–3 hours.
The bottom line
Nutrition is an important part of every athlete’s race strategy. Pre- and post-race nutrition are just as important as fueling during the event itself. What you eat and drink before, during, and after competition can have a major impact on both performance and recovery throughout the weekend.
Most importantly, remember that nutrition is highly individual. Create a fueling strategy that matches your goals, preferences, and the demands of your event.
We wish all participants in the dsm-firmenich Long Course Weekend in Maastricht a successful race weekend, and we look forward to seeing you on the course. Be sure to stop by our up4™ tent for exclusive offers, products, and advice.
up4™ is a trademark of the dsm-firmenich Group.
