If your stomach always seems to betray you on race day, your gel might not actually be the problem.
GI issues can come from how hard you're racing, what you ate the day before, dehydration, caffeine, nerves, travel, hormones, or even how you're carrying your fuel. In this episode, we’re breaking down the surprisingly long list of things that can send your gut sideways—and what you can do before race day to lower the odds of an emergency porta-potty stop.
In this episode, Hanna, Mary, and I dig into why athletes experience nausea, reflux, cramping, loose stools, and other GI problems during endurance events and how we troubleshoot them with our athletes. We talk about everything from pre-race nerves and racing harder than you train to carb loading, fiber, caffeine, hydration, travel, hormones, and underlying physiological issues.
Most importantly, we explain why there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Your best defense is practicing your strategy, paying attention to patterns, and creating a race-day plan that works for your gut.
What You'll Learn
Why your race pace—not your sports nutrition—might be behind your GI issues
How nerves and adrenaline can completely change your appetite and ability to tolerate food
Why B and C races—or full race-day simulations—can expose fueling problems before your A race
How to practice fueling during hard efforts instead of always taking nutrition during recovery periods
Why carb loading can backfire when fiber, fat, or fructose gets too high
The surprisingly important connection between coffee, caffeine, and your pre-race bathroom schedule
Why dehydration can wreak havoc on your gut during longer endurance events
How travel, time zones, late race starts, and disrupted routines can change your digestion
Why blindly copying a pro athlete’s caffeine or electrolyte strategy can be a recipe for trouble
When persistent GI problems may have nothing to do with nutrition—and when it’s time to involve your healthcare team
Resources Mentioned
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This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actually works for their training, lifestyle, and goals.
You can learn more at alexlarsonnutrition.com.
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