Competition nutrition
We plan your taper week, carb-loading, pre-start meal and in-race strategy. No surprises on the start line.
In short
What is competition nutrition?
Competition nutrition is about having a plan for the days before, the morning of, and the strategy during the competition itself.
The goal is fully loaded stores, a settled stomach and fuel that keeps you going.
Rule number one: never try anything new on race day.
Does this sound familiar?
This might sound like your situation
Nerves, unfamiliar food, travel and varying start times often make race day the hardest day to eat well on.
- You're unsure what to eat the day before
- Nerves stop you eating before the start
- You've had stomach trouble in competition before
- Travel and time zones disrupt your meals
- You want a plan you've tested in training
SmartEating recommends
What makes the biggest difference?
These are the elements worth rehearsing well before race day itself.
Carbohydrate loading
Increase intake 3–4 days before long events to fill glycogen stores.
Pre-start meal
Familiar, easy-to-digest food 2–3 hours before the start.
In-race fuelling rate
Practise your grams of carbohydrate per hour in training first.
Gut tolerance
Train your stomach to handle race-day food and drink in advance.
Fluid and electrolytes
Plan intake around distance, heat and your own sweat rate.
When should you get help?
For long or important competitions, an individual plan is worth the investment.
- For longer runs/rides (>2 hours)
- For repeated stomach trouble during competition
- For competing in a weight class
- For travel to hot or high-altitude terrain
- For a coexisting chronic illness
A sports medicine assessment for repeated stomach trouble.
Common questions
What people ask us most often.
How much carb loading is necessary?
It depends on distance and you — we tailor it.
Personal nutrition
No one with competition nutrition is exactly the same
Age, everyday life, activity level, other diagnoses and what you actually like to eat determine what works for you.
That's why people with the same starting point need different advice. SmartEating AI learns your situation over time and tailors suggestions to your body, goals and daily life.
- You're unsure what to eat the day before
- Nerves stop you eating before the start
- You've had stomach trouble in competition before
- Travel and time zones disrupt your meals
- You want a plan you've tested in training
SmartEating builds race week and race day into your plan.
We test your fuelling well ahead of the start.
A dietitian can create strategies for specific races and distances.
READ MORE
The knowledge behind the advice
Protein
Protein is the building block of muscles, skin, enzymes and hormones, and one of the nutrients that gives the most satiety. Most people get enough protein through a varied diet, but needs can shift with age, activity level and life stage.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the body's main energy source and are found in everything from fruit and vegetables to bread, pasta and sugar. The quality of the carbohydrate source matters far more for health than the amount alone.
Recovery
Good recovery is about giving your body time and nutrition to repair and rebuild after exertion. It's just as important a part of training and everyday life as the activity itself.
Assessment
A digital form before the session so the specialist knows your situation.
Kick-off conversation
60 minutes online or at a partner clinic.
Personal plan
A concrete plan in SmartEating — food, structure and goals tailored to you.
Ready to get help with competition nutrition?
We'll connect you with a licensed clinical dietitian who understands your situation.
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