Sports Nutrition and Hydration
Domain 8: Sports Nutrition and Hydration tests fueling before, during, and after training and racing. The exam expects practical carbohydrate, fluid, and sodium guidance, plus gut-training and race-day logistics.
Core rules and concepts
- Daily carbohydrate needs rise with training load: roughly 3–5 g/kg for light training, 6–10 g/kg for endurance training, and up to 12 g/kg for heavy load.
- During exercise, target 30–60 g carbohydrate per hour for shorter events and up to 90 g/hour with multiple transportable carbohydrates such as glucose plus fructose.
- Fluid intake is individual: often 400–800 ml/hour, adjusted for sweat rate, heat, and duration. Sodium around 300–600 mg/hour may help salty sweaters.
- Protein needs are about 1.2–2.0 g/kg/day, with 20–30 g after key sessions.
- Practice race fueling and nothing new on race day.
Worked example
A 70 kg athlete targets 70 g carbohydrate per hour. A gel has 25 g; a 500 ml sports drink has 30 g. One gel plus one bottle gives 55 g; add half a banana at about 15 g to reach 70 g. The reasoning: match intake to gut tolerance and event duration, not to label claims.
Traps that cost marks
Overhydrating with plain water; a high-fiber race breakfast; relying on aid stations without a plan; ignoring sodium; trying new foods on race day.
Key points
- Daily carbs scale with training load.
- Target 30–60 g/hour; up to 90 g/hour with multiple carbs.
- Fluid needs are individual, often 400–800 ml/hour.
- Protein 1.2–2.0 g/kg/day supports recovery.
- Practice race fueling; nothing new on race day.