Red Paddle Co's Guide To SUP Racing Nutrition

You can read plenty of information about what paddle boards to choose or the various techniques that you can use in SUP racing, but one of the more overlooked yet nonetheless essential elements is your nutrition. Proper race nutrition prepares your body with all of the fuel that it needs before, during and after a race to allow you to perform at your absolute best. Here are our nutritional tips curated specifically for SUP racing.

Getting Yourself Prepared Before SUP Racing

Preparing yourself for SUP racing from a nutritional standpoint means that you’ll have to carefully manage your intake in the days leading up to the event. Smart carb loading 1-2 days leading up to the event with complex carbohydrates such as rice, oats and potatoes will give you plenty of slow-releasing energy to make use of while SUP racing. Stay well-hydrated with plenty of water with electrolytes. Avoid over-drinking plain water, as this has a habit of diluting the sodium levels in your system.

On race day, have a balanced meal around 2-3 hours before the event, with good amounts of protein and carbohydrates. This should be something low in fat and easy to digest, like porridge and fruit, or eggs and rice. Get yourself a top-up snack 45 minutes ahead of the race as well to keep your glycogen levels up. 

Keeping Nutrition Up During A Race

During the race itself, having a hydration pack with you is key. Sipping water every 10-15 minutes is recommended, and it's even better if your water contains electrolytes. This will help you to keep up your energy levels throughout the race.

You’ll also want to have some form of carbs available throughout the race for the same reason. This can come in a wide variety of forms, including sports gels or chews, drink mixes or even small bites of proper food. You’ll want to aim to intake somewhere between 30-60g of carbohydrates every hour to keep yourself optimally energised throughout the SUP racing event.

Recovery Nutrition After SUP Racing

Once you’re finished paddle board racing for the day, you’ll want to see to getting yourself a meal shortly afterwards. Give yourself half an hour to an hour before you do this. A mix of fast carbs and protein replenishes your glycogen and boosts muscle repair, so meals like chicken and rice or smoothies with fruit and protein powder are excellent choices here. Foods rich in omega-3, such as walnuts or salmon, are great for helping with muscle soreness as well, so grab some of these if you can. Other than that, SUP racing will cause you to sweat out fluids and electrolytes, so be sure to rehydrate yourself with a recovery drink.

Extra Tips

Some final tips include:

• Train your gut for SUP racing - You can help your digestive system adapt to taking in carbs and fluids on the go through plenty of practice. Many athletes, including cyclists and endurance runners, often include this in their training.
• Keep things simple during the race - You need to be able to focus all of your attention on the race, so don’t overcomplicate things with complex gear. Easy-to-open gels and soft drinks bottles are the way to go.
• Adjust nutrition for the weather - Water and electrolyte intake becomes even more essential in hot weather, as an increase in sweat means you’re going to lose vital fluids and minerals even faster. Adjust your intake to accommodate.
• Caffeine can help in the right amounts - Some people find that small amounts of caffeine can help them to increase their focus and endurance. This doesn’t work for everyone, but give it a try yourself and see if it can help you with your own paddle board racing.

Did you find these key race nutrition tips helpful? For assistance with getting yourself equipped for SUP racing, you should get in contact with the Red team. Our experts are highly knowledgeable and will be more than happy to help you get yourself set up with top-quality gear.