Race Nutrition Strategies: in tune with your body

My racing season has not officially started yet as my rehab plan is still on, but I do train a bit and I do have to complete some key races in order to monitor my rehab progress and get the green light for the start of the season.

One of those races was the 2014 Duathlon Regional Championships last Saturday. I got into the race day feeling great. I had been running totally pain free (from my abdominal/psoas pain) the past two weeks and my goal for the race was to enjoy a fast pace without having to suffer any side-stiching-like pain.

I chose the standard distance 10k run-40k bike-5k run. The race course was really technical with lots of hills and ups and downs both on the run and on the bike. Despite the difficulties, the roads were magnificent and the run portion had stretches of trail running into the woods, which was really awesome. Once we started, I zoomed in and felt ok for the first 4mi then I started feeling weak but nothing to worry about. On a 10k run, things start to hurt a little after the 4mi mark so I knew the feeling and kept pushing.

I was 7th overall into T1 and I knew that if I get the bike part right I had time to jump to 5th place, which was pretty good judging from the fast kids in the top 3 and based on my minimal training preparation. After the first couple of miles on the bike I felt dizzy and weak. I didn't pay too much attention and kept pushing. By the midpoint I felt seriously empty. I did get a gel down but once you hit that state of depletion, God help you! I just rolled on the bike. I so much wanted to get my legs pushing but I couldn't get my heart rate up so I knew something was wrong: my body was not listening to me anymore. Off the bike and onto the last 5k run. The moment I started running I felt disoriented and confused but kept going. I reached the state of jogging and suddenly at the last half a mile, I sat down in the middle of the road, I just couldn't even walk. I waited there for maybe five minutes, then started walking then jogged to the finish line.

I collapsed there, lied down and didn't come up only after a couple of hours. I was throwing out every single sip of water I was trying to drink, I really thought I was going to die!

This is what is called glycogen depletion or in our athletic slang "hit the wall".  
No matter how well you may know your body, no matter how well you may have thought you have perfected your nutrition strategies, there is always something new to learn.

Why timing and nutrition is so very important?
What went wrong in my case despite the fact that I stick with my nutrition strategies very religiously?

First and foremost, my body and my training is very different from last year. I have more nutritional needs now and actually quite a bit different ones. I need to get more calories in before the race.
Critical mistakes: for that race last Saturday, a toast, a banana and a gel six hours before were not enough. Additionally, I did not take into account the hour change (in the time zone between GA and AL) and I only realized I had to race an hour later than planned when I arrived at the race. And .. I did not have extra food in my bag for these situations. Finally, during the race, especially when it got progressively hot (I think it was the first hot day of the year) one gel was not enough.

I crawled to the 8th overall place and won my age group. I am still feeling sick and pretty low. This coming week, I am getting at least three days off.

I will never lose my persistence and I will stick to my plans.

For now, let's relax, re-energize and look forward to the new race coming up next month!