Spartan Trifecta Weekend

This step-by-step nutrition protocol is extremely easy to set up and follow. You don't need to carry a lot of things with you during your run, you can save time, and best of all, it's extremely effective.

Before we move on to the nutrition protocol, here's some extremely important and useful information...

5 Simple Ways to Improve Sports Performance Now

Written by Steve Born

There are many steps you can (and should) take to optimize your athletic performance, but here are some extremely simple ones. Start them immediately, and you will quickly notice a significant improvement in your endurance.

1. Stay properly hydrated all day long. Our body is about 60% water, so it's obvious that maintaining optimal hydration is extremely important. Unfortunately, many people - perhaps you too? - live in a constant state of dehydration, which negatively affects athletic performance and overall health. Start gradually increasing your fluid intake - mainly in the form of plain water - so that your daily fluid intake reaches 0.03-0.04 times your body weight in liters (for example, an 82 kg athlete should consume 2.7-3.3 liters of fluid daily, in addition to the amount consumed during exercise). During exercise, consume 0.5-0.75 liters of water per hour, and up to 0.8 liters in hot weather.
   
   
2. Minimize calorie intake. It might be interesting to know how many calories you burn per hour during exercise; however, this does not determine how many calories your body can absorb. The goal is to consume as few calories as possible while maintaining your energy levels hour by hour. For most athletes, this is 120-180 calories per hour. Larger athletes (over 91 kg) can consume 200 or more calories. If you feel this is not enough, you can easily adjust - simply consume a little more. Remember, it's always easier to deal with "not enough" than with "I overdosed and now my stomach is rebelling."
   
   
3. Eliminate sugar. Some foods consist of a mixture of simple sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose, etc.) and complex carbohydrates (maltodextrin), based on the principle that your body can produce more energy per minute by using multiple carbohydrate sources compared to a single carbohydrate source. However, remember that the individuals who participated in these "multiple carbohydrate" studies performed low-intensity exercises that allowed them to digest virtually anything. Instead, choose complex carbohydrates (maltodextrin), such as those found in Hammer Nutrition products (Hammer Gel, HEED, or Perpetuem 2.0). Unlike simple sugars, complex carbohydrates provide fast-acting, longer-lasting energy and do not cause stomach problems even during high-intensity workouts.
   
   
4. Do not eat 3 hours before training sessions and races. If you do not consume calories 3 hours before training sessions and races, your body will make the best possible use of its muscle glycogen stores while utilizing its fat reserves more efficiently. If you apply this practice to all your training sessions - even early morning workouts - you will notice a significant improvement in your endurance within a short period. Note: If you still need some calories before exercise, consume something easily digestible (e.g., a serving of Hammer Gel) 5-10 minutes before starting, but no earlier.
   
   
5. Refuel after every workout. Your body wants to reward you for your efforts during exercise: it strengthens the immune system, regenerates muscles, and stores more easily accessible fuel (glycogen) in the muscles. All you have to do is provide your body with the necessary nutrients immediately after exercise - preferably within 30 minutes (the sooner, the better). Recoverite or Organic Vegan Recoverite, which contain complex carbohydrates and high-quality proteins, are ideal choices.

NUTRITION RECOMMENDATIONS

1. "During" success begins "after"! It is extremely important to "refuel" after every workout... This is a key factor in noticeably improving your athletic performance. When you start a workout or race, your body primarily uses muscle glycogen as fuel for the first 60-90 minutes. The more consistently you refuel after workouts - Recoverite or Organic Vegan Recoverite are ideal for this - the more glycogen you can store in your muscles, which will provide a maximum of 60-90 minutes of energy for your future workouts and races.
   
   
2. Finish calorie consumption 3 hours before starting. See the reasons explained in the previous point (#4) for why this is important.
   
   
3. "Pre-load" with Endurolytes or Endurolytes Extreme. Taking Endurolytes or Endurolytes Extreme 15-30 minutes before starting will cover your electrolyte and mineral needs for the first hour of the race, allowing you to focus on getting into a steady, smooth rhythm without having to take capsules at that time. The Endurolytes dose can range from 1-6 capsules per hour, with most athletes using 2-4 capsules per hour, the dose being determined by body weight and temperature conditions. If you are racing in hot weather conditions - and especially if you are not accustomed to these conditions - I recommend taking 1-2 Endurolytes Extreme capsules before the race.
   
   
4. Consume 1 serving of Hammer Gel 5-10 minutes before the race. Consuming 1 serving of Hammer Gel now will provide some calories to supplement your muscle glycogen stores, but without hindering your body from efficiently using its finite muscle glycogen reserves as a fuel source.
   
   
5. Nutrition during the race.
   
   

Spartan Sprint 5K 

- Before the pre-race products mentioned above, an additional serving of Fully Charged is recommended 30 minutes before the race. The Hammer Gel and Endurolytes consumed before the start are sufficient for this distance.

Spartan Super 10K 

- Before the pre-race products mentioned above, an additional serving of Fully Charged and a serving of Anti Fatigue Caps are recommended 30 minutes before the race. In addition to the Hammer Gel and Endurolytes consumed before the start, if possible, continuously consume 1 serving of HEED Sports Drink during the race. If it's not possible, then carry another Hammer Gel and use it after 45-50 minutes from the start.

Immediately after the race, drink a Recoverite to prepare your body for the next day's run. If you have Tissue Rejuvenator with you, take at least 2 capsules of that along with the Recoverite.

If you want to support your evening rest for better recovery due to the next day's run, then before going to bed, consume 2 capsules of Essential Mg and 2 capsules of REM Caps.

Spartan Beast 21K 

- Before the pre-race products mentioned above, an additional serving of Fully Charged and a serving of Anti Fatigue Caps are recommended 30 minutes before the race. In addition to the Hammer Gel and Endurolytes consumed before the start, if possible, continuously consume 1 serving of HEED Sports Drink during the race every hour. If it's not possible, then carry more Hammer Gels and use them every 35-45 minutes from the start.
Further Endurolytes intake is also recommended, which is 2-4 capsules per hour. In warmer weather, up to 6 capsules per hour are recommended. This can be crucial for maximizing race performance.

Immediately after the race, drink a Recoverite to prepare your body for the next day's run. If you have Tissue Rejuvenator with you, take at least 2 capsules of that along with the Recoverite.

Further recommended products:

• Race Day Boost - Applying the loading protocol on the product page for the four days before the race.
• Liquid Endurance - Applying the loading protocol on the product page for a few days before the race.

Pay attention to consuming at least 5-7 dl of fluid per hour. If possible, cool yourself down as much as you can if you get very hot, although the water obstacles will help you with this.