NUTRITION: WHY IT IS REFERRED TO AS THE 4TH DISCIPLINE

We all know that training for a triathlon requires dedicated time to swimming, running and biking, but have you given much thought to nutrition. Often referred to the 4th discipline in this sport, knowing and training with a proper nutrition plan is just as important as the other three disciplines. Training for the physical aspects of this sport is key, but not having a nutrition plan(and sticking to it) could mean not finishing a race. Your nutrition plan does not only involve what you eat on a day to day basis, but also what you consume when you are training or racing. The biggest rule of thumb is to NEVER try anything new on race day. You should be finding out what nutrition is offered on the race course, and training with those products. "Runners guts" affect more people than not, so training with the products you will be using on race day, to test and get your body used to them, only makes sense. The last thing you want is to be projectile vomiting, or hitting up every porta potty on the course. Sorry for the bluntness, but this is the truth. When your body is going through that much physical stress, pumping foreign substances into your system is a major shock, and usually doesn't end on a positive note. As someone who can attest to having major gut problems, I have found that the simpler the product, the better. There are so many products out there, its hard to know where to start. Hammer products are all natural and easy to digest, which means they are easy on your system and give you quick energy. There is no point in putting something into your system that your body can't digest, because you won't get any nutritional/energy benefits if nothing is absorbed. Hammer has a huge lineup of different products for just about anyones needs from pre-race fuel to recovery products.