Last Wednesday I sat for my first attempt at the NSCA’s CSCS (Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist) exam…
and I PASSED both halves!!🎉
This was such a difficult exam I was so certain I’d have to retake at least half, but I’m absolutely thrilled I passed both!
It’s been a long time coming, but I’m happy it’s finally over lol
Now I can get on with life & coaching!
Buuuuut I feel like there are so many S&C nuggets of wisdom from this exam that I think you could benefit from (I know I did!) so let’s talk about one!
Race Day Nutrition
Last week we talked basic nutrition to support training (plus all the boring math to get your macro ranges)
Well, we’ve got more macro ranges again today, but less math! (YAY!)
First off no matter how long the race is, we should avoid 2 things on race day before your event.
Fat & Fiber.
They can lead to stomach discomfort, and won’t contribute meaningful energy to your upcoming races, so keep them minimal for at least 4 hours before your race.
Strength Athletes (events under 2hrs)
This will be fairly similar to your standard training guidelines; we just need to dial in on a few things.
- Daily Carbs: 5-6g/kg
- Daily Protein: 1.4-2.0 g/kg
-
Post Event
- Carbs: 30-100g carbs (especially important for multiple events in <24hrs!!)
- Protein: 20-50g (masters: 40+)
So this is for your Deka Strong, Mile, Fit, Deadly Dozen, a Half-Rox, Hyrox Relay, and some sub 2hr team races.
You can technically get away without intra-workout nutrition for less than 2hrs, but personally I wouldn’t recommend it.
Especially if you’re doing >60min in a race, you’ll probably race better with some fuel mid-way.
Endurance Athletes (events 2+hrs)
Here’s where things get fun!
This is for your multiple-races-in-a-weekend, most Hyrox races, Deka Fit Ultra, & 1/2 marathon+ distances.
CARB LOAD
For longer races (like marathons or ultras), start carb loading 3-4 days before the event.
- Carb Load 3-4 days out: 8-12g/kg/day
- Carb Load 1-2 days out: 10-12g/kg/day
BEFORE THE RACE
It depends on when you’re able to have your last meal…
-
4 Hours Before - good if you get an upset stomach with nerves
- Carb: 1-4 g/kg (~100-200g carb)
- Protein: 0.15-0.25 g/kg
-
2 Hours Before
- Carb: 1g/kg (~70g carb)
- Protein: 0.15-0.25 g/kg
-
1 Hour Before - best if easily digestible, liquid carb
- Carb: 0.5g/kg (~35g carb)
- Minimal fat & protein
DURING / AFTER
- Carbs During: 28-144g/hour (gels, chews, sports drink, etc.)
- Carbs After: 1.2-2.0g within 30min! (Very important for multiple events in <24hrs!!)
- Protein After: 20-40g within 2 hours finishing
Hydration
For longer or more sweaty events (like a parking lot Deka Mile in the TX summer heat🥵) pre-hydrate the day before & a few hours out to avoid too much fluid loss.
If you anticipate sweating a lot, add electrolytes to your pre-hydration & if it’s a longer event, plan some intra-race electrolytes to top off midway.
By the end of your race 1lb bodyweight lost = 3 cups fluid + electrolytes to be replaced.
And there you have it!
All the fueling recs for your hybrid race in one place!
It’s too easy to get caught up in the fancy sups and ignore the big picture.
If you can nail down your race day macros and hydration, it’ll go a LONG way!
Knee Update...
I’m over 100 days out of my right ACL reconstruction surgery! So I’ll just stop counting days now lol I’m 14 weeks out now!
- Today my PT started me on some very light plyos to work on starting to bounce on my toes again. We did ladder drills and some moves on a 4” step just to gradually reintroduce springyness into the picture. (which is another prep phase for jogging YAY!!)
- I’m starting to notice improvements in single leg strength, I still have a ways to go, but it’s fun discovering I can do a 12” step up or go heavier at a lower RPE than before. Baby steps!
I’ve gotten a bunch of questions about getting CSCS cert...
“Isn’t that what you already do?”
“What’s next then? Are you going to work with school teams?”
“Are you still going to coach online”
Basically, the CSCS is a high-level cert designed for athletic performance, and no, I don’t plan on switching gears to be a high school or collegiate strength coach.
My goal is to make high-level strength and conditioning programming accessible to hybrid athletes everywhere.
I want it to feel like you’re back in the college weight room, training with clear direction & focus, with a team backing you and a coach in your corner, so you can hit the start line confident and the finish line proud.
If you’re looking to improve your performance, build for Deka worlds, or start prepping for next season, learn about Hybrid Strength here!🫶🏼
Until next week!
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