Why Your Stomach Behaves Differently on Race Day

Whether you’re taking on a marathon, a triathlon or a trail ultra, Active Root’s range of stomach-friendly sports nutrition and hydration products are there to help fuel your performance and achieve your goals. The golden rule when it comes to sports nutrition is 'try before race day', multiple times if you can. It is essential to practice your fuelling strategies prior to your event, so you can arrive on the start line feeling confident in your fuelling and focusing all your energy on enjoying the journey to the finish.

However, it is not uncommon to find that your stomach behaves differently on race day. Nerves, adrenaline and intensity are all very different on race day to what you’ve experienced in training, and can impact your digestion. 

Race Day Issues

Although you’ve practiced your fuelling and hydrating strategies in training, race day can be an entirely different experience. Studies have shown that up to 90% of athletes experience some form of gastric discomfort during exercise, whether it’s pre-race nerves before, feeling sick during the event or bloating afterwards (De Oliveira & Jeukendrup, 2014).

Race day nerves and adrenaline are the body’s natural fight-or-flight response, as your heart rate increases in anticipation of what’s ahead. As well as an elevated heart rate, you may feel anxious, have sweaty palms or a dry mouth, or you may experience stomach discomfort.

Dealing with these race day nerves can be tricky, but breathing techniques, positive mantras and sticking to your pacing plan can all help to alleviate the symptoms you may experience at the start line or early in the race.

The ginger in Active Root can also help contribute towards a normally functioning settled stomach.

How Active Root Nutrition Can Help

Ginger is well-known for its ability to soothe the stomach. Ginger contains the compound Gingerol, which can help contribute to soothing the stomach by relaxing the muscles in the gut. It also can have a calming effect, reducing bloating and stomach discomfort. The ginger in Active Root has been specially used because of the high gingerol ratio!

Natural ingredients also make a huge difference in reducing digestive stress - the disruption of gastrointestinal function - caused by physical (or emotional) strain, which can manifest as stomach pain, bloating, nausea and indigestion. This is amplified during training and racing by stress placed on the body.

Ginger: We use natural root ginger in all our nutrition products. Ginger is scientifically proven to help prevent bloating, nausea and stomach discomfort during exercise, thereby allowing athletes to focus on their performance rather than their stomach.

The compound Gingerol blocks the actions of neurotransmitters that trigger involuntary stomach contractions and stimulate the vomiting reflex. The use of Ginger can prevent this process from happening. This is particularly useful in sports nutrition when race day nerves can cause stomach upsets and nausea.

Another key benefit of ginger during exercise is its ability to reduce muscle soreness. The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger can help combat the inflammation that often accompanies intense physical activity.

Fuel: By using unbleached cane sugar as a fuel source, our products provide a balanced mix of glucose and fructose, offering a steady energy supply without the spikes and crashes.

Electrolyte: By incorporating natural sea salt, we ensure that our products provide essential electrolytes to maintain hydration levels and prevent muscle cramps.

Practice Makes Progress

Practicing your race-day fuelling and hydration options is crucial during your training, but especially during the last few weeks before race day to dial in your fuelling plan and refine your nutrition and hydration. It is particularly useful to practice fuelling during race-pace sessions so you can get a feel for what really works at the speed you’ll be running your event at.

At Active Root we have a range of products designed to meet your fuelling requirements during training and the day itself.

Energy Gels

Our Energy Gel contains 50mg of ginger to maintain a settled stomach, 30g of carbohydrates for a steady release of energy, and 122 calories in each gel. You need around 60g of carbs per hour for a steady rate of exercise. We would recommend consuming a gel 15-20 minutes before you start to give yourself a strong start to your event.

During your race you should aim to consume a gel every 20-30 minutes to maintain a steady supply of energy. Finally, you can take a gel immediately after you finish to replenish energy levels. To ensure proper hydration, take 300ml of water with every 2-3 gels per hour of exercise.

Our gels are designed to enhance your performance and provide reliable support during your race. Crafted with quality and convenience in mind, as well as being gluten free, vegan and all natural, this product is ideal for fuelling on the go.

If you’re looking for both fuel and hydration then we would recommend a mix of Sports Drinks Mix and Energy Gels.

Sports Drink Mix

Our Sports Drink Mix is a carbohydrate based drink designed to fuel and sustain longer efforts. This can be consumed before, during and after racing, and features a carefully formulated blend of slow-burning cane sugar to provide a steady stream of fuel rather than the short-lived bursts of energy from traditional sports drinks. Our Sports Drink Mix contains 239mg of ginger to help prevent gut bombs, 40g carbs for a steady release of energy, and up to 161 calories in each serving. Sports Drink Mix also includes 567mg sea salt, helping to replace vital electrolytes lost through sweat.

Simply add a serving of Sports Drink Mix to your water bottle or soft flask (usually 500-750ml of water), shake well, and you’re ready to hydrate and refuel on the go.

Energy Chews

Deliciously fiery, our portable Energy Chews provide a refreshing and natural alternative designed to replenish essential fluids with electrolytes, as well as giving a rapid energy boost. Each serving (5 chews) contains 96 calories, 24g carbs, 57mg sodium and 1,452mg of stomach-settling ginger.

We recommend eating four to five energy chews every 30 minutes during endurance events; consuming a small amount at regular, frequent intervals maintains a steady energy supply and prevents blood sugar peaks and crashes.

Including ginger into a fuelling strategy for athletes can shift their focus from digestive issues to optimal performance. With our range of ginger-infused products, including Energy Gels, Sports Drink Mix and Energy Chews, athletes can overcome the impact of race-day nerves with confidence, knowing their nutrition is supporting their performance and recovery.