As Ski Classics Legend Petter Eliassen once said, Vasaloppet is a one-of-a-kind race with its unique course and atmosphere. There are skiers, both from the elite and recreational levels, who train to specialize in this event. 

To perform well, it is necessary to train the body to work efficiently over a long distance, and one of the critical strategies for it is to know how to fuel oneself. 

According to a review published by Research in Sports Medicine, 60 to 96 percent of endurance athletes experience gastrointestinal symptoms in races lasting four or more hours, just like Vasaloppet. This happens because, during exercise, the blood flows to the working muscles, thus resulting in low blood flow to the gut.

Completing Vasaloppet requires many hours of effort that can last about 4 to 8 hours or even more. The racecourse is made of many short uphills that require managing energy levels over a long duration. And finally, atmospheric conditions such as temperature, snow, and humidity can determine nutrition needs. 

The wrong nutrition strategy can seriously impact a skier’s performance at Vasaloppet. But there are some methods to keep your body working efficiently. How you eat during the race and in the days leading up to it is the most crucial factor in calming your gastrointestinal tract down during long-distance events.

What to Eat the Days Before Vasaloppet

Each long-distance skier differs in their preferred carbohydrate and fluid intake method, but most of them choose one method called “carbo-loading,” which is very useful for Vasaloppet. It involves increasing carbohydrate intake during the day or days before the race.

During the two days before the race, exercise should be kept to a minimum, and carbohydrate intake should increase to 10-12 grams for a kilogram of body weight. According to American College of Sports Medicine guidelines, this amount of carbs has shown the best results.

So, the best thing you can do on Friday and Saturday is to enjoy a substantial intake of carbs to prepare your body’s energy levels for Sunday’s adventure. It would help if you chose pasta, cakes, bread with jam, oatmeal, energy bars, and other carb-rich products. 

Don’t forget to hydrate at least every 30 minutes; ideally, you should have a carb-rich breakfast 2 hours before the race.

What to Eat During the Race

Carbs are the primary fuel for the body during intense exercises like Vasaloppet. But long-distance skiers should pay attention to the quantity and quality of the carbs. Research has found that the right amount of carbohydrate intake during exercise is around 1 gram per kilogram of body weight per hour. 

And about the quality of carbs, liquid carbohydrate sources should be enough for elite athletes who finish the race in less than 5 hours. But recreational skiers who take more time need to think about real food. Five hours of only liquid carbohydrate intake might make you nauseous.

There is no secret recipe. During the training leading to the race, the key is understanding what food type works best for each individual. And fortunately, there are many food stations all over the course.

Jan Helgerud, an NTNU researcher who made interval block training famous, recommends that athletes consume carbs every 15-20 minutes during the race, using gels and drinks that are easy to digest.

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What to Eat After Vasaloppet

After completing the 90-kilometer course, your nutrition plan must ensure a successful recovery. 

Some people might strongly desire to eat, while others may feel nauseous about it. It depends on individual characteristics. But no matter what, have at least a recovery drink within 30 minutes after finishing the race.

Hydrating and eating a good meal right after the race will help your body recover and feel less pain in the following days.

Focusing on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains would be best. Some athletes feel compelled to load more protein than usual, but this isn’t necessary. A balanced approach with 1.2-1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day is enough.

So, take care of your nutrition to get your best performance at Vasaloppet next Sunday.

The article was first published on ProXCskiing.com on 27.02.2023.

The Season XV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 15 events on 11 event weekends in 6 different countries. 

Next up is Vasaloppet on Sunday, March 3. The 90-kilometer long-distance skiing race in classic technique marks the eleventh Ski Classics stage of Season XV.

SKI CLASSICS PRO TOUR SEASON XV (2023/2024)

• Event 1: December 9, 2023 – Bad Gastein PTT, Austria, 13km
• Event 2: December 10, 2023 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Austria, 36km
• Event 3: December 16, 2023 – La Venosta Criterium, Italy, 37km 
• Event 4: December 17, 2023 – La Venosta ITT, Italy, 10km
• Event 5: January 13, 2024 – 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon, Italy, 62km
• Event 6: January 20, 2024 – Engadin La Diagonela, Switzerland, 55km
• Event 7: January 28, 2024 – Marcialonga, Italy, 70km
• Event 8: February 11, 2024 – Jizerská50, Czech Republic, 50km
• Event 9: February 17, 2024 – Grönklitt Classic, Sweden, 60km
• Event 10: February 18, 2024 – Grönklitt ITT, Sweden, 13km
• Event 11: March 3, 2024 – Vasaloppet, Sweden, 90km
• Event 12: March 16, 2024 – Birkebeinerrennet, Norway, 54km
• Event 13: April 6, 2024 – Reistadløpet, Norway, 50km
• Event 14: April 7, 2024 – Summit 2 Senja, Norway, 60km
• Event 15: April 13, 2024 – Ski Classics Grand Finale – Janteloppet, Norway, 100km

More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour can be found at skiclassics.com