PEOPLE » MARIELLA SAWYER
You’re a food scientist and nutrition
expert. How does that learning
influence your sports nutrition
decisions now? I did my B.Sc. in sport
science at Stellies, then did an Honours
degree in nutrition and dietetics at UCT.
My studies have definitely helped me
know how to fuel myself during training
and races. One thing I have learned
is that triathletes need to learn to eat
to fuel. I went through a stage where I
focused on eating very healthily, but I
forgot about the calories, which resulted
in me getting sick very frequently. Once
I noticed that I needed to eat a lot more
frequently and fuel myself in order to
perform, I saw clear changes. Nutrition
is a very big topic of debate and many
dietitians will prescribe very calorie
dense foods for active people such as
myself, but those foods are often very
high in refined sugars, which can be
pro-inflammatory and poor in nutrients,
which is not what we need. So what type
of food you use to fuel is also important
to consider.
Are there any sports nutrition myths
you want to dispel for us amateurs
who make many dietary mistakes,
especially on race day? Are we really
that different to each other that all
these food intolerances are legit,
and that one man’s salad is another’s
steak? Everyone is an individual and you
must do what works for you. Some race
on banana bread and others on gels.
You will know what your body prefers, so
stick with that. I believe the whole carbo-
loading thing is old school and you will
just end up feeling very bloated on race
day. Stick with what you usually eat and
simply focus on eating regularly to avoid
your blood sugar levels dipping and your
body going into a deficit before race day.
What’s also really important is good
hydration! So many people start their
races being dehydrated, and that sets
them up for a terrible start. Make sure
you are drinking plenty of water with
electrolytes prior to your race.
They say never trust a skinny chef
but we all know skinnier is faster.
What in your opinion is a reasonable
layman’s measure of a healthy lean
muscle mass, or racing weight?
And how long can one remain
lean without burning out over an
extended racing season? In my
personal opinion, I would never target
a specific weight for racing. Athletes
often place so much emphasis on losing
weight that they implement unhealthy
habits and restrictions, which cause a
fast drop in weight, resulting in the loss
of muscle mass (among other things),
which equates to poorer power output
and does not equal speed.
At the end of the day we still want to
be healthy, functioning human beings.
In general I recommend aiming to be a
healthy body weight. For women, a big
red flag that their bodies are cutting
corners is when they stop menstruating.
Chronic fatigue and even stress fractures
are also symptoms of a body in distress.
Who are your favourite-ever
athletes? Any heroes from past or
present that you’ve learnt from?
There are too many to mention. I look up
to the legends such as Daniela Ryf, Lucy
Charles-Barclay and Chrissie Wellington,
but the people who really inspire me, and
who teach me a lot, are those athletes
still out on course when most have gone
home. To me, they show true grit and
determination!
You rocked a disc at Sun City, which
is unusual for a lighter female
triathlete. What’s your take on
spokeless wheels and should we
all be forking out for one on flatter
courses such as Durban? Before
investing in a disc wheel, I’d cover
other areas first. Tyres make a massive
difference and you get a lot of speed just
from changing to a faster set. Getting
your bike set-up right is also crucial.
What tips can the current IRONMAN
70.3 Durban champ share with
athletes coming from cooler towns
to race in the heat and humidity?
Any changes in nutrition perhaps?
Any advice on the course? With
regards to nutrition I’d probably
recommend you load up on electrolytes
in the days leading up to the race, as
well as on race morning – take them with
you into the starting pen. Have a plan
for your nutrition and stick to it. Eat at
regular 20-30 minute intervals and don’t
try anything new.
The Durban course is great, but be
prepared for some hills on the bike –
it’s definitely not flat. And mind the
monkeys. For the run, I’d advise athletes
not to go out of T2 too hard. Pace
yourself well – the promenade is flat,
hard and quite unforgiving.
A YEAR TO REMEMBER: With My Training Day team mate Ryan Schmitz on top of the podium at the 2018 Standard Bank IRONMAN
70.3 Durban; claiming the win at the Sun City Ultra in May; looking poised and focussed on the Durban Ultra bike course.
34
you might line up next to – but it would
be great if it’s a fellow Saffa.