As part of monthly feature sponsored by EAS (www.eas-uk.info/eas), Tri247 is going to be providing regular nutritional tips and information. EAS sponsor many top athletes, among them Tim Don and Nicole Cooke.

Race well, recover better...

The season is now well and truly underway, and for many of us that means regular racing and quality training sessions to reach that magical fitness peak. However, if you want to race and/or train hard regularly, you need to put effort into your recovery too! A poor recovery strategy can lead to a reduction in performance, over-training, illness and injury ... all the things that can undo months of hard work.

During a race or a hard two-hour workout, you could easily use 200-300g of carbohydrates, 1000-3500ml of water and 5g of salt. However, even taking in fluids and fuel during a race is unlikely to match these losses. Therefore, a recovery strategy needs to be in place if you are to be fully fuelled for your next session or race.

In the first two hours after exercise, the enzymes that help restock your glycogen stores are working at twice their resting rate, providing a 'window of opportunity' when you kick-start your recovery. Ideally, you should eat a snack containing 50-100g of carbohydrate within 15-30 minutes of finishing, and again two hours later. However, many athletes miss this critical period due to warming down, massage, travel, packing, showering, or they simply don't have the appetite! A solution is to have a snack or recovery drink that will appeal to you in your transition or kit bag, or left with your supporters. Great examples include fruit bread, bananas, a sandwich, low-fat chocolate milk, cereal bars, bagels, pretzels and scones. Don't stop eating in the last half hour of a long ride either; those carbohydrates can start helping the recovery process before you even un-clip from the pedals!

In hot weather, pack a wide neck flask with ice and fruit juice for a refreshing drink, or in winter, fill with hot chocolate or soup. Savoury snacks may appeal more after hours of sweet drinks and gels. Accompany this snack with a large bottle or three of fluid, ideally containing electrolytes as this will be absorbed and retained in the body more effectively than plain water, reducing the need for multiple pit-stops on the drive home...

Finally, foods and beverages to limit if you want to recover quickly include alcohol. A celebratory drink is, of course, an enjoyable reward for some, however, if you want to be back on top form as soon as possible, re-hydrate and refuel first. Alcohol is a diuretic and exacerbates dehydration. It also interferes with glycogen storage and increases inflammation in the tissues.

Too much fat and protein in your kitbag snack also delays the absorption of carbohydrate from the stomach so don't have a recovery sandwich full of bacon and cheese, or a fruit scone oozing with clotted cream! Stick to ham salad and jam on your scone for A-grade fuelling!

Is the pre-race pasta party a good idea? The pasta party is a great tradition before many major races and can be a great way to socialise and meet people before the business end of the event starts, but is it a good idea from a nutritional standpoint?

Well, part of the answer depends on how close it is to your race. Often the pasta party takes place two nights before the race. However, if it is the night before the event, it isn't a great idea to eat a huge plate of carbonara, as much of this will still be sitting heavy in your stomach on the start-line. It is much better to have your last main meal at lunchtime the day before the race, followed by one or two light snacks in the evening and your normal pre-race breakfast.

Remember the tips from race day nutrition; keep fatty, spicy and high fibre foods minimal in the 24 hours before a race to reduce the risk of stomach problems. That means white pasta with a basic tomato sauce is a better option than a creamy or cheese based sauce.

Pasta isn't the only good option for filling your muscles with carbohydrate; rice, potatoes, bread, cous cous, cereals and other grains do the job just as well.

Whichever starchy foods you choose, remember to drink plenty of fluids with your meal; carbohydrate can only be stored properly when bound to water.

So, Pasta Arrabiata and a pint of water may not be the most exciting gourmet meal on the menu, but if it gives you a great race then an extravagant celebratory dinner will be order of the day!

After a race Tim heads straight for his EAS Energy Race Recovery. Two scoops (50g) of this delicious chocolate or strawberry flavoured powder shaken into 150-200ml of water will deliver the highest quality ingredients to help support his recovery after the most strenuous race. Of key importance is the delivery of 33% highly bio-available whey proteins that can be rapidly absorbed for the regeneration of muscle tissue. Simultaneously, low glycaemic carbohydrates with no added sugars will ensure maximum glycogen synthesis and storage to top up his vital energy stores that have been depleted during exercise.

EAS Race Recovery pretty much does the job for Tim but after hours of flat out exercise, he'll also take L-Glutamine to fuel rapid muscle recovery. L-Glutamine is an amino acid that is quickly depleted during strenuous exercise. It it's not replaced, muscle strength is lost and essential repair following muscle breakdown during exercise cannot take place.