Camp Day Fueling Rhythm
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Camp days and two-a-days ask a lot of a young body. Camp days run on rhythm: eat before, refuel between, recover after, hydrate all day.
At a Glance
Two-a-Day Rhythm
What's covered: Wake-Up, After the Day, Morning Session.
Two-a-Day Rhythm
Wake-Up
Eat, Then Run
Before AM
Refuel and Rehydrate
Between Sessions
Coach Prompt
Post the camp-day clock where athletes eat
QUICK START PLAN
Wake-Up
Wake-Up
If the session is very early, a small carb (banana, toast Drink with breakfast so you arrive to the field already hydrated.
After the Day
Recover So Tomorrow Is Not Worse
Within a couple of hours of finishing, eat a full recovery meal with carbs Camp fatigue that keeps building, dizziness
Morning Session
Hydrate Through It
Drink at every break; add sodium through a sports drink when sweat is heavy. For long morning sessions, a small carb mid-way (a few chews
COACH REFERENCE
Before AM
Eat, Then Run
Between Sessions: Refuel and Rehydrate
The Camp-Day Clock
Refuel Between
A real carb-plus-protein meal after the morning session. Fluids and sodium across the whole break.
Built by an RD who coaches · Luke Rodriguez, MS, RDN · Palmer Ridge HS XC
When to use this
Summer camps, preseason two-a-days, and any day with two hard sessions and a break in between.
- Overnight or day camps where athletes train, break, and train again.
- Two-a-day weeks where the afternoon session keeps falling apart.
- Athletes who nail the morning but arrive to the second session empty and flat.
Evidence sources
These references support the handout’s general education. Individual medical, supplement, laboratory, or injury questions should be handled by the appropriate qualified clinician.
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM.(2016) ACSM/AND/DC Joint Position Statement: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.
- Alghannam AF, Gonzalez JT, Betts JA.(2018) Restoration of muscle glycogen and functional capacity: Role of post-exercise carbohydrate and protein co-ingestion.
Where to go next
PrintablePost the heat rulesThe heat-board sign covers the hydration and red-flag rules that sit alongside this rhythm.
ToolPlan the whole campThe XC camp tool builds the fueling plan this rhythm sheet summarizes.
PrintableSee a hard-day templateThe hard-day day-of-eating template shows what a full high-demand day looks like.
