When we talk about annual planning, almost everyone organizes workouts, goals, and races, but they leave out something that should go hand in hand from day one: supplementation. And it's not just about knowing which gel you like or which isotonic drink works best. It's really about planning the strategy throughout the year, in the same way you periodize strength, volume, and intensity. Supplementation needs to be trained, adjusted, tested, and evolved as the body evolves as well.
In practice, this starts with understanding that each phase of the season requires a different type of support. In base training, for example, when volume begins to increase, it's the ideal time to train the gut to receive carbohydrates during exercise. It doesn't have to be anything aggressive: you can start with lighter gels, smaller amounts, and longer intervals, just so the body learns to work with energy coming in while you're in motion. This is also where you start to understand your tolerance: what texture goes down best, whether you adapt to 30g, 40g, 50g per hour, whether you need more fluids, whether you get thirsty quickly, whether you need more sodium.
As training progresses and intensities increase, it's time to test strategies that more closely reflect the reality of the race. Increase your carbohydrate intake, experiment with different combinations, such as mixing gels with sports drinks, alternating between caffeinated and decaffeinated gels, using products with slower-release carbohydrates for long workouts or faster-release carbohydrates for intense workouts. This is where you discover if you feel better with caffeine before, during, or in both phases; if you can sustain 60 g/h or if your body responds better to 75 g/h; and if the sodium you replenish is sufficient, especially when the weather gets hotter.
The key to planning your supplementation is this: figuring out in advance which gels don't agree with you and whether you need more sodium. Building a strategy over the months, so that by competition season you're already sure of what works best for you.
Ultimately, supplementation is part of training. And when you include it in your annual plan, you avoid surprises, avoid discomfort, and give your body the chance to perform the way you trained it to. Because athletes who train their physique and ignore supplementation always lose performance to those who train both.
