Nutrition - Olympic distance tri
Hello everyone -
It's been a LONG while since I posted here, but I've been keeping up with training and racing. I recently started working with a tri club and a coach and have made the decision to make the jump from sprint distance to olympic distance races. My first oly distance race will be in December in Key West.
My question is this - I am hearing and reading a lot about having to think about nutrition on longer workouts and races. Call me stupid, but what does that mean? I try to stay hydrated and usually eat a protein bar and a banana after a long workout. What else do I have to be thinking about? What should I be eating/drinking during the race? I have been taking Cliff blocks with me on the bike, along with gatorade for the bike and run.
Thanks in advance everyone!
It's been a LONG while since I posted here, but I've been keeping up with training and racing. I recently started working with a tri club and a coach and have made the decision to make the jump from sprint distance to olympic distance races. My first oly distance race will be in December in Key West.
My question is this - I am hearing and reading a lot about having to think about nutrition on longer workouts and races. Call me stupid, but what does that mean? I try to stay hydrated and usually eat a protein bar and a banana after a long workout. What else do I have to be thinking about? What should I be eating/drinking during the race? I have been taking Cliff blocks with me on the bike, along with gatorade for the bike and run.
Thanks in advance everyone!
I dont know but I'm soooo excited for you!!!
www.sexyskinnybitch.wordpress.com - my journey to sexy skinny bitch status
11/16/12 - Got my Body by Sauceda - arms, Bl/BA, LBL, thigh lift.
HW 420/ SW 335 /CW 200 
85 lbs lost pre-op / 135 post op
~~~~Alison~~~~~
That can work just fine for you as long as the blocks don't make you sick.
Any endurance activity that is going to take you past an hour, give or take could require that you put some calories into your system.
I prefer a steady stream of small quantities. I use gels and sports beans and sports drinks with calories. Initially I didn't tolerate the gels very well, so I would mix them into my water bottle to dilute them. This eliminated the dumping issues, and made sure I got some calories.
Now I can take 1-2 gels without the issue so I don't dilute as often. They do make a nice bike bottle that has a chamber in the middle that I fill with Gel and then the outer chamber gets filled with your fluid of choice. Depending on the valve position up/down you ge****er or gel. Pretty convenient and no fumbling with gel packets or shotblocks or any of that stuff.
I also like to take in something salty during the ride if possible. I know this is probably going to sound blasphemous, but I like payday bars. I get a couple of those extra small halloween sized payday bars and I'll have them on the bike as well. They are salty and go down just like a protein bar and they seem to holdup better than most of the protein bars I have tried to take on long hot rides.
By keeping the quantities small I find that it reduces my discomfort or any of those sudden urges to find a bathroom.
On long bike rides, I have also used peanut butter sandwiches because they keep in the heat don't need to be refrigerated and don't melt like so many of the protein bars do. You can make them and pre-cut them into bite sized pieces. Any solid food I take in, I prefer to do early on so it isn't sitting in my stomach like a rock when I have to run. Later on in the bike portion I switch to more liquid calories.
The run is almost all liquid calories or no calories at all depending on how long it is.
Whatever you try, you want to give it a trial run long before race day and make sure it agrees with you. I recommend that you try it at home, then progress to a small run close to services, then out onto longer runs/rides. What your body may tolerate for an hour ride, may be different when it's been 3 hours of exercise. You also may saturate yourself with something. You know that feeling where you couldn't possibly take another bite of something no matter how much you normally like it. After several protein bars or shot blocks, your mind and taste buds might just say no more of that please.
Good luck,
Scott
Any endurance activity that is going to take you past an hour, give or take could require that you put some calories into your system.
I prefer a steady stream of small quantities. I use gels and sports beans and sports drinks with calories. Initially I didn't tolerate the gels very well, so I would mix them into my water bottle to dilute them. This eliminated the dumping issues, and made sure I got some calories.
Now I can take 1-2 gels without the issue so I don't dilute as often. They do make a nice bike bottle that has a chamber in the middle that I fill with Gel and then the outer chamber gets filled with your fluid of choice. Depending on the valve position up/down you ge****er or gel. Pretty convenient and no fumbling with gel packets or shotblocks or any of that stuff.
I also like to take in something salty during the ride if possible. I know this is probably going to sound blasphemous, but I like payday bars. I get a couple of those extra small halloween sized payday bars and I'll have them on the bike as well. They are salty and go down just like a protein bar and they seem to holdup better than most of the protein bars I have tried to take on long hot rides.
By keeping the quantities small I find that it reduces my discomfort or any of those sudden urges to find a bathroom.
On long bike rides, I have also used peanut butter sandwiches because they keep in the heat don't need to be refrigerated and don't melt like so many of the protein bars do. You can make them and pre-cut them into bite sized pieces. Any solid food I take in, I prefer to do early on so it isn't sitting in my stomach like a rock when I have to run. Later on in the bike portion I switch to more liquid calories.
The run is almost all liquid calories or no calories at all depending on how long it is.
Whatever you try, you want to give it a trial run long before race day and make sure it agrees with you. I recommend that you try it at home, then progress to a small run close to services, then out onto longer runs/rides. What your body may tolerate for an hour ride, may be different when it's been 3 hours of exercise. You also may saturate yourself with something. You know that feeling where you couldn't possibly take another bite of something no matter how much you normally like it. After several protein bars or shot blocks, your mind and taste buds might just say no more of that please.
Good luck,
Scott
The first time you do something - It's going to be a personal record!
, but it doesn't really matter. It's still good stuff!
GU makes Roctane in powder form that if a drink over the course of 30-45 minutes I don't have any issues with. After that I use mainly gels. Jillian gave me the idea of Honey Stinger Waffles which I have done per workout, but haven't done on the bike yet. Another Triathlete I met says he does a GU chomp every other mile on the run and sucks it for a few additional calories as I typically will only do about 200 calories an hour on the run, which sounds ok but I burn close to 1100 in that hour.
Paul C.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
I hydrate like crazy prior to running, drink a cup of coffee and snack on peanut butter and a half banana or eat a salty nut nature bar.
During an hour long race I do drink at least one cup of water and down a GU gel. After racing, I drink a chocolate protein drink with skim milk and ice.
So far, so good.
I have tried several Gu flavors and the only one I like is the peanut butter, it is really smooth and nice.
Over 45 minutes of running and you need additional hydration and calories to keep the energy level up.I hide these things on the trail for long runs-I drive and measure out and then tuck them by a tree.
At races the stops usually provide something-longer races usually have GU.
I get mine at REI.
During an hour long race I do drink at least one cup of water and down a GU gel. After racing, I drink a chocolate protein drink with skim milk and ice.
So far, so good.
I have tried several Gu flavors and the only one I like is the peanut butter, it is really smooth and nice.
Over 45 minutes of running and you need additional hydration and calories to keep the energy level up.I hide these things on the trail for long runs-I drive and measure out and then tuck them by a tree.
At races the stops usually provide something-longer races usually have GU.
I get mine at REI.
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