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Slowtwitch Forums: Triathlon Forum:
My first IM ever - some hep please.

LannyMac09

Aug 28, 08 8:21

Post #1 of 10 (415 views)

My first IM ever - some hep please.	Can't Post

Hello everyone,

I am set to compete in my first ever IM length this Sunday in Wisconsin. Was hoping I could get some advice:

Do most people generally wear their triathlon suit for the duration of the race, or switch into dry running gear?
From general readings and training to date - planning on consuming a power bar and a bottled sports drink every hour. Plus additional water. Does this sound about right?
How many water bottles/hydration systems do you usually ride with?

Thanks for any information on above or any other tips you wich to pass my way.

Cheers,
Adam

christian1

Aug 28, 08 8:29

Post #2 of 10 (396 views)

Re: My first IM ever - some hep please. [LannyMac09] [In reply to]	Can't Post

If you are the doing the race this Sunday you will be a week early ;0

As to your other questions:
1. It depends on your goals. If you just plan to finish then do what makes you comfortable. I am not changing out of my tri suit.
2. Depends on your size and needs. It also depends on what you can take in and not get sick. Most of the reading I have done says to shoot for 300-500cal per hour for a male. I end up on the low end and will be doing mostly liquids.
3. I will have PD aero drink for water and one bottle of Infinit for "food". There are aid stations on the course with water and gatorade.

See you on the 7th. Good luck.
You can quit, but nobody cares and you'll always know.

LannyMac09

Aug 28, 08 8:32

Post #3 of 10 (379 views)

Re: My first IM ever - some hep please. [christian1] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Ha ha - thanks Christian1 - I mean Sunday the the 7th. See you there and thanks for the info.....

Diesel

Aug 28, 08 8:33

Post #4 of 10 (373 views)

Re: My first IM ever - some hep please. [LannyMac09] [In reply to]	Can't Post

You might not to want to show up a week early....

1) Most people don't wear tri suits. Rather, tops and bottoms. Most tend to wear the same throughout, but it really depends upon your time goals and what you are most comfortable wearing. A 5 min "delay" in transition for 5-6 hours of enjoyment on the bike is worth it...at least to some people.
2) Scary. While the calories might add up, the trend is towards more liquid calories. A bit late to change...so stick with whatever you used in training.
3) 2 bottles. One water/One Gatorade.

ebikesource

Aug 28, 08 8:38

Post #5 of 10 (360 views)

Re: My first IM ever - some hep please. [LannyMac09] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I would second that.
1. There are a decent amount of people who change clothes, I never thought that would be helpful, who wants to try to put on a new clean changes of clothes while all sweaty and gross
2. 300-500 calories is a good goal. Carbs are good to watch: 45-60 grams an hour depending on what you've been doing in training. Also, at Wisconsin it can be very hot. Make sure you are taking enough sodium and potassium as well. If I remember correctly, they hand out GU and Gatorade Endurance. The gatorade should help with electrolytes if you drink enough of it, you may want to bring some endurolytes/saltstick/other electrolyte replacement with you depending on how much sodium is in what you're eating/drinking
3. An aero drink and a bottle on the downtube are typically enough for me, just make sure you are keeping them as full as possible at every aid station.

parkito

Aug 28, 08 8:48

Post #6 of 10 (339 views)

Re: My first IM ever - some hep please. [ebikesource] [In reply to]	Can't Post

For the great majority of non-pros, I think 250 calories per hour on the bike for a regular sized individual, and 150-200 cals/hr on the run are pretty good numbers to shoot for.

Ideally, one has calibrated this in workouts and half IMs before the big dance. Counting grams of carbohydrate per hour is probably over the head of 99% of the field, including mine. But, then again, everything is over my head.

Behold the turtle! He makes progess only when he sticks his neck out. (James Bryant Conant)
GET OFF THE F*%KING WALL!!!!!!! (Doug Stern)
Brevity is the soul of wit. (William Shakespeare)

Sidestroker

Aug 28, 08 9:24

Post #7 of 10 (283 views)

Re: My first IM ever - some hep please. [LannyMac09] [In reply to]	Can't Post

My not being too competitive and not caring too much about transition times, for the Ironmans I've raced I wore tri-shorts underneath my wetsuit, but I change into cycling shorts for the bike. I think tri-shorts are too thin and cause numbness for really long rides. After the bike, I get back into another pair of tri-shorts because the cycling shorts are too thick for running in, and causes chafing.

---------------
2009 Races:

Napa Valley Marathon, March 1
American River 50-Mile Endurance Run, April 4
Full Vineman Triathlon, August 1

Kicking butt and writing down people's names since 2001

NorthShore

Aug 28, 08 9:38

Post #8 of 10 (246 views)

Re: My first IM ever - some hep please. [LannyMac09] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi,

Definately wear two pieces, not a suit. You will be stopping to use a portapotty somewhere and the pulling a one piece back over a sweaty body, balancing in a plastic box has lead to sunglasses and other important stuff going into the black hole of doom.

Be aware of the weather. A lot of people dress for a perfect day and then are cold when it goes sideways. A throw away piece of clothing in your run special needs is good in case you need it.

5 cals per pound per hour is about what you will use (a rough guide that has worked for me) and you need to replace about 30% of it. As said befor bike is where you take in more cals.
It is a long day and most problems can be fixed with changes during the day.

PM me with your email if you would like some of the excel delete prep stuff I have done.

This is just stuff that has been worked out with a bunch of athletes, I am no expert in any sense.

it turns out that our OP is only "mostly" dead........ ElGordo

parkito

Aug 28, 08 9:49

Post #9 of 10 (225 views)

Re: My first IM ever - some hep please. [NorthShore] [In reply to]	Can't Post

5 cals per pound per hour is about what you will use (a rough guide that has worked for me) and you need to replace about 30% of it.

I read that to mean "5 cals per pound per hour is what you will burn. One needs to replace about 30% of those lost calories."

For me that would work out to about 210 calories per hour. Factor that into 250 per hr on the bike, and 170 per hr on the run, and I think your empirical formula is pretty good.

Behold the turtle! He makes progess only when he sticks his neck out. (James Bryant Conant)
GET OFF THE F*%KING WALL!!!!!!! (Doug Stern)
Brevity is the soul of wit. (William Shakespeare)

NorthShore

Aug 28, 08 9:51

Post #10 of 10 (217 views)

Re: My first IM ever - some hep please. [parkito] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks for making the formula more clear.

it turns out that our OP is only "mostly" dead........ ElGordo