I also try to keep it simple. I don't do long course so I've never had to map out race day nutrition for the bike but when I do century rides I typically survive on:

- Between 2-3 Hours -
1x Bottle highly concentrated GuBrew (double recommended @ 6 scoops)
1x Bottle water (+ two on course refills)
- Additionally if Over 3 Hours -
1x Solid Food (Cliff Shots, Bar, or Homemade Rice Cake)
1x Baggy with Pre-measured GuBrew concentrate (double recommended @ 6 scoops)

I drink my water bottle to 50% then add in 50% of the GuBrew concentrate. This gets me 1-1.5 hours before stopping to replenish the water and repeat. In total I'll get in 2.1L of fluids, 300cal, 750mg sodium, 120mg Potassium, 78g Carbs and 24g sugar. If I'm going over 3 hours I'd bring an additional bag of the concentrate and do this twice. The solid food is to get in fats and other essential nutritional goodness in the longer rides which I begin eating at 15 minutes before the projected halfway point.

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"Train so you have no regrets @ the finish line"

That doesn't work during a race though. You will need a different strategy, and it always pays to practice your race-day fueling strategy during your training rides.

Does it really? I haven't practiced my race day nutrition in 10 years. I have a pretty good feel for how much to eat and drink when I'm racing. The times when I've had issues is when I've tried to force a plan.

I was referring to the "plan" of carrying a credit card so you can stop at a 7/11 and buy calories. That obviously doesn't work in a race. You did say yourself you have practiced it in the past, and assuming you feel confident that your previous plan works for you I would say you have "practiced" it as much as anyone needs to. That just isn't about making sure you can handle what you are putting in, but also how you carry it and if your "transport system" to carry the calories works.

This is by far the easiest approach (and a decent race nutrition strategy). Stop off at gas stations or something for additional water as needed.

I guess I have a quibble with "always pays...". I may have sorta practiced plans years ago when I was starting out, but I've never practiced what I do currently. I think some people are way over-thinking this. It's eating and drinking, we do it every day. I make sure I have food and drink available, I eat when I feel like I need to eat and I drink when I feel I need to drink. It woks for me, may not work for everybody.

My strategy is go like hell. It's a race. I never got the whole I need to practice to drink and eat.

I agree on practicing nutrition, but I don't think it needs to be practiced on every ride...

I get the practice part too, but as the OP referenced Ironman distance training, how do you practice that? Do you not take any fluids from any of the bike aid stations. In order to practice Ironman fueling, you would have to put bottles out on your loop ahead of time. Why not just take the 5mins to stop at a gas station?

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Jeff Abbott - @run1fast
jabbott@headsweats.com
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For the long haul, you need calories, but depending on how you train now, your body will process them differently. Fat is Fuel. Simple as that. Protein is one of the worst energy sources ever. Ever heard of 944? Its the calories/g in fat, protein and carbs. Proteins take a lot of energy, water, and blood to break down. Half the garbage on the market is simply to sell you when in fact you will actually perform worse with it. I ride a shiv and keep the internal bladder filled with water and 2 tbs olive oil. Then i keep a 2 bottles in my jersey pockets with salt and that's about it. The oil is a liquid fat at room temperature so it doesn't have to be broken down in as many steps. Sound weird, I know, but it works. Trust me. Im a sport physiologist and all my atheltes have seen benefits with it. The bladder needs to be used last because it is kind of tough to refill. Also, you could ride with a camelbak under your jersey. Why more don't do this ill never understand.

I would say buying bottles at a convenience store is fine since you will get handups on course. But you won't be able to buy your calories, so it pays to practice how you carry them on your bike, how you reach for them, how you actually eat while riding, etc.

"Go like hell" works for sprint/oly... Try going longer at "go like hell" pace and you might find yourself failing.

I've thought about this but I ride early in the morning (leave my house between 6-7 am) to avoid traffic and so I can have the rest of the day to do whatever. I've never been able to stomach a big breakfast that early in the morning (even on race days). And I'm not waking up earlier to get in a bigger breakfast (only race days do I do that) as I need all the sleep I can get.

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I used to think this and I think it holds true for short course triathletes. But for long course, I'm a believer in it. Read this...

http://kropelnicki.com/the-triathlon-fueling-window/triathlon


Do I really hold to it on every single workout.?.. no. But I try to make sure I'm practicing my nutrition on 3-4 workouts every week.

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Everyone above has excellent points.

I am a firm believer in practicing how you are going to race so that's why I carried all that nutrition with me on my ride. That's what I plan to race with so I need to practice it.

Unless you have a really supportive significant other that is willing to follow you in a car and provide "aid station" support on your long rides, its impossible to 100% simulate the IM bike in training. I try to keep my stops for water short and sweet (5 min max) to best simulate an IM bike.

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