well, there's really 3 goals, as i see it.
-you don't want to gain any fat. probably not more muscle, either, actually. but a lot of folks say that you will gain some 'good' weight in teh form of glycogen stores and the h2o that goes with it. this is what i understand of the situation, but it's all kind of vague.
-you don't want to blow your race by being undernourished.
-you don't want to sh*t your pants during the race. (or have to rush off to the side, into someone's lawn, etc.).

so you should know what foods make you perform well, what don't, etc. i found that i can digest a lot of stuff for a half iron that i can't for a marathon. for the marathon it was no dairy no fiber. for the half iron, it was a big old bowl of grape nuts with milk for breakfast. there's various tips and whatnot out there, but the biggest thing for me was using the training time to find out what works and what doesn't.

-charles

I'll second the low fiber thing for marathons and IMs. I can get away with all sorts of nutritional variances for half IMs for some reason. I think it's reasonable to gain 3 pounds during taper without adding fat or muscle (4 if you are consistently dehydrated). I can't remember the exact amount, but I believe it's possible to store over a pound of glycogen and associate water, and maybe another 2 pounds of fluids and electrolytes if fully hydrated. If you put on 5 or more pounds, I would be concerned (assuming 150-200 pound male).

I like this article about tapering in the Runners World even though it's not specifically about triathlons:

It's Taper Time

Basically, focus on protein during the first half of your taper and focus on carbohydrates during the second half of your taper. Protein helps you recover from the long runs and rebuild muscles. Carbs help you store glycogen and race long. I've tried this during my last marathon taper and I felt very fresh at the starting line and never hit the wall. In terms of volume, I ate a normal amount of food (which is a lot) but cut out the binges and reduced alcohol. I didn't diet at all. I may have gained a pound, but it was no big deal. The article also suggests taking vitamin C to prevent you from getting sick. Since training compromises the immune system, it's pretty common to catch a cold during the taper. I knew this but forgot and did indeed come down with a cold during the first two weeks of taper and got less sleep than I would've liked.

I agree with the other posters about experimenting with foods and drinks that work for you during the longer runs/rides in the taper. Fiber, diary, and caffeine seem to be the most common issues.

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http://positivesplits.blogspot.com

Great information. I figured fiber would be a bad thing. I did remember reading that some place else before. I like the idea of focusing on muscle rebuilding during the first week and then going from there to the carb loading. That makes a lot of sence.

Thanks for the replies...

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Team Zoot Northeast