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1/2 IM nutrition question
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Chris in Balto
Feb 20, 03 8:47
Post #1 of 6 (2219 views)
I'm trying to plan my fuel intake for the next season starting with the Eagleman 1/2 IM. Last year I tried using a combo of Hammer Gel, PowerBars and Gatorade, and ended up with severe stomach cramps the first 8 miles of the run. This year I'm looking at HammerGel and water only. Is solid fuel (PowerBar, etc.) really needed for a 1/2 IM distance? I spoke with the folks at HammerGel and they suggested that I use the gel and water only, and if I want to use a drinkable fuel, mix some gel with water in my water bottles. They also sent some sample of an electrolyte supplement to take with the gel/water, but told me to first try it in training. From what little research I've done, it appears that the combo of Gatorade and HammerGel (simple and complex sugars?) most probably caused the stomach cramps and eventually gas.

Any ideas?


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Re: Sounds right [ In reply to ]
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tom
Feb 20, 03 10:08
Post #2 of 6 (2188 views)
It sounds like you are on the right track. Your earlier nutrition plan probably put too much sugar and not enough water in your stomach - the fuel was too "rich".

For the Buffalo Springs 1/2 IM (extremely hot) I'll be taking gu and water, since it is so hot, I may take 1 or 1/2 bottle of gatorade for every 2 bottles of water. Alternatively, I'll take an electrolyte capsule.

Look on this site for an article on IM nutrition principles, it is very good.
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Re: Sounds right [tom] [ In reply to ]
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Chappy
Feb 20, 03 11:08
Post #3 of 6 (2162 views)
The Hammergel and water combo might be easier on the GI system. The we're all an experiment of one..blah, blah comes into play. You might also consider a couple of other variables. When do you start putting on the feedbag, some can start directly out of T1, some have to wait awhile. Pace and feeding are interrelated. Go too hard for too long and whatever goes in just may sit there. I had a lot of problems with finally figuring that last part out. The all liquid nutrition approach seems to get absorbed faster-easier and is not as pace-sensitive as solid foods. Training bricks should help get you close.
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Re: 1/2 IM nutrition question [chris in MD] [ In reply to ]
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GREG_n_SD
Feb 20, 03 12:06
Post #4 of 6 (2132 views)
I had the same GI/cramping problems you did last year. I think that most of it is due to over intake of carbs. The very most you can take in is 80g/hour. If you start taking too many carbs and not enough water they will just sit in your stomach. Then when you feel like crap you may think you need energy so you take more. Thats what I did, but learned my lesson and will stick to just hammer gel/water and accelerade this year, and calculate ahead of time the most carbs per hour I will allow myself.
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Re: 1/2 IM nutrition question [chris in MD] [ In reply to ]
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Graz
Feb 20, 03 12:39
Post #5 of 6 (2114 views)
I've been training w/ Hammer Gel over the last month. It is simply much better than Gu (in my opinion) But it HAS to be used with water. My plan is Hammer Gel/Endurolyte comb for OLY's with water only.

BUT for Half I/M or above I'm going strictly with Sustained Energy/ Hammer Gel/ Endurolyte pill combo. You may want to look into Endurolytes as a supplement as well.
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Re: 1/2 IM nutrition question [chris in MD] [ In reply to ]
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andrew-t
Feb 20, 03 13:02
Post #6 of 6 (2100 views)
My strategy during 1/2 IM ~4:30-5:00 depending on the course. I do not use any solid food. For the first 10' of the bike I only take in a little bit of water. Then I try and keep my stomach mostly full (aids gastric emptying) ~ 2 16oz bottles of gatorade and 1-2 gels/hour until I have about 15-20' left in the bike and then nothing until the run. During the run I have a few gels and usually mix coke:gatorade 1:1 and drink a bit of that. I typically have 1 thermotab salt tablet every 30 minutes. Your body can only oxidize 1gm of sugars per minute (glucose, sucrose, maltodextrin). Which is about 240 kcal per hour. About the stomach cramping, it could be excess fluid in the stomach or lack of electrolytes (in my opinion).

hope this helps

andrwe

In Reply To:
I'm trying to plan my fuel intake for the next season starting with the Eagleman 1/2 IM. Last year I tried using a combo of Hammer Gel, PowerBars and Gatorade, and ended up with severe stomach cramps the first 8 miles of the run. This year I'm looking at HammerGel and water only. Is solid fuel (PowerBar, etc.) really needed for a 1/2 IM distance? I spoke with the folks at HammerGel and they suggested that I use the gel and water only, and if I want to use a drinkable fuel, mix some gel with water in my water bottles. They also sent some sample of an electrolyte supplement to take with the gel/water, but told me to first try it in training. From what little research I've done, it appears that the combo of Gatorade and HammerGel (simple and complex sugars?) most probably caused the stomach cramps and eventually gas.

Any ideas?
Quote Reply
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