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Serious stomach issues during endurance events - help!?
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Hi all

I'll try to keep this a brief as possible, but I am kinda desperate to find some solution to my stomach issues during triathlons. Any help is really appreciated.

I have been doing triathlons now for around 5 years. I have completed 3 70.3 Ironman events and DNFd at Ironman Whistler and recently 70.3 Puerto Rico.

I am an extremely average 'athlete' but enjoy swimming/cycling/running etc. To put times in context 5k PB, 19.30m, 10k, 44m. HM 1.46hrs, Marathon, 4.12hrs. HIM 6.30-6.45hrs.

Almost every endurance event that I do above 90 minutes causes me serious stomach issues. At best, my stomach is sore causing me to slow down, and at worst I throw up continuously every few KMs, causing me to walk and to DNF at some events.

All my events have been in relatively warm/hot climates, but I also live in one so training is always in the heat.

I feel I have tried everything and read everything and nothing seems to make my stomach better. In fact, it's been getting worse.

Events:
NY Marathon. Threw up at around 3 hours. Ate approx 4 hours before the event started. Took 5 gels (with water). Sipped water throughout.

PR HIM 2013. Nuun tablets for drinking. 3/4 gels. Felt tired on the run, lack of energy, but managed to complete with walk/running.
PR HIM 2015. Quicker bike time by 6 mins. Threw up on run and slower run than above. Similar nutrition to above.
St Croix HIM 2017. Could barely eat anything on the bike. A few gels Felt extremely weak on the run, throwing up every 2km (badly).
IM Whistler: Hammer HEED and Perpeteum combo. Attempted to take on around 200-250 calories / hour. After 2-3 hours stomach felt sore. Only managing sips of HEED for rest of 7 hour bike. Arriving broken into the run. Walked for 12km - DNF.
PR HIM 2018. Ate 2.20 hours before swim (around 200 calories) and 1x salt tab. Ate 1x Cliff shot block 15 mins before swim. Drank 2.5 litres of plain water in 3 hours on bike. 1.5 Hammer Rasberry Gel (a little bit every 20 minutes). 1x Cliff 'during food' packet (banana, mango, beetroot) - taken in 2x 30 minute gaps 1x salt tab. Threw up at around 2.40hours on bike. Had to walk the entire run. Throwing up every 5km. Managing sips of water/ice/coke. DNF.

Other random half marathons: can sometimes get away with taking a gel without too many issues. Sometimes not. Best current solution appears to be sips of water every mile and slow chewing of sweets (no gels). I can also run half marathons without taking anything, but am obviously pretty dehydrated afterwards.

I have tried upping salt consumption and lowering it. I don't appear to be a salty sweater but mostly run in 25-30 degrees. I have tried Nuun, Heed and just water with salt tabs. I have tried upping and lowering liquid intake.

In HIM triathlons I have tried abandoning 'fake foods' entirely, using Fig newtons, pretzels etc without any luck.

I have no stomach issues otherwise. None in any event under 90 minutes. No food intolerance that I know of. No allergies.

I feel I have tried everything but if anyone has any idea (other than being genetically badly designed) for these types of events please let me know. It is also not just 'nerves' as the above also happens in training.

Thanks for any advice.
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