I've used it in 2 or 3 ironmans in my run special needs bag, and once in a slightly shorter (but bike-heavy) triathlon in my bike special needs bag.

Haven't used it in any standalone running races.

I've felt like it's been fantastic each time I've used it; it's gotten me another half hour down the road before something else goes pear-shaped. I don't think it was ever my specific intention to guzzle from it like a monkey triumphantly cracking into a coconut, but a good long race plan needs to account for the possibility of going off-plan, and sometimes a cattle prod to your motor cortex seems like the right thing to do.

tl;dr It's the "break glass in case of emergency" item in my special needs bag.

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Eliot
blog thing - strava thing

Its very very good. For the run part of the IM, I rely on red bull and coke, top it off with water.

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Endurance coach | Physiotherapist (primary care) | Bikefitter | Swede

Redbull reminds me too much of the liters of vodka redbull I used to drink in college so I only stick to coke during long runs and it’s pure liquid gold.

When I was in my mid 20s and racing triathlon, I pretty much lived on Monster low-carb... 1-2 cans a day. So it was very normal for me to drink 1 before the race started, and usually have access to one in transition (flat, in a regular bottle) if I felt I’d need it for the run. (This is all 70.3). For the only IM I did, I had it in my special needs run bag, but I’d be lying if I said I had any recollection as to whether or not I used it.

My general feedback, like pretty much everything else in this sport - TRAIN WITH IT. Don’t try it new on race day. I could religiously chug one in the middle of my Sat/Sun long ride and have zero intestinal problems. Or right before I went out on a run. Would I recommend this now? Depends. Would I do this now (in my early 30s? Almost certainly not. But, to each his own.

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@adamwfurlong

If it is on course nutrition late in a 70.3 or IM race and you need a perk up then I may go a cup but beyond that I wouldn't be going there.

ONLY time I've ever used it was the 2nd run for AmZof Long Course, and maybe 3rd run for the F1 format race there.

It felt like it worked like voodoo magic - real, noticeable pick-me-up.

I also happened to use it for a mtb race yesterday, since I was nearly out of Infinit, so I mixed Red Bull into it instead of water, along with a crapton of ice cubes.
Other than getting a bit fizzy for a while (I wasn't planning on this at all, just a last minute decision before leaving for the race in the am), it was fine.

But, like with all things nutrition - YMMV.
Try it in training first, before using it in a race.

Example - a LOT of people swear by de-fizzed Coke for the IM run.
It did NOT work for me in a HIM run (was in "break glass in case of emergency" mode, willing to try anything) and I also tried it in training, and was a bust there (for me) too.

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float , hammer , and jog

Never in a tri but plenty of long rides have a cranberry redbull at a stop. The cranberry adds a little tartness to the flavor that keeps it from being too sweet.

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Pactimo brand ambassador, ask me about promo codes

I used Red bull on the Ironman bike and run courses with no problem. That being said I drank one before a sprint race and had my first in water panic attack in over 20 years of racing. Thought I was going to have a heart attack. Treaded water for a couple of minutes to settle down. Finished the race and had a pretty good time, but I won't be doing red bull before a swim anymore.