I used that method in a HIM distance race last year on the bike and it works ok but as you guessed it does not taste all that great. I made double batch of Sustained Energy and grabbed water on the course and would drink some SE and then chase with water. What made it worse was it was in the 90s so by the end it was rough to drink. ( I also added some Gatorade from the course toward the end). The trick is you have to get over the taste or you will be tempted to not drink it.

10 scoops of Carbo Pro per bottle - into two bottles - gave 2600 calories

Both bottles kept in the refigerator overnight - one bottle per half of the IM ride (every 56 miles)

Tasted a little bland - but provides all the fuel I for the bike section - no stomach complaints - no bonking

Train on anything you plan to use before racing on it though

I used 2 bottles of Perptuem (8 scoops perpetuem + 2 gel pkgs + 2 scoops endurolytes = 1200 calories/bottle. Took one on the bike & had the other at special needs. This was about the right amount of calories for me (I didn't finish either bottle). Your calorie needs may vary somewhat from this. Definitely test in training.

-Tim

Post: 10 scoops of Carbo Pro per bottle - into two bottles - gave 2600 calories

Both bottles kept in the refigerator overnight - one bottle per half of the IM ride (every 56 miles)

Tasted a little bland - but provides all the fuel I for the bike section - no stomach complaints - no bonking

I do the same thing except I add one scoop of Cytomax (Peachy Keen) for a little flavor and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. What I like about this mixture is that even when it gets warm during a IM I can still tolerate it. I just grab a bottle of water at each aid station to wash down the mixture. I sometimes take one gel per hour along with my Carbo Pro.

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18x Ironman, 3x Hawaii
US Army (Ret.), Vietnam Vet ('71-'72)

Last weekend, did a Half in which I mixed triple strength Gatorade. Was a bit strong to taste but got over it. Caution here: If you do this, do NOT miss/drop water bottle hand offs. I did this and was hosed for 20 mi until the next station. Luckily it was cool and wasn't dehydrated.

At Lake Placid in 2003 I mixed my Perpetuem into a paste and carried it in gel flasks. 2 full flasks per half plus water from the course. I also flavored it and upped the calories with Orange Hammer Gel. It worked very well for me.

In my last half-IM I mixed a triple strength bottle of InfinIT and chased with water which has been my best ride/race nutritionally overall. Without the protein, the InfinIT is still tolerable when it gets warm. I can't say the same about the Perpetuem.

super strength Perpetuem in a bottle. I've gone 6x strength for 1600 calories or so. Perpetuem tastes a lot better warm than Sustained Energy and doesn't seem to spoil as fast. Plus it has a better electrolyte blend

I mix the Hammer Gel with water. I played around with it a few times to get the ratio I found palatable.

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Awww, Katy's not all THAT evil. Only slightly evil. In a good way. - JasoninHalifax

For the last couple years I've been racing IM distance with somewhat homemade concentrated drink (one bottle on the frame in T1 and one at special needs) combined with water from aide stations, no solid foods during the race. The homebrew is made from two cans of defizzed Red Bull and 6 gels in each water bottle (Vanilla PowerGel is the best taste combo for me). I'd guess it's 800+ calories per bottle but very paletable. You just have to remember to shake the bottle a bit before you take a swig (just inverting it once works) It often seems that the gels completely dissolved but the bottom of the bottle is a little more viscous, inverting just assures come consistency from mixing.

You can also take the same drink, mix in some Vodka and dance all night at your next rave without bonking. Great stuff.