Do yourself a favor and check out www.infinitnutrition.com. Leave the grocery store at home.

---

Andy

'You'd be surprised how many people violate this simple principle every day of their lives and try to fit square pegs into round holes, ignoring the clear reality that Thinsg Are As They Are.'

Endurox has branched chain amino acids, I believe. These cause stomach problems for a lot of people. Endurox isn't really made for consumption during activity - it's a recovery drink.

For Hydration-My personal favorite is Extran along with Enduralites. One concentrate bottle and an Aero bottle to add water from the course.

For Fuel I use Perpetuem mixed super thick into a flask. Two flasks for the bike, two for the run. Lots of water from the course.

-Andrew

---

Ban Wetsuits !! Wetsuitsareforwimps.org/net/gov

jhendric is right about Endurox - be careful on using it DURING an IM!

WineTrader67 is more in my camp, using Perpetuem. To this I would add to begin the bike with something else, and to my taste this is H.E.E.D. Part of the reason for this is simply the aspect of variety - to my mind (and stomach) it's a very loonnngggg day to be stuck with one fuel source. In fact, at IMLP last year I used primarily H.E.E.D., and to a lesser extent Accelerade, on the first bike loop, then picked up a bottle of Perpetuem from my special needs bag. On the run I set off with a flask of perpetupaste - 3 scoops Perpetuem + 1/4 cup water - in a flask, and not only is this a superb fuel source, but it is also very different from gels (Lava and Hammer for me), which I also carried with me.

For Endurox, Accelerade, and Perpetuem, mix them the-morning-of, especially if it is going to be a warm day. If you haven't learned this the hard way already, the protein in these products can get nasty in the heat, and putrified protein drink is about the last thing in the world you want to ingest during - or after - an IM.

Happy swilling!

I'm amazed at people who even attempt to drink anything than "on course" liquids. Simply too many problems:

1) Too high of heat - drink gets warm, raised body temp

2) Drop a water bottle...do you go back and pick it up?

3) Special needs bag gets lost...do you just quit the race at mile 56?

I'm unsure of the drink at IMNZ, but what's wrong with working with that and water?

I've watched MANY of nutrition sponsored riders use on course nutrition in place of their "preferred" choice. How many names do you want?

On the other hand...I certainly understand that on-course liquids aren't always the best for many competitors needs, but you have the option to tailor your training NOW rather than gamble on race day.

For me...a bottle of Gatorade at every stop and new H20 at every other stop.

On-course enrgy drinks are one of the most unpredictable commodities known to man. Sometimes they are 90% water, sometimes 90% concentrated whatever-it-might-be. Even if I trained with factory-packaged Gatorade, there is no guarantee that what I drink on the course has any true similarity to that with which I have trained. At least at the outset, I would rather have more control of my destiny and take with me what I can rely upon. (A course with plentiful aid stations allows one to start with little water, maybe just 1/2 a bottle.)

As for your question about whether I would go back for a dropped bottle, the answer is.......possibly. In a long race, maybe 1/2iron and definitely full iron, I would stop and retrieve as long as it wasn't dangerous or hugely impractical (for example, while swooping down the descent to Keene at IMLP). I operate under the notion that if it is important enough for me to bother carrying, it is important enough to retrieve in the event of launching or fumbling.

"On-course enrgy drinks are one of the most unpredictable commodities known to man. Sometimes they are 90% water, sometimes 90% concentrated"

Gatorade bottles are unpredictable? I'm not sure I understand your statement. Are you saying that Gatorade's manufacturing is flawed? IMNA events use pre-packaged Gatorade/beverages, not concentrate. Although sometime do use knock-off colas.....

What does everybody like best for Ironman drink choices?

Jack Daniels. Or sterno. At a hundred or so miles into the race, just about all those high speed-low drag drinks taste about like Jack or sterno to me, anyway :-))

Tony

The rep I met said they were exactly the same formula, just the Accellerade was 50% strength of Endurox...

---

----------
"...it should be swim, bike, run, cage fight." - el fuser
"I noticed that I am in your sig line! Wow! That's s first for me. Thanks." - Fleck

I've used Pro4 extensively in NZ.
It's a great product, no simple sugars, good electrolyte profile.
The pro4 bars are by far the best tasting bar (IMO), they are like oatmeal (but tastier)!
The gel lyte available on the run is great.. almost liquid for easy ingestion.

The on-course support is excellent. Bars, bananas, pro4 drink (only one flavor I think?), water, etc.
run stations have lots of goodies and coke too.

Bring your Hammergel for some different taste, leave the rest of your drink mix at home.

Seriously, PRO4 is awesome.

Perhaps I should have looked at the site before my response...

Looks like Pro4!!! Yep, go buy some of that quick and train with it, although perhaps a bit too late to be (re) thinking the nutrition.....





Q) What fluid and nutrition will be supplied on course?

A) Bike Support Stations

Liquids - PRO4 Energy & Electrolyte drink, water, Coke is available at the last bike support station

Solids - PRO4 Energy Gel, PRO4 Energy Gel-Lite, PRO4 Energy Bar, Bananas, orange segments, cookies

Run Support Station

Liquids - PRO4 Energy & Electrolyte drink, water, Coke

Solids - PRO4 Energy Gel, PRO4 Energy Gel-Lite, PRO4 Energy Bar, Bananas, Orange segments, cookies, Mars chocolate bars, Eta potato chips

I used Gu2o mixed with Carbo-Pro, and Gu (offered on course) for calories. For liquid I used Gatorade and water (it was offered on course). I also trained with all that most of the year to prevent any "surprises"

I chose Gu2o because it tasted good. Eventially everything tastes like ass during an IM so get something you like.

Whatever you choose, TRAIN WITH IT!!!!!

You dont want to find out it doesnt work raceday.

Gatorade - It's on the course at every North American Ironman - You can pick it up anywhere for training. The product on the courses is ready to drink and not mixed, so you know it is the same as what you have trained on for the race. Lemon-Lime on the bike and Orange on the run. Z