I’m about 8 weeks away from my first 1/2 IM (1/2 max in STL). I know you need to test nutrition before the race. I have never done anything more sophisticatred than gels (I Like GU), gatorade and H2O for races. I was planning to try Hammer Gel’s, Sustained Energy and E-Caps – but have yet to try any of these products. Am I too late to experiment with this. And if I’m too late or they don’t work, what would be a good mix of nutrition to try using GU as the Gel?
NOTE: I have a very tolerant GI system that pretty much handles anything, but I’ve never done these distances before
My advice: keep the nutrition simple, stay with what is already proven, when you change/add, do so slowly over time… this has a context of course… it aint pretty :).
You can do the 1/2 on gu or Gatorade. I would not mix the two, or if you chose to do both, give yourself some time between them, taken together you might have to much solute in the gut which will cause digestive and absorbtion problems. Chase gu only with water. This will be the first 1/2 Max, by all reports a fine outfit, but things happen, boxes don’t get where they belong, supplies run out. Something to think about. I’ll be there too, thanks for the 8 week reminder!