I am doing a half IM in July - I am trying to work out my nutrition stratagy. I have been trying SIS’s new caffine gels. One of my team mates has been told to take one every 30mins during long timetrials. Does this protocol apply to triathlons or is it best to use normal gels then start on the caffine ones later - as per slowmans starting on the coke after 10mile of the run in an IM?
Was planning on having a profile bottle on the front with energy drink + Nuun salt tablet and one bottle of water on the bike - then picking up what ever other hydration I need from the aid stations - currently using the same pruduct suppled during the race just in case.
Not sure if I should take some more solid food as well e.g. fig rolls, mars bar or nutrugrain bar.
If it helps any I think the race should probably take me around 4:30-4:40 base purely on what other teams have done who are of a simalar ability - though of course lack of experience could mean I end up taking much longer. I have been work on my swim pacing to finish the swim just under 34min. I rode a 50 mile TT last week on a slowish course in 2:04 after blowing up (think I should have been in around or just under the 2hr mark), really not to sure how long the run will take - my flat 10k or opening duathlon run times are generally high 30’s -e.g 38mins at cornerbrook last year.
Caffeine is like magic for me, I’ve used Gels during the last hour of 100 mile bike rides with success. I worry that if I start using them right away for a 4+ hour effort that I will eventually crash. So I am also curious if you can just keep the caffeine going for 4 to 12 hours nonstop without crashing?
My mates been told by his coach to take 8 during a 100mile TT all at 30min intervals - I think it is in 2 weeks time so maybe I will get a better idea then if it works
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The other question is which one to take, because they differ wildly in amount of caffeine. For example, the silver (latte, i think) clif shot is twice the caffeine of the mocha flavor. PowerBar gel also has one with 40mg and one with 80mg (or maybe 50 and 100, I can’t remember). These differences obviously alter any plan, if the main reason for the pacing is caffeine intake.
Boing, its a sample of one, but here is what I’ve used as my strategy for my 2 HIM’s so far this year…I went 4:45, 4:49…so you’re a bit faster than me (less time in the water, but more time on the bike). I’m 6’2", 190 lbs FWIW.
The only difference was my drink mix (at Cali I used InfinIT; at Baja I used CytoMax plus salt tablets)
On the bike, 5 GUs w/caffeine in a gel flask plus 2 bottle of drink mix (roughly 400 cals/btl). Spaced it out evenly by drinking out of the bottle and taking some GU every 20 minutes. Roughly 1300 calories in nearly 2.75 hrs, so about 400-450 cals/hr. Supplement with water as needed.
Once on the run, another GU flask (have it sitting in my shoe in transition so I don’t forget it), carry it in my hand during the run. Take a sip off the flask before every aid station where I get water. At the halfway point, start taking in Gatorade and water.
At Cali started on the cola at Mile 10, at baja, they didn’t have cola so that wasn’t an option.
Seems to work for me. Years ago, I used to eat solid food and always had stomach issues. Now I’m strictly on liquids and its working.
Boing,
I recently started to use caffeine in my training and racing. I am a caffeine hound and it was really missing in my racing. I had one bad experience with a bar that had caffeine in years ago and hadn’t tried since. I started to use the clif gel with 2x the caffeine. During a 24 hour adventure race, I take one every 3 hours. Have also been using them every 3 hours on my 100+ mile rides. It tastes like I am licking the bottle of a burnt coffee pot, but my stomach tolerates it and I just feel perky, no surge or jitters.
Whenever you decide to start, make sure to keep taking caffeine until the finish at regular intervals.
-C
For me personally - I always go for the 2x caffiene gels (when possible). It is important to keep a steady stream of caffiene going in once you start.
One thing to keep in mind—don’t ask me to quote the source because I don’t remember—is that the affect of caffeine on performance is closely related to normal caffeine intake. The author of the article concluded that athletes who use little to no caffeine in their day to day life/training will experience a greater performance benefit in races. The guy who drinks 10 cups of coffee a day probably won’t notice any difference, whereas if you don’t take in daily caffeine then it will help.
Chad
I say that because I just did it and it was stoooopid. Caffeine is a wonder drug, but it can mess you up. My race plan for the 101 was to start popping caffeine at mile 10-11 on the run. I was dragging, so I started early (mile 6). Initially, it gave me a nice boost. By mile 16 I was seeing spots and feeling dizzy. Now that was taking caffeine in tablet form, so probably stronger dose than your gels. I started too soon and took too much. Try it out on a hard training day or a C race to see how your body reacts. Caffeine can also dehydrate you, so you might need more fluids as a result.
Thanks - I have brought all the flavours of the sports drink that is supplied during the race and have been training on that over the last few weeks so that I am use to it. I also used it during the 50mile TT I did with a nuun tablet in it. Unfortunately I blow up quite badly but I think that was more a pacing problem. I returned to the race HQ which was 4 or 5 miles from the finish put on my running shoes and took an SIS smart gel (caffine gel). After the initial stiffness from being on the bike on the tri bar for almost the entire ride - I recovered to run fairly steadily for 45mins. So hopefully the gels will sit ok - I do have trouble with stomach cramps in the short races I do and have had trouble with acid reflux - so I guess it is worth trying the gels a bit more 1st.
I am not a huge caffine addict - being british I do drink tea (only when at work) - perhaps 2 or 3 mugs 5 times a week. Very occasionally I have a coke. I have also tried a few cans of Redbull before some timetrials as I keep getting given race promo cans.
You should take 5mg caffine per kg body weight. If you weight 70kg take 350mg caffine during the race. I usually take it in two portions, one in the beginning of the bike and one in the end. I take caffine pills and gels…
If you really want a little extra kick at the end, crunch a mouthful or two of starbucks chocolate covered expresso beans before a run. Never done it in a race, but my oh my was it good fun on a run or two…
