I’d be interested in some feedback from people who have used carbo pro as thier main source of nutrition for Ironman, Thanks
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Me and all the folks I work with use it. Have had good success with it.
The high molecular weight carbohydrates are absolutely the way to go for calories. Very easy to get in and absorb, less of a problem with bloating.
That is as along as you are not being silly, if you are riding at your lt or ftp, then you won’t be able to get in a whole lot of anything.
I have been a CarboPro user for the last two IM races (and training). Like the 2nd poster, I switched per my coach because of bloating issues. I mix 4 scoops of carbopro, 3/4 scoop accelerade (for taste and a little protein) and 3-4 salt stick caps per bottle (depending on heat/humidity). I start my bike with 2 bottles (250 cal per hour for 4 hours) and grab water as needed.
I have always used the available gatorade, etc therafter. However, in the future, I will be one of the fuel belt guys on the run course. I just couldn’t stomach the gatorade and coke - got bloated - didn’t get enough calories down.
CarboPro is the cat’s ass. I love it.
Carbo Pro is good for me, but this as with anything varies with individual. Testing it thoroughly on your 5hr+ race sim rides, under the weather conditions you expect to race in, will be more accurate way to assess that trusting the experience of others…
Used it for my only IM as my body doesn’t like to take any solid foods during exercise. Worked great - had energy to burn all day long, but took me quite a bit of practice to get the whole process down to a science for me. Give yourself lots of practice time in training! Oh, and if you want to use the same stuff but save yourself lots of money, get Maltodextrin from a health food store. That’s what I used, at about 1/10 the price (same stuff).
I started using it in 2002 as my main source of fuel for Ironmans. I usually put in 4 scoops of carbopro and 2 scoops of endurox in two bottles for the bike. Has worked well for me. I do eat clif bars as well the first few hours of the bike ride. I just use water for hydration and salt tablets for my salt intake.
I’ve been using it for years, and it is the one thing that has stayed constant with me. I even mix a waterbottle with 200 cals of it to drink as I leave T2 to get some quick fuel in for the run. Great stuff, and never any distress with it.
I did this by making a super-viscous (dissolve as much carbo-pro into that bottle as you can…its fun!), solution in one bottle on my bike and taking water at the hand-offs and using enduralytes and other maltodextrin based chews. That was my nutrition plan. I froze two super strong bottles of it and used them in special needs - - the bike one was nice and slushy when I picked it up (very refreshing) and the run one was actually still cool when I got it - - I ran with it in my hand for awhile and discarded it while in an aid-station zone.
I only started touching the simple sugars (flat coke / gatorate) around mile 20 of the run. Not before. No GI issues during the race - - - it’s the way to go. The simple sugars are the problem for most folks…
I refuse to haul a fuel belt around a course so I went with maltodextrin-based chews (I think it was LLuna moons), enduralytes and water until I could get to my run special needs. I think the key to a successful nutrition plan is to keep it simple. When I hear about the variety of stuff people shove down their gullets in a single race I think “no wonder they got sick - - I’m sick just hearing about it.” FWIW I’m female which is an advantage for nutrition planning in distance racing…since I need fewer calories than men who weigh a bit more than me. I would think that there are guys out there though who could do something similar with some success though depending on their weight…
I used it for IM this year and was pretty pleased with it. I made two concentrated bottles with a combo of Carbo and Gu2o (one on board and one in special needs). Sooooo much better than my disastrous experiences with Perpeteum.
Mix Carbo Pro with gatorade. Worked well for past two IM. Sometimes I will take in several bites of a Cliff or Marathon Bar on the bike, but almost all liquid on the bike.
I have used it in my two IM and havent had a problem yet. I mix 2 scoops per bottle with Gatorade. I take two bottles with me and put two in my special needs bike bag. Also depending on what I feel like I pick up some Gatorade Endurance or water or both on the course. I take all fluids no solids on the bike and mostly solids on the run. From what I have heard from others that seems to be opposite of what most do.
I’ve used CP as the primary fuel source for all of my IM races (and all of the associated training). I’ve put as much as 2000 cals in a single bottle (not recommended, it’s pretty thick). Lately I’ve been mixing a 75/25% ratio of CP and gatorade endurance powder, but I may scrap that and go all CP. I try for 300-325 cals/hour on the bike. I start the ride with 6 hours worth of CP mixed in two bottles (~900 cals/bottle). I have water in the third cage on my bike, and just replenish that throughout the ride. Now if I could just figure out how to run…
-Colin
Maltodextrin is also available from homebrew stores,
here’s a guy on the east coast. Carbo pro comes in 3 lb jugs, 6 of the packes on this page plus shipping is probably under $12.
I’ve used it for my last 6 IMs on the bike with good success. I add a scoop of Cytomax for flavoring plus some sodium. Take two swigs every 15 minutes and chase it with water. Also had a Payday candy bar at the half way point.
Another thumbs up for Carbo Pro as IM nutrition drink. As some have posted, it is tasteless so it is very mixable (Accelerade, Endurox, Cytomax,Gatorade, etc…even with just water). Try it out.
I have also used Carbo Pro for my last few ironmans. I mix a large bottle to about 1100-1200 calories and add a nuun tablet for a little taste. I keep this bottle on the frame so it cannot be launched. I then use and aero bottle on my bars that I fill with water from the aid stations for hydration and to chase the carbopro with. If it is hot I will alternate gatorade and water in my aerobottle.
This keeps my nutrition and hydration very simple. I just take small sips of the carbo pro every 20 minutes or so, followed by some water from the aerobottle. I aim to be finished with the carbo pro by about mile 100.
I use it personally either as 2 scoops per bottle or concentrated and dilute it with water during the race. Putting a nunn tablet in the mix gives it a bit of flavor. Never had any GI issues for the last 4 races. I had all our athletes use it as well in the IM, again no issues…of course you need to supplement with salt tabs as it has none. I use succeed due to my highr than nml sodium loss. Best of luck, Mike
If you are talking about using carbo pro for the bike portion of the race?? I used it for a few races but got tired of either carrying electrolyte tabs or mixing up something I hoped would work. Try First Endurance’ (EFS Electrolyte fuel system), no fussing and the stuff works!!