If your bike has 2 spots for water bottles and both are filled with a sports drink what do you use to wash down your gels?
In olympic events there is usually a water station at the 12 mile mark…is this when you take your gel when you get a replacement water bottle? It seems like this would be a little late in the event if it takes you just under 3:00 hours to complete the tri.
Do any of you guys take a gel before the swim? If not how about when you get out of the water before you get on your bike?
You could add an aero bottle, or behind the seat sytem to add capacity. Personally I feel two bottles of sports drink for an olympic bike distace would be overkill. I go with one sports drink and one water. I’ll take a gel about 10-15 minutes into the bike and have a second one in case I feel I need it towards the finish, but usually not until I’m running.
I suppose it could be different under really hot and humid conditions, but with 24 oz bottles you still should have more then enough fluid for an oly bike course.
I know lot’s of folks who take a gel right before the swim. I tried it once and it upset my stomach, so haven’t done it since. As with everything, try it in training first.
Everyone has a thing that works for them, but this is what works for me.
I don’t eat too much before the race. About 2-3 hours before the race, I’ll have some cold pasta, some bread and fruit. Watered down Gatorade too. About 30-45 minutes before the race, I’ll take down a little bit of gatordate slowly and maybe like half of a gelpack(depends if I feel I have enough in me). Race goes, hopefully I’m out of the water in about 20 minutes for Olympic Distance. Once I on the bike and everythings set to hammer, I take a swig of water right there. After 15 minutes, I’ll take a swig of water then a swig of Gatorade from my other water bottle. After 20 minutes after I started the bike, I’ll rip off a gelpack that is taped on my stem and put the wrapper in my pocket. I’m friendly to the enviroment. =) I’ll keep repeating those two things until I come in off of the bike which is hopefully around 1:05 later. So, I’ll drink 4 times and gel pack 3 times. So, I’m running now. I only take water at the aid stations and have a gell pack in my pocket just incase I bonk. Race ends and I go get a nice long massage. =)
Hope this helps. Good luck!
PS: I wouldn’t recommend just a sports drink for the entire race. Watered down gatorade or a bottle of each works for many people I know.