I need advice.
I did one ironman last year and trained with gatorade endurance all season (powder form) thinking that would suffice for ironman race. Race day comes, the course gatorade is premade in the bottle (so probably more corn syrup, etc) and I was having acid reflux on the bike that drinking water did help water it down (never had acid reflux during training). On the run, I had felt like I was going to lose my bowels throughout the first half of the marathon which limited how well I can run (constantly going to the portapotty). I’m trying to figure out how to limit this from happening in my ironman race this year. Do I eat more binding foods (spring energy apple sauce gels and bananas?). I really don’t want to worry about bring my own nutrition (prefer to use gatorade endurance for simplicity).
Some great tips so far. I think you might offer a bit more detail about your race. For instance, was it hot? Did you go harder than your intended power target on the bike or start too fast on the run? Just a bit too much intensity on a hot day can cause GI distress, regardless of your nutrition.
I would also add that the ‘when’ of your nutrition plan is almost as important as the ‘what’. If you start too late, it almost doesn’t matter what you consume because you may already be in a hole you can’t get out of. My understanding is that you want to take in nutrition at a steady pace and to be sure you’re getting it early in the bike. Do you have a BTA? A BTA is so much better for me because with a straw right next to my face I take a sip or two every ten minutes. I never really lose track of time and forget to drink. If I had to reach for a bottle each time I wanted something, I’d do it less often and gulp it down, which might cause problems with sugar overload.
Along those lines, if you take gels of any kind, be sure to drink them with water rather than Gatorade. You don’t want to flood your stomach with sugar.
My experience is that you just cannot practice your nutrition enough in training. I do most of my training indoors, even long rides, and one of the advantages is that it is easier to practice nutrition when you’re not bumping down a road at 20 mph. For my first IM, I kept a spreadsheet and detailed notes for each of my long rides. I practiced and adjusted, practiced and adjusted, over and over. Once I had it dialed in, then I performed it outside because I’ve found that it is never as easy as I expect to stick to my plan during a race. Refilling the BTA on the fly, keeping track of the plan, remembering to drink early and often-- these are skills that are gained or refined through practice.
FWIW, I’m 136 pounds and for an IM I eventually settled on an hourly intake of 90 g. carbohydrates, 800 mg sodium and 25-30 oz. liquid. I take it in via a mix of Infinit, Gatorade Endurance, Maurten Gels, and Base salt. I start out with a couple of bottles of Infinit plus my gels and then switch to on-course Gatorade Endurance after my Infinit is finished. I prefer liquid because I feel it puts less stress on my digestive system.
Finally, as others mentioned, your nutrition leading into the race is important. Starting 2-3 days before the race I cut way back on fiber. The day or two before I add extra salt. The day before I have a large, carb-heavy breakfast and then pretty much a normal lunch and dinner in terms of proportion. Those meals consist of a mix of low fat protein and carbs. I don’t have a huge breakfast the morning of the race-- bagel, yogurt, and a banana with coffee. While I’m waiting for the race to start I sip on Gatorade and take a gel with water about 45 minutes before it starts. And, of course, I make sure to stay hydrated in the days leading up to the race.