So a group of my friends and I are all doing IMAZ this weekend and on our last group ride Saturday we found out that one of our friends is going thru the day on water, salt tabs, gels and sport beans. With the temps looking like they’ll be at or near 90 we think this has the makings of a serious BONK inside the first 10 miles of the run…
My question is, what does everyone else think?
Why would that cause him to bonk if he is getting the proper amount of calories / hour along with the water? If he paces it correctly he should be fine.
Each gel is 100 calories. Eat 3 / hour with water and you are good to go.
Crap. He’ll do just fine.
What do you think is the problem with his nutrition strategy?
My plan includes only water, salt tabs, and gel.
What are you using?
that sounds like a pretty solid nutrition plan as long as he’s getting enough fluids (water) and electrolytes (salt tabs)…I think you should go read the thread “Are most making Ironman harder than it is…”
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The problem I see with the strategy (knowing my friend) is that he doesn’t carry anything in his jersey and how many gels & sport beans can you fit in a bento box? Couple that with the fact that I’ve never seen him take in 3 gels an hour on any training ride seems to be a receipe to disaster.
I hope I’m wrong, but with the way that he goes “camel” (little water and supplements) just seems like it might cause some trouble…
Tell him to start with one of these in his cage and make sure it is mostly gone when he gets off the bike:
3 gels an hour for 6 hours (i know the guy doing this so he will be out there 6+) just punch me in the nuts now that is going to suck.
I think he will be alright, going to have to drink a lot more then normal and he might run into a gut issue taking in that many gels, i would.
He is a little bit of a freak of nature type of guy so who knows.
I don’t see a problem if that’s how they’ve trained for it. I did IMNZ recently on one concentrated bottle of perpeteum on the bike (got water for my other bottle from the aid stations) and gels+water from the aid stations every half hour or so on the run. I carried salt tabs just in case but didn’t need them.
You are mixing two different things: a plan & then its execution.
In addition, with all the food available @ IM aid station, you simply cannot die of hunger or dehydratation unless you are on hunger strike…
Fred.
Have trained that way for the past 8 months here in Houston. Gut cannot tolerate Gator Ade. As long as you take the water and salt tabs with adequate calories should be OK.
Plenty of food on the course. Long as he executes the plan that is the key.
The problem I see with the strategy (knowing my friend) is that he doesn’t carry anything in his jersey and how many gels & sport beans can you fit in a bento box? Couple that with the fact that I’ve never seen him take in 3 gels an hour on any training ride seems to be a receipe to disaster.
I hope I’m wrong, but with the way that he goes “camel” (little water and supplements) just seems like it might cause some trouble…
They give you gels on the course. Bike and Run. Maybe your friend knows more about the race than you think he does.
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As a “friend”, perhaps you should have a “frank” discussion with him and let him know your concerns
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why would he bonk? if he planned it in training, you dont need gatorade.
If you were concerned why didnt you bring this up before? was he ok on training rides?
Its awful when people start questioning others before the IM, its stressful enough without second guessing yourself. Waiting til a few days before the race to mention something not cool. Why freak him out?
what’s wrong with that? You’ve pretty much described what I’ve used at 7 IM’s. Except, instead of sport beans I use starburst candy.
oh, a good suggestion you might want to give your friend is to mix the powergels (if that is what he/she uses…not sure how well it works with other brands) with water in a water bottle. I typically mix two large water bottles with 12 gels and water. It makes it (a) easier to get the calories in as you have no packets to fumble around with, and (b) makes it less harsh on the stomach.
Are you worried that he’ll beat you?
Perhaps Normann can answer. He seems to have pretty good success simply using the stuff on the course. IIRC, he has a bunch of power gels provided from the couse.
Seriously, either your friend’s nutrition plan is going to work or it is not. If he has done it in training, then he should know what he is doing. The last thing you need to do is to attempt to have some intervention a few days before the race.
Good old water, is perhaps the most under-rated performance aid out there. While many are stressing about calories, fancy and funky mixtures, gels, bars and everything else, the most basic thing you need all day long at an IM comes out of a tap and is free - water.
Damn, I forgot that the favorite pastime on this board is jumping to conclusions.
No, I am not afraid that he’ll beat me. Frankly, I don’t really give a flying f*ck at a rolling bottle where I finish. I’m looking to finish, finish as strong as I can and have a much of a good time as possible.
This has been brought up around him, well before this stage, and no I have not (nor do I have any intentions of) brought this up in the last couple of days. He isn’t a “friend”, he’s one of my oldest friends and college roommates. My question for this post was because I have talked to him to see what other people might have thought about it.
As I said the reason I was worried about him bonking isn’t because he can’t take in the quanitity of calories, it’s because the way he’s trained he hasn’t taken them in those quantities. He is a total freak of nature (in a good way) but I was curious to hear from those who have obviously completed more of these than I have as to what this might do. Apparently it is a very valid strategy that many have used/currently use. I am sufficiently chastised and corrected. Thank you for the information, I appreciate the helpful posts.
It isn’t catty or trying to sabotage him in the week before. Idle curiosity on my part as to what the “geniuses” here on ST might think… (and in some cases I use the term VERY loosely).