Looking for change in my liquid fuel. Currently with IM Preform but having some distress with it. Have used Hammer gels for a year or so now and love them and they seem to work well for me. I just don’t think gels alone will cut it for my upcoming 70.3 as I may lack sufficient electrolytes at a rate of 3 gels/hr.
I know they have Heed, Sustained Energy and Perpetuem. Looking for any experience / input on which may be best or benefits of each. Do they mix well at higher concentrations? Looking to mix one bottle for entire bike supplemented with gels every :30 or so and 1 bar - so bottle will need to be around 400-450 cal.
Get the single serve packets and test it out while training before you use it. You might not tolerate or like the protein in SE or Perpetuem. Heed is good but some people don’t take it well due to some of the ingredients in it (like Xylitol, I think).
During a 70.3 on the bike, I use the gels, chop up some hammer bars, and mix Endurolytes tabs with regular Powerade. I also use Endurolytes caps, since I sweat heavy and lose a lot of salt. On the run, endurolytes capsules, maybe a gel, and pretzels or Coke if needed.
Some people don’t use any protein containing drinks for a 70.3.
There is some useful information on previous threads, too.
Whatever you do, go get some samples and test long before race day!
Heed works well with me. When I first started it I had GI issues but over time my stomach got used to it.
May want to consider maxing out your drinks at 300 cals a bottle. The more you put in the bottle the more strong the drink is and can wreck a person stomach issues unless they can really take on a lot of calories, per sip, well.
Heed is kind of weird. Liquid food that looks like electrolyte but it isn’t. And doesn’t feel like food either. For 70.3 bike leg I use one bottle of perpetuem and make it last the entire race. And one bottle of Endurolyte fizz and I exchange it for water or Perform or Gatorade if it runs out. Plus Hammer gel every 30-40 minutes or so. Whatever they have on the course for the run.
I’ve had good luck with Perpetuam as primary fuel source on the bike with their endurolyte capsules at both HIM and IM distances. Run consist of Perpetuam solids + some gels to mix it up + endurolytes.
Give Perpetuem a try. I have used it for 8 years. For my (rare) efforts over 3 hours, 400 cal in a bottle is great, along with a couple gels, water bottle & maybe a 3rd bottle of dilluted Gatorade (blasphemy!). Ice Perp big time, its nasty when it gets warm. Its also nasty when its too concentrated, no more than 400-500 cal in a bottle, IMO. I like G2 Gatorade more than Heed, so I have been known to use both Perp & Gatorade on the same ride and my stomach has not exploded yet …
I have found that 3 scoops (300 calories) of Heed in a 24oz bottle works well for me. I take 2 bottles during the bike of a 70.3 and then have a gel for a total of 700 calories. One the run I stick with Heed, 1 scope per 8oz bottle for a total of 200 calories. I take a gel about 15’ before the swim. Total calories for a 70.3 is about 1000 calories and I never feel lacking or bloated. For what it’s worth I’m about 70kg. Because I use Heed I don’t really need to take Endurolytes unless it’s really hot.
No, I have done some testing at the 1000ish mg / hr rate. I was testing cocentrated Preform (800 cal bottle which was 11 scoops) and hoping to just hit off that 3 x hr and supplement with water - hoping not to mess with gels etc. It did not work out so well and had some severe cramping and had to kill it half way through a 3 hr ride.
Here’s me (doesn’t necessarily mean will work for you):
300 cal Perpetuem breaky ~2.5 hours from start.
Lost a bit of water on the swim so sip water only for first 15-20 min on bike.
Drink from Perp mutli-hour bottle according to your desired concentration. Abandon for straight water the last 30 min prior to T2 o ensure clear stomach for the run.
Alternate Heed and water on run. Keep calories under ~100/hr to avoid stomach distress.
Just did steelhead yesterday and used perpetuem as my primary nutrition on the bike. Mixed three scoops in a 24oz bottle. Just sipped on it every 20 minutes or so. In training I had some stomach cramping with it, spoke to the folks at Hammer and they said I was likely consuming too much. They indicated overconsuming was far Mre difficult to recover from than underconsuming. Started sipping it rather than taking full drinks and the cramping went away. No stomach issues in the race for me and I only consumed half the bottle. Drank water with every shot of perp. On the run I went water only with some salt tab’s until mile 7ish the hit the coke. Race went well.
I use hammer perpetuem tabs, endurolytes, and gels.
With perpetuem powder, i used it during IMKY in 2010 and was repulsed by it b/c it got so warm during the ride. I have not been able to stomach it since then. The tabs are great, though, and i just take a sip of water to help it go down easily. Three tabs = 100 calories.
I’d also like to add that, for me, the tabs are more convenient that having a bottle only for liquid nutrition. I pop one every 20 mins along with a gel every 30 and I’m good to go.
Honestly, if you haven’t tried the tabs, give them a shot.
If electrolytes are your concern, Hammer makes the Endurolyte Powder that you can mix with anything.
If electrolytes are your concern, use an alternate product as Hammer Nutrition’s lineup contains the LOWEST amount of electrolytes of virtually any of the primary manufacturers.