I am doing my first IM at Cozumel (see my related post about how to pace the IM run). An obvious component to all pacing / goal discussions is nutrition. I have serched on Slowtwitch for past answers to this question, so excuse me if it is repetitive, but how do folks carry their nutrition?
A couple initial thoughts: (1) sounds like I will need to ingest about 2500 calories, (2) those will be taken principally from a carbo-pro based beverage and gels, (3) i have tri shorts and shirt that have pockets to hold some amount of this stuff, (4) i don’t have one of those stealth XLAB pockets or something similar, (5) I don’t intend to use special needs bags unless I have to, (6) I like those powerbar blends, but they are bulky.
I am curious for comments to the above, but also:
Do many of you tape gels to the bike? I have noticed that, but clearly there is some aero give up. Is simple masking tape the best for that?
I watched a video of last years race, and a lot or pros had their belts with bibs on during the bike. Are they holding gels there? I use a Fuel Belt on runs, but it seemed non-aero for the bike
Does anybody ever get sick from all the gels? In running marathons, I have had some discomfort from all the sugar slooshing around in my stomach.
I have heard folks advise against using bananas or other foods available at the aid stations. Do people agree?
If I avoid the special needs area, how do I restock on the carbo pro? I intend to use two bottles–one with water and one with the mix. Should I just go super dense with the mix and chase it with water?
How inefficient are the special needs stations? If I have an ambitious time goal, is that just a big waste of time?
For what it’s worth, I know a lot of people who use a very concentrated bottle and chase with water to great effect. I would try it in training though because it does not work for everyone. Personally, I can’t stomach the concentrated shots. I use an xlab aero bento and cram that with gels. Start the race with a Torhans 30, loaded up with carbo pro/perform mix and when that’s done, I just grab water and perform from the course. I personally do like to snag my special needs bag since it usually has a second bottle filled with carbo pro/perform mix that I can quickly blast into my Torhans. You don’t have to stop usually. The voluneteers are often quite good at having your bag ready and passing it to you as you roll by but it is possible that you would have to make the quick stop. In my opinion, that is totally worth it through the course of a long day. Good luck!
I see a lot of ppl go with a downtube or seat tube bottle for nutrition, then have a BTA bottle, and maybe another bottle behind the seat. You could then have an aero bento box with your gels or other hard nutrition. Some ppl go with 4+ bottles, which is unnecessary, IMO. Just learn to get water on the go at every aid station.
In an IM, I go with two bottles, using one for concentrated nutrition and one for water. The water gets replaced on the go. I store emergency nutrition in the bento box. Simple and I don’t need to stop at special needs.
It sounds to me like you’re simultaneously trying to figure out what to consume and how to carry it on your bike. The first part can be decided through experimentation on your training rides. First figure out your recipe (taking into consideration what’s available on course) and then figure out the logistics required to execute it. If you don’t eat bananas during your training rides, certainly don’t eat bananas during the race. Personally, I like to keep it simple - 2 concentrated fuel bottles that I sip at a set frequency, and one water bottle that I drink at will and reload at the aid stations. This way I have total control over the precise amount of calories and electrolytes I’m consuming, all the while using my preferred brands. If gels are what work for you, I wouldn’t be too concerned about taping some of them to your top tube.
Lastly (and off topic), you might want to reconsider having an ambitious time goal for your first IM. What if it’s a really windy day that sucks :20 off your bike split, but you otherwise execute a solid race - would that disappoint you? Just food for thought. Good luck!
Keep it simple. If you have been training with gels, bars, or a concentrated mix, use that. Bring enough on the bike to last you to special needs, then refill and keep using. Carry the least amount with you on the bike. No need to carry 4 bottles. Take hand ups for water or perform. I use a bento box and jersey or tri short pockets to carry gels.
I don’t carry anything other than a single bottle of energy drink to get me out of T1, after that I rely entirely on the on-course nutrition. I’ve tried various brands of energy bars, gels and drinks, and as far as I can tell they’re all the same - they all taste pretty dreadful, and they all come stacked with the sugar I need to keep going. So I figure I may as well give myself one less thing to think and worry about on race day and in transition, as well as getting a bit more value for money out of my race fee. And if it makes me slightly more aero and lighter as well, that’s a bonus!
I gave up gels and solid foods due to GI issues and now go solely with concentrated Infinit, chased with water. 2 concentrated bottles on the bike (one on downtube, another BTS until it’s time to move it to the down tube), 1 concentrated hand bottle for the run. This worked perfectly for me at IMFL last weekend. I had been practicing this setup for a while, though.
I will mix up a bottle of Hammer Perpetuem - 1000 calories in one bottle. It’s fairly thick and although the flavor isn’t bad I can’t say the texture is awesome. I’ll sip from that, then take a sip of water to make sure it’s well washed down. When I run out of that, I also keep a bento box with 10 gels in it. Also my “water” bottle I’ll usually put Scratch or something like that in there for a few more calories.
I use bottles I don’t care about so when that 1000 calorie bottle is empty I will chuck it at the next aid station and grab a bottle of whatever they have to hand out.
For the run I use one of those number belts with a pouch so I can carry more gels there. I tend to try to be as self sufficient as possible, at least in terms of fuel so I don’t have to rely on aid station spacing when I need calories.
Edit: Perpetuem doesn’t work if it’s hot out - it will curdle… yeeccchhhh… If I am doing a “warm” race I make sure I use all of it first. If the race is going to be already hot by the time I get to my bike, well, I haven’t had to figure out that one yet.
I did my first IM at Chatt this year. I trained and raced wearing a bike jersey. I was able to stuff enough gels, granola, and baby food pouches (sweet potato) and spare tube, levers, Co2 on my back that I did not even need the special needs bag (although I did put extra food,tube, bottles, etc.). I had my bike jersey rolled up in my bike bag so all I had to do was put it on. The only thing on my bike was bottles (accelrade), and a can of pit stop. Some may disagree with loading up a bike jersey and the aero dynamics, but it was much easier than trying to fumble through pouches and drop things (which I have done many times before). Next IM or 70.3 I will begin to experiment with concentrated bottles, but real food always sat better in my stomach.
I use an xlab stealth pocket which holds a back-up gel and 2 bonk-breaker bars (i like something a little solid in the first hours of the bike). I also use a Hydrapak 150 soft-flask which I carry in a trisuit pocket. The soft-flask holds about 5 gels so no need for tearing them open on the fly. I use an xlab torpedo between the aerobars with Perform or whatever is being used on the course. Other than that I pull other all other nutrition from the course and just refill the bottle with the on-course sport drink or water. My flat kit is secured under the saddle. I only have a spare tube and CO2 in my special needs bag and won’t stop for that unless necessary. I have a pill bottle with some chamois cream in a trisuit pocket just in case.
+1. I train with the same nutrition they have on the course then just use the aid stations on the course and special needs. Lessons carrying weight and I can schedule pretty well. My two cents.
Train with what you will use on the course. Make sure you fuel on the bike, it will make the run easier. Trust your training. Race day is just a long brick workout, and have fun.
Do many of you tape gels to the bike? I have noticed that, but clearly there is some aero give up.
Lots of good questions. While we can’t claim total objectivity, there are some better and far more aero options over taping stuff to your top tube. We think it is kinda crazy to spend big bucks on a sweet aero frame and a super aero wheelset and lose all of that with a train of taped gels on your top tube. Some photos of a few better storage options:
