Hi,
I have done some 70.3 Ironman and I have always been ok with just EFS + Gu for bike and banana + Gu during the run.
This year I am doing full distance and I am seriously thinking about adding some real foods as I get hungry easily and all those sweet liquids are a little overwhelm.
I have heard some people put sandwich in the special need bag and I was thinking about putting cold pizza or chicken nuggets.
For those athletes who had taken real food during the race, I was curious what type of real food you take and how do you preserve it in case the weather runs hot.
cheers,
Ironman is not about enjoying the calories you consume during the day. It’s about fuelling your body so you can get to the finish line as fast as possible.
In the past, I’ve tried all manner of options (mainly in training, but some in races) and for me (as MOP guy) I have found that 30-40 unflavoured Leppin gels and water, works best for me on race day.
I save real food for the finish line. Once I cross the line, I like my wife to hand me a triple cheeseburger, salty fries and a giant strawberry shake. After that, it’s back to the hotel for a couple of rum ‘n’ cokes and a wee lie down.
If you are craving real food, suck down a gel, go faster and get to the finish line for your reward
I haven’t tried real food, but I eat two Power Bars with a couple gels for the first 56 miles, restock my bento box at special needs, then eat two Bonk Breakers with a gel or three during the second half. Keeps me satiated and fueled for the run with no gastro issues so far.
I had a tri-tip sandwich and a miller lite that some frat boys were handing out around mile 16 of the marathon during IMLOU. But I have an iron stomach. I could probably eat a full adult sized lasagne and a gallon of ice cream before the swim and still not puke during the race. Never getting nauseous and being able to consume calories is my main triathlon talent.
I had my Ironman nutrition set up with liquid calories and Gu gels and thought everything would be great. About 110k into the bike my stomach was growling for real food that I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I grabbed a banana and a honey stinger waffle at the next aid stations and that made all the difference. On the bike since then I have always had some solid food but on the run only liquid and gels.
In all seriousness, I’ve never had anything solid other than some pretzels, a bite of banana and some candy but I’ve heard of people eating uncrustables. I actually had one in my SNB but the thought of chewing, swallowing and digesting anything solid made my stomach hurt just t the thought.
I stick to liquid calories as much as humanly possible. One EFS and a gu on the bike along with my nutrition fluids and gels and an EFS on the run.
During my training ride I had chopped clip bar/bonkbreaker in my benton box, it worked well for me.
I was hopping to find something that could work equally but not as sweet.
You’ll find lots of interesting possibilities in the book Feed Zone Portables – small sandwiches, little quiches, sticky rice balls.
The key in eating real food on the bike in an IM is you want to stop eating the harder-to-digest solids long enough before you’re off the bike so that it doesn’t interfere with your stomach during the run. So you’ll still want that liquid or gel-type of calories in the last hour of the bike.
Also, this is a classic alternative to energy gel: mashed steamed yam with honey, sea salt, almond butter and pumpkin pie spice. You spoon it into baggies (about 1/3 cup each), squeeze out the air and tie a knot in thae bag. To eat it, you just tear off a corner of the baggie and eat it like a gel.
This saved my race at IM Coeur d’Alene this year. I knew it would be super hot on the bike course, so I added in a lot of extra salt. I ended up racing in 105+ degrees at a time very close to my PR for the bike leg and finished the race within four minutes of my best IM time.
Also, this is a classic alternative to energy gel: mashed steamed yam with honey, sea salt, almond butter and pumpkin pie spice. You spoon it into baggies (about 1/3 cup each), squeeze out the air and tie a knot in thae bag. To eat it, you just tear off a corner of the baggie and eat it like a gel.
Just like cake decorating! This sounds awesome, I am going to try that for a long ride. Or, for breakfast tomorrow
Sticky rice balls also sound like a great idea, especially if you got the one with seaweed in it so it’s salty.
anyone that says you should do liquid nutrition/gels/sugar the whole time is simply dumb. that works for them, great, but it doesn’t mean it’ll work for you.
truth is, you just gotta trial and error.
my first ironman i went with gels, perpeteum and pretzels. my 2nd one i added boiled potatoes with salt and olive oil. i also did dried fruits and pizza (specieal needs bag), my 3rd one i did the same thing (no pizza) etc etc.
this past weekend i wanted to just clean things up on my cockpit and carry less stuff. i decided to try just liquid/gels the whole time. boy, what a bad idea, for me.
calorie wise, salt wise etc. i was on point, in fact i ate an extra 200 more but was starving with 30 miles to go. i had to stop at my car to get a kind bar and a power bar to fill my stomach.
i personally will ride with a low fiber protein bar (nut based), i might put a slice of pizza in my special needs bag, more for the mental break and happiness that i get than anything else, then eat the bar at mile 90.
You can do something like rice cakes for pretty cheap. Larabars, Picky Bars, and Bonk Breakers work well for me. For me I can go all liquid or some solids during the race but after the race my stomach does a whole lot better if I had some solids.
I’ve been rockin the Uncrustables in training and planning to use at IMWI. I can’t stomach (literally) the idea of using GUs at my primary “food” again.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with eating something that is actually enjoyable. I always look forward to my next Uncrustable instead of having to force down another GU.
One more “real food” option for you to consider are the squeezy foods that Clif Bar is putting out. They have a Pizza Margherita packet that is really delicious. So is the Sweet Potato with sea salt packet. Those are the savory options.
The other flavors on the sweeter side that I have not tried are Banana Beet with Ginger, and Banana Mango with Coconut, but the only bananas I like are fresh ones, so I haven’t tried those.
(Disclosure: I’m a Clif-sponsored athlete, and I use their Bloks, Clif Shot and Clif Bars, electrolyte replacement drink and Chocolate recovery protein drink as well as the home made yam for my longest rides or workouts.
