I have my first HIM coming and have been working on my nutrition plan. In my previous life, as a runner only I would use gu gels for my nutrition. I guess I’ve tired of trying to down a hot gu gel while exercising. More recently I’ve been mixing carbo-pro with watered down Gatorade for my training rides. So far this has seemed to work. I was wondering if others use a liquid only nutrition strategy and if so what do you use. Anybody using Efs powder or shots? Is it better than carbo-pro?
Try mixing your gels in with your water bottles. I did it in my last half on the bike and it worked really well. You just need to remember to replace the first of your empty gel bottles with water if its hot.
Yes, completely liquid nutrition is totally feasible in a HIM. Although recently, I do use gels and sometimes chews (i.e. cliff bloks or gu chomps) in addition to drinks, I have trained and raced using nothing but Infinit Go Far as fuel for the entire event. You can make it work, but just practice and get your amounts down. I found that keeping one bottle with a rich mixture of Infinit, and one with plain water worked better than both bottles mixed according to the instructions. Same for on the run. This will be entirely individual though. You’ll need to figure out what works best for you.
I believe its ‘doable’ if youre just wanting to finish. In my experience…I need some sustenance on the bike to keep up my intensity and to keep the liquid/goo from upsetting my gut. I usually use bnk breakers or ill freeze a snickers overnight and it will be nice and ready early on the bike.
That’s all I ever use… I drink about 4-5 bottles of Gatorade on the bike. There is no way my gut can handle anything else on the run except for liquids .
i mean gels chews bloks chomps liquid nutrition are pretty much the same thing with varying degrees of water and people go forever on those. I make my own liquid nutrition tho i use dehydrated coconut water, maltodextrin, sugar, sodium bicarbonate, salt make it work out to 150cal starch 100cal sugar per 16oz taking into account sugar from coconut water also add 100mg of caffeine per 16oz. i mess with malto:sugar ratio within 280-300 mOsm so if i add 1 part sugar as dextrose remove 2.6 ideally parts malto. i add one serving of everything else pretty much. i usually have one with chia seeds midway for inflammation and one with unflavored pea protein as well just for insulin response. It’s the best drank you’re getting enough of every electrolyte and it’s more glycemic, better than everything i’ve seen on the market… with only sugar you can only get 140 ish calories per 16oz vs 250.
can also adjust solution to take into account temperate and still get the same amount of calories per hour by getting more malto and less water or vice versa
I haven’t used it for a HIM yet but I just started using Tailwind Endurance Fuel. Pretty good stuff so far.
That’s all I ever use… I drink about 4-5 bottles of Gatorade on the bike. There is no way my gut can handle anything else on the run except for liquids .
This. you can substitute any “sports drink” for the gatorade (Powerbar perform, Gu brew, etc) and be just fine. Just work out your quantity in training before the race.
That’s all I ever use… I drink about 4-5 bottles of Gatorade on the bike. There is no way my gut can handle anything else on the run except for liquids .
This. you can substitute any “sports drink” for the gatorade (Powerbar perform, Gu brew, etc) and be just fine. Just work out your quantity in training before the race.
I agree with this completely. As long as you get in enough calories with some electrolytes, going liquid only is very doable.
I switched to 100% liquids for all of my nutrition needs in response to some unsettling GI issues that were occurring on the run. Since that switch (2012) I have never had any gut issues and I have never felt low on energy for any race. I aim for 3-6 calories/kg/hour while on the bike and 1-3 calories/kg/hour while running, all obtained through my special mix on the bike and from coke on the run.
Whatever you do, try it in a race simulation to make sure it works for you…
Search for the thread a few days ago on Infinit Nutrition. It is awesome and they will customize the formula to your needs. I spent several years trying many different products including combinations of drinks, gu, bars, salt capsules, etc. For me, it is much easier to take a drink than to chew, swallow and digest a bar while racing.
Go Far, with the occasional shot block thrown in.
I used 100% Gatorade and carbo pro in lake stevens 70.3 last year. Zero issues but that’s expected as I trained that way all summer.
I did 4 scoops per bottle (500 calories with gatorade each). After trying them all, lemon lime flavor was best
I will be using it this again in whistler this year