What do you sub 2:10 guys and gals use for Olympic/Intermediate distance races? Assuming you have had a proper breakfast +/- 3 hours before the race?
I have always had a hard time finding right amount of calories for the distance. Sprint, HIM and Full have all gone really well, but the 2 hour race is killing me.
I would be surprised if people were using anything more than some sugar water.
While I only did a 2:16:xx yesterday I treat it more like a sprint race than a half or full. Basically, one gel 30 minutes to start with some weak sport drink. On the bike I typically drink about 1.5 bottles of sport-drink. On the run one bottle with half strength sport drink. If the race is a bit chilly I had a gel on the bike as I won’t take in quite as much fluid.
I only barely qualify as sub 2:10 but I’ve always had a bottle of gatorade on the bike and then either water or g’ade at the aid stations on the run as I feel.
Here’s what works for me:
2 gels and one full gatorade on the bike. One gel just after T1 and one shortly before T2.
If it’s really hot, I’ll also hit the aid stations on the run.
This is sort of a tough one. Can you stomach taking in a gel during the run?
Figure 2:10 = maybe 1500-1800 burned calories. You might try to take in 600 calories throughout the 2:10 race.
I’d go for
Then I would think about a gel or drink not long into the run. That’s 500.
I could not imagine taking in 2 gels immediately into the bike, then another 200 calories of sugary drink during the bike,and another gel pack into the run. For me I have to get something REAL in there at some point, and at beginning of the bike is the best time for me.
If it’s 2:10ish and you’ve had a good breakfast and are rested so that your glycogen stores are topped off, then less is probably more is a good rule. I’ve typically just had a gel about 15 minutes before the start of the swim, sports drink on the bike maybe 100-150 calories, and I carry a gel with me on the run as a back up. That’s really only about 250-300 calories over the course of the race.
I use First Endurance EFS drink or liquid shot primarily, but since that might not be on the course, I’ll usually just go with Gatorade or whatever I feel like or they have on the run.
If it’s closer to 3:00, then caloric intake becomes a little more important.
But, definitely try out what you want to use the in the race in training a couple of times at race effort on the bike and run to make sure that it’s going to work.
As long as you have a good diet I wouldn’t stress about it too much. I usally do a gel 15min before start, about half to a full bottle of a good salty sports drink (this one is more for the heat of where I live) and water whenever I want it on the run.
I even sway from this formula quiet often depending on feel.
Thanks for the tips. I ususally don’t handle gels well when going hard during the run, but always feel like I need something about 1/2 way thru the 10k. I can pretty much handle anything on the bike, but no matter how much I take on the bike I still feel the need for something during the last 1/2 of the run.
I have about 200 cals of gatorade during the first 3/4 of the bike…that’s it.
If it’s a gel in a packet (not a First Endurance Liquid Shot), then sometimes I’ll tear the top of it off and ‘nurse’ the gel for the next couple of miles. Taking the whole thing in at once can be a bit tough when running hard.
Just curious where you are planning to go sub 2:10? Last year I placed top 10 in 2 competitive Oly’s but went 2:16 and 2:21. I’m doing Chicago at the end of August and there were only 12 people out of 4,000 that went sub 2:10 and that is suposed to be a pretty fast course.
For me I eat a proper breakfast 2-3 hours before. 1/2 a cliff bar and a gu 20-30min before the start, 1 gu in the first 10min on the bike and 1 gu 5min before getting off the bike. I might have a gu at T2 if I think I’ll need it on the run but never had. I have one aero bottle of water on the bike, if its hot and they have an aid station on the bike I’ll refill otherwise just drink a cup of water at each aid station on the run.
It may help to train more with less calories, I regularly do 1-1:30 workouts with just 1 bottle of water, maybe 1/2 a cliff 5-10min before I start…
I take 1-2 Cliff Shots just before the race (plus hydrating the hour before). On the bike I have 1 bottle with eload and 1 CS that I take at about the 30k point. On the run I just take liquids from the aid stations. My last Olympic I took a Enervitene liquid gel halfway through the run…great kick for the last 5k.
Where do you race that 2:21 lands you in the top 10?
I usually do a gel about 15 - 20 mins before start, some sport drink on the bike and water as needed. I might do 3 or 4 shot bloks on the bike before the run. Just water on the run.
But I don’t go 2:10… 2:20-25 is more appropriate (though I’m happy if I break 30 mins on the swim - lolz)
I went 2:06 at a race with a 6.6 mile run instead of 6.2 so I don’t know how to break it down but sub 2:10 anyway. Breakfast is the same as usual. I drink a can of coke, take a saltstick tablet, and eat half of a Powerbar. Then on the bike I eat 1 Powergel and drink about 16-20oz of Carbopro/Endurance formula in the Aerodrink. I’ll take in a cup or 2 at aid stations on the run but that’s it. Not alot for a 2 hour race.
I also did a 2:16 yesterday…but my prep was a bit screwed up.
I got up a little late, so I had an ensure and some dry cheerios 2 hours before the race.
Got pulled over on the way to the race…so my nerves were doing great. Thankfully it was just a warning.
Forgot to take the gel prior to the swim.
I usually take only 200 calories of Heed on the bike with me…accidentally dropped that at about mile 6 of the bike after having a grand total of 3 sips.
I don’t typically take any calories on the run…but yesterday I had a hammer gu in T2 since that was about all I was going to get for the whole race. Fortunately my stomach tolerated it without any issue…and I just take water from the aid stations.
Normally I have a good breakfast 3 hours prior and a gu 30 minutes before the swim and then 200 cal on the bike with only water on the run.
You don’t really need more than that from a nutrition perspective…it isn’t like you’re going to bonk on an OLY if you are prepared. You may burn more calories going faster…but you also finish faster. For me that’s just worked itself out. I have a bodybugg and for the entire race yesterday I burned around 1600 calories. I currently weigh about 210 pounds…so you lighter guys are burning less than that. I have noticed I perform better with calories…but I don’t crash without them.
I haven’t gone under 2:10 yet (2:12ish a couple of times) but my nutrition plan is as follows:
Breakfast - about 200Cal of something I can handle easily
Pre race - normally a gel between 30-15’ before the start
Bike - I carry a gel but I rarely eat it and will usually drink between 1/2 and 3/4 of an aerodrink
Run - may take a sip or two of water at aid stations if I feel like it
Good luck,
Shane
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LA Triathlon 2008, 2:21 6th place 30-34
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Oooh, I thought you meant overall. AG makes more sense.
Not a <2:10 …yet 
but I have an Oly tri coming up this weekend and here is my nutrition plan:
big breakfast
sip on gatorade on the way to race
before the swim start 1 caffeinated gel
bike: 1 bottle of water, 1 bottle of my Malto-dextrin mix (~400cals, I probably won’t finish the whole bottle)
Run: maybe a couple of cups of gatorade and water
Additional info: 6’4" 172lbs
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