I know this topic has been discussed a few times on this forum, but I’m having a hard time locating any of the old threads. I have a ton of question regarding this subject and figured I’d come to ST for answers/opinions first.If you have the time and/or patience and would like to post some advice on this subject or even point me in the right direction, either would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for any help you can give…
Keith
Nutrition is a huge topic…not sure exactly what you’re looking for. However, I find the articles listed here www.coachgordo.com/gtips/index.html are good reading. Also look at www.cruciblefitness.com.
yep, nutrition is a huge topic. depending on what you want to know, i might be able to answer it. being a nutritionist and also a triathlete, i should be able to help out in some way, right ??!!?
what are you trying to find out?
joanna
www.nutrition-in-motion.net
My girlfriend and I are getting ready to start an 18 week training program to ramp up for our first half distance Tri. I know nutrition really becomes a concern the long the race/activity is your doing. I really just need a basic guideline as to how much intake of carbs/salt/liquids i’ll need during say a 5.5 hour race. I know this is different for every person, but a basic guideline I can adjust to my needs would be great.This is something we really want to work on and nail during our training…
Thanks Keith
I’d actually recommend getting Triathlete’s Training Bible by Joel Friel, it touches on this and seems like it might offer a lot for you.
Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes by Monique Ryan
really good resource that addresses everyday training nutrition, with special sections for specific sports (tri, swimming, distance running, xc skiing etc)
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so many books to read! i would recommend the hammernutriton.com site and download the ‘Secrets to Success’ pamphlet - it has almost everything you need to know when it comes to endurance sports nutrition in a 24 page format. still alot of information and hard to include everything into one’s diet.
if you want specific help, then the best is to hire a nutritionist to help you put all the details into the race day nutrition as well as your other overall nutrition (and preferably working with a nutritionist who has also done IM races and half IM race is a huge plus!) i have helped many do that very thing and helped them finally enjoy their IM and full IM experience, rather than just suffer thru it.
it is still very individual in terms of tweaking the nutrition, but there are definitely some guidelines to help you get to where you need to be. and you have plenty of time now to start tweaking your daily intake as well as trying out products that will help aid your performance rather than impede it. hope that helps
joanna
www.nutrition-in-motion.net
I have a question for you. What is it about swimming that makes my stomach totally revolt against food being put in it on the bike? I can eat pretty much anything I want if I do a bike/run workout and not have an issue…but tack a swim on in the beginning and it gets ugly fast.
not sure exactly but it coudl be what you are eating that is the problem or it might be that you are dehydrating without knowing it. so when dehydrated (meaning low on electrolytes) then anythign you thrwo down teh hatch will be a problem. adn if you use somethign that has alot of sugar in it, then that is even worse.
so what are you using before the swim? and then after it? and how long of a swim are we talkign about? hard swim? easy swim? any swim?
what do you eat before you swim? do you take anythign during (well, not during a race, duh!) a swim workout?
and does this happen with all swim workouts? or just races?
could be a lot of factors. but the first thing is probably improper fueling choice, improper fueling or dehydration.
joanna
www.nutrition-in-motion.net
Do you wait a while on the bike before trying to take in any nutrition? I think I recall reading this advice from Gordo, to drink only water and take in no calories for maybe 30 minutes into the bike.
I’m going with ‘notevenslow’ on this one.
There is a lot of stress on the circulatory system when you go from swim to run (to T-1). Priority number 1 is shunting the blood from your arms to your lower extremity. Unfortunately, your gut places next to last on the priority rank at this point in time. No blood flow to stomach = no digestion.
It also doesn’t help that the swim usually has the highest avg HR and potential for hitting that lactate threshold. Unfortunately nausea is a common result of the H+ accumulation in the muscles.
Simple solution is to wait until the HR drops to Zn 1 (in an IM) before eating on the bike or at the very least, stabilizes after your blood is where it needs to be.
Hope this helps.
Alan
For a half IM:
swim - no cals
bike - 300 cals/hour
run - 200 cals/hr
Thats a decent ballpark - go up/down depending on size. Practice in training and modify. GI issues - back down. Bonk = slow down or bump up.
I use carbo-pro/Gu2O mix on the bike - gels on the run. Lots of options.
No extra salt (for me).
Fluids - varies a ton - is it 50 degrees or 100 degrees?
Gordo’s site has lots of good info. Search half IM nutrition or IM nutrition (they are fairly close).
Dave
Are you swallowing water?
I do think taking in nothing for 10-15 min then water only for another 10 or so before starting cals on the bike helps.
Dave
I’ve been thinking more and more about the issues I have in races…and in my every day life and I’m starting to think I may have a wheat allergy…which may be part of the problem. I have many of the symptoms on a regular basis. I have a doctors appointment in a couple of weeks so hopefully he can shed some light on it for me.
Aside from that…I have tried many of the options that have been suggested here, but have had no luck. For sprints and OD racing, it’s not so much of a problem since I don’t have to eat anything. I also think I have a tendency to swallow air on the swim…since any time I try to run or bike after swimming it can be painful and it feels like I’ve got air in my stomach. Dehydration may also be an issue, since i sweat immensely (my clothes look like I went swimming) during my workouts.
thanks to all for the input.
let me know if i can help you out. the doc might have no clue as to what to do - is he or she an athlete? and they really do not know abotu nutrition much. not part of their schooling, so don’t be surprised if you don’t get some real answers (or at least what you expected as an answer) from your doctor. i do nutrition all the time, and i am also a triathlete (former elite), swim coach. too bad you don’t live in the philly area, then i could help you out with the swim portion as well - you do not need to be swallowing water. there is an article on my website and it was also on transitiontimes.com called ‘waiting to exhale’ - another way to breathe. the only downside to the article is that i did not put in all the details as to how to do it. i put in the most basic stuff - some people get it, others do not. i can walk you thru it on the phone as well if you ahve questions.
but in terms of food allergies and other symptoms, a review by a nutritionist might be the best thing for you to do so you don’t have to guess (and suffer along the way). havin one that is also an athlete might also help so you can actually be understood. not saying you need to hire me…just consider a nutritionist who is also an athlete. and if you want to call to discuss your options, get my info off my website. www.nutrition-in-motion.net
joanna