I just finished my first Ironman-Lake Placid. I prepared for this and trained diligently with the help of a coach for the last six months. I felt strong throughout the race but was forced to walk the last six miles after being overcome with nausea. The legs felt good and I had energy but running just made the nausea worse and I would end up “dry heaving” on the side of the road. My stomach was not upset but I could not put anything down, solids or liquids without forcing it. Also, I couldn’t bring anything up, only dry heaves.
I’ve experienced this twice before during training- once on 6 hour training ride down in Lake Placid on a hot day back in June and the other during the run at the Tupper Lake half last month on a scorching hot day. In both cases the onset of nausea would appear at about the 5 hour mark. After being out on the LP course for over 10 hours and feeling okay, I thought I was free of the “nausea devil” but sure enough at around mile 13 of the run it jumped on my back, hard.
My nutrition was as follows: E load sports drink, cliff bars, GU and water on the bike about 300-350 cal/hour. For the run I was using water with Endurolytes and GU.
I had used Perpetuem and hammer gels during the 2 previous incidents and stopped using them prior to IMLP thinking that they may have been the problem.
I’m 6’1 and my race weight was around 160. Hydration seemed okay, I urinated twice during the bike and once on the run before the trouble began.
Like I said before, my stomach does not feel upset but the term “stops emptying” does seem to apply.
My first IM was a great experience thanks in part to the people and volunteers of Lake Placid and I hope to get signed up for IMC for 2006.
In the meantime, I want to figure this thing out and would really appreciate your thoughts and insights.