So, what do people eat for a 1/2 ironman? I’ve heard anything from only 1 gel, to a gel every 30 min.
Do people use a bento box for a 1/2? The distance doesn’t seem long enough to warrant much, but maybe I’m underestimating things…
What I do:
On the bike: two bottles, one Cytomax, one water. Nothing but water for the first half hour on the bike, then 1 gel every 20 minutes, supplemented with sips of Cytomax & water. I’ll carry a Clif bar to eat if my stomach feels empty, but won’t eat it unless I do so at least 30 min before the run.
On the run: water and gatorade at every aid station, and a gel at every 2nd or 3rd station.
I don’t use a Bento Box. I wear Desoto 6 pocket Power Tri shorts, which hold plenty of gel. 2 bottle holders on the bike, and Clif bar in the jersey pocket.
Well, everyone is a little different. But for me I target about 4 gels, maybe a Peak bar (I usually only eat 1/2 though). I don’t think you need a ton…I see some people packing a lunch for this distance. I usually do 2 to 3 bottles of some sort of energy drink. I start with my own brew (3/4 scoops of carbo pro with a little gatorade), then a couple bottles of gatorade along the course. I do use a bento box often times for my gel flask and bar - so I don’t have to reach around to the back of my race suit.
If it’s a hillier course I’ll probably increase the calorie consumption slightly.
I use the small bento box for HIM. It’s perfect for 1 cliff bar and 3-4 gels AND it serves as a wastebasket for the empty wrappers.
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Eat cereal and a Pb & J for breakfast at about 4:30 am (at least 3 hrs before).
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One gel as I suit up for the swim. Sips of water throughout warmup/setup
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Eat one powerbar that I cut into 4 pieces (in my pocket) and open the foil for during the first half hour on the bike (makes it easy to eat and you have a better chance of digesting it early on).
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Try to put down 1.5-2 bottles of gatorade during the bike and after 1:15 I throw down about an ounce of gel from a gel flask every half hour (that means about 3 shots of gel) for the rest of the bike. That last shot of gel carries you into the run.
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On the run, drink at every aid station, gels as tolerated.
I probably overeat, but fear bonking.
For a flat course I’m around 2:13 to 2:16 on the bike, so 4 gels would be roughly one ever 30 minutes.
I used to do HIM’s loaded down with calories. I always seemed to have stomach problems. I switched to a big breakfast (i.e. eat well through the night) , one gel flask and gatorade on the bike, with G’ade and/or coke on the run. No more stomach problems.
Kind of off topic, but I always laugh, when I think of a friend of mine who did his first half IM - his first triathlon ever. He didn’t ask anyone about nutrition, and so packed a bagel and turkey sandwich with swiss cheese to eat on the bike. Needless to say he had a hard time digesting on the run!
I take the middle road, but agree with Trevor
Huge 1000 calories breakfast (oats, no fat yogurt) triple espresso
Bike 1 powerbar (don’t chew, stick it in your cheak and let it melt), 1-3 gels, 2 bottles of Gatorade loaded with a teaspoon of salt each.
Run: 1 bottle of Gatorade with Salt 2-3 gels, some gatorade at stations.
I typically target 4 gels on the bike, one before the swim start, and most of 1 powerbar on the bike. I drink water mostly, but the first fill is a mix of Gu2O…though I am looking at other better drinks. On the run I do water, Gu every 3 miles, and pretzels if I start burping. Oh, and Endurolytes, cal-mag tabs and a salt tab if I think I need it. It depends on how much you sweat, really…I can sweat 3-4lb of water in 25 miles on the bike and more than 4lb per hour on the run in the Floriduh sauna.
My HIM nutrition strategy (FWIW):
Bowl of cereal and also a bottle of Ensure 2.5-3hrs before race. Sip bottle of sports drink of choice from then up until 30 mins pre-race.
Gu 15 mins before swim
On bike - Aero bottle w/ just water, large bottle on downtube w/ Perpetuem. Gel flask (5oz) on stem.
Gel every 30 mins, hit bottle intermittantly, water as desired. The bike is your nutrition platform to set up the run. Most folks are on the bike for approx 2.5-3hrs, then have a 1.5-2hr run to follow.
Run - few Gu’s, Succeed salt tabs, water and/or gatorade at every aid station.
Good thread. I was wondering as I will do my first 1/2 on Sunday. I think I can tolerate 1 powerbar and 2 GUs on the bike, mostly consumed during the middle hour (I think I will go anywhere from 2:30 to 3:00 on the bike). I will use my bento Box. I have been using Endurolytes capsules in hot weather training. I believe they help and will do 3 per hour on the bike, plus a couple with water early in the run. We’ll get a full bottle halfway through the bike, so I will toss one and grab that one. 2 bottles to start plus that one makes for about 60 oz. which will be plenty.
I’m doing my first half IM on Saturday. I have been running well, up to 4.5 miles after a 50 to 55 mile bike, with the following strategy in training. 12 ounces of Accelerade before ride. One powerbar the first hour on the bike. One gel toward the end of the ride (it takes me around 3 hours to ride 50 ish miles in training). 1.5 to 2 bottles of gatorade on the bike. To account for the calories expended on the swim, I think that I will eat two gels on the bike instead of one, and then have maybe another one or two gels during the run, plus whatever water and gatorade my stomach will tolerate. At least it’s a plan. We will see what happens on race day.
Start with a full tank. On the bike: 6 gels (tape to top tube and take one every 20 to 25 minutes along with clear water); On the run: alternate water and gatoraid and either take gels at mile 5 and 10 or switch to coke for the 2nd half. If you’re taking a conservative approach to bike pacing, you can probably tolerate bars or solid food. But if you’re hammering, go for liquid diet.
koolaid and pizza are my favorites.
Differs for everybody, but I’ll add to the chatter:
Bike: 1 bottle of Metabolol, 1 bottle Cytomax, Jetstream x2 of water, 1 or two Nutrigrain bars and/or Power or Clif Bar. Nothing solid for the last ~10 miles of the bike.
Run: ~4 Gels, Water and energy drink as desired.
I recall one 1/2 Vineman when I failed to drain that bottle of Metabolol on the bike. Bonked BIG TIME, and have never made that mistake again!
Going as much liquid as possible is usually a pretty safe bet for most folks. It’s just nice to CHEW something easily digestible on the bike!
TriBaby
I have cut back on what I take with me for a HIM. Here is what got me through Last Sunday at Vineman:
The Day before:
- Pasta for Lunch and Dinner on Saturday with Gatorade and a beer for good measure.
Breakfast:
- One plain bagel for Breakfast with a bottle of Gatorade.
Before the start:
- One gel 15 minutes before my swim start.
On the Bike
- Three gels
- One bottle of Gatorade
- Most of my Jetstream bottle
On the Run
- Water and Gatorade at aid stations for the first 10 miles… then nothing after that because it won’t make any difference.
This was good for a 4:50 HIM. I never bonked and felt fine.
Ron
big brekkie, no gels or potions, two bottles of electrolyte based solution on the bike, two pieces of sourdough toast with honey in pocket…small cookies and coke for the run.
wow …after reading these responses im starting to think my plan sucks!!
i usually eat about half a cup of cereal and a banana in the morning - im usually too nervous to eat
then 30 min before the race i try to drink some gatorade
during the bike i have my aerodrink with gatorade endurance and then a bottle of water on my bike … i refill the aerodrink at the aid stations
on the run i just drink water and gatorade at each station and if i feel sick i eat pretzels
at my first half (st. croix) i ate 3 cliffbars … trust me - DONT do this …maybe it was the heat and the hills but i will bet it is not a good strategy at any race.
My plan for the first 1/2 in 3 weeks:
breakfast about 5am, cereal with banana, chocolate milk
hydrate well up to start.
gel 15 mins before swim start.
Aerobottle full of water, with 2 gel flasks in bento box. 1 shot of gel every 20-25mins, drinking and refilling the aerobottle with water at the aid stations.
Run, gel every 30 mins with water. Probably take some coke or gatorade from about mile 7 onwards.
Simple but has been working for me in training.
J.