This past weekend at Raleigh 70.3, I noticed some of the super fast bike guys had these really minimalist, but super aero set ups. No bottles on frame or behind seat, no flat kit, etc.
My question is, where do they keep their nutrition?
I had a decent bike split and run, but took in almost 1500 calories on the bike, which tends to be the norm for me if I want to be able to run strong. Are these guys living off course nutrition, or just going with less?
I can’t speak specifics of Raleigh but sometimes I’ll keep gels inside my helmet (under my sunglasses) stored at T1 and throw them into my jersey pocket after the swim. Takes .5 seconds to do.
This past weekend at Raleigh 70.3, I noticed some of the super fast bike guys had these really minimalist, but super aero set ups. No bottles on frame or behind seat, no flat kit, etc.
My question is, where do they keep their nutrition?
I had a decent bike split and run, but took in almost 1500 calories on the bike, which tends to be the norm for me if I want to be able to run strong. Are these guys living off course nutrition, or just going with less?
oh my goodness there’s so much to unpack in this short post.
But you answered your own question. Yes and Yes. But also No, and No. You can get really creative with food and fluid storage, and still pay attention to aero details.
Finally, while bike calories do have a big impact on run “pop” IMO, there are some who could perform a fast Ironman on 1500kcal, let alone a half. Perhaps (ahem! ahem! scroll down!) a nutrition consult?
That’s the thing about endurance sports… the faster you go the faster you can go!
Thank you for the response. I do keep a flask with about 500 kcals down the front of my jersey top as you suggested.
“Nature’s pocket” 
Nothing is more aero.
I have a bento box. Hold 3 gels for 70.3 pretty easily. For IM, I’ll fit 6 in there and throw a couple waffles and another gel in a pocket in T1.
Otherwise Flat kit in speedbox
Live off the course for all other nutrition. For 70.3 I only carry the one BTA no other bottles and just take 2-3 hand ups depending on conditions.
In the aid station?
1500 cals on the bike…hmmmm.
For me…750ml BTA & 1 x 750ml BTS bottle. 360 cals of Scratch in each. Flat kit is under the saddle/top of the seat post (tube, extender on, lever, CO2, CO2 inflator).
If it’s a rolling course like Raleigh and conditions like last week I will use 2x bottles behind my saddle with one being water. I avoid aid stations if there are a ton of riders there already. I have modified my Xlab so the bottles in the gorilla cages touch the saddle. Makes it easy to reach bike while still aero and grab a bottle.
I biked a 2:21 including a 7-8 min flat change.
1 bottle BTA, 1 bottle on downtube, 1 bottle behind the seat (all had 240 calories each). Also had a 400 calorie gel flask in my darkspeed works bento box. I grabbed a gatorade from each of the last 2 aid stations. Only needed 1 though. I could probably do without the downtube bottle but I prefer using EFS pro.
Look at the pro’s. They use the on course nutrition (so max 2 bottles on the frame) and are pretty good about hiding their flat kits (if they have one)… taped under the seat usually.
Its not difficult, you just need to figure out what works for you and how to minimize it using on course nutrition.
Do pros bother with a flat kit in a 70.3? Sort of feel like the race is almost over for those guys at the pointy end if they flat out. But there again, Matt Russell beat James Hadley by nearly 5 minutes in Raleigh, so maybe not.
I wonder what they carry - maybe just a can of pitstop and a co2 cartridge? Different at full distance, especially if you are Chrissie Wellington.
I guess if you get bottle hand-ups every 20km, you only really need one BTA cage if you’re happy with race nutrition; same with the food. Some people might not even use a ‘flat kit’ in a Half; others can store them inside the frames of some of the latest superbikes like the Canyon (if clinchers).
At most cooler HIM events, I’ll use 2x750ml Carb drink (66g CHO each) and 2 Trek Bars (25g CHO each). Which comes out at a little under the 90g/hour that you often see touted. Move to gels on the run.
This past weekend at Raleigh 70.3, I noticed some of the super fast bike guys had these really minimalist, but super aero set ups. No bottles on frame or behind seat, no flat kit, etc.
My question is, where do they keep their nutrition?
I had a decent bike split and run, but took in almost 1500 calories on the bike, which tends to be the norm for me if I want to be able to run strong. Are these guys living off course nutrition, or just going with less?
consuming 1500 calories on the bike in a half should be pretty much impossible. That’s 600 cal/hr in a 2:30 split. The max most people can take in is more like 300-350 cal/hr.
Flat kit under the seat, water in front BTA, concentrated mix behind front BTA bottle. May have some chews or waffles in a bento bag but hardly touch them.
Agreed 1500 calories for a half? Think on my fastest half I may have had 600 if that on the bike.
I biked a 2:21 including a 7-8 min flat change.
1 bottle BTA, 1 bottle on downtube, 1 bottle behind the seat (all had 240 calories each). Also had a 400 calorie gel flask in my darkspeed works bento box. I grabbed a gatorade from each of the last 2 aid stations. Only needed 1 though. I could probably do without the downtube bottle but I prefer using EFS pro.
Look at the pro’s. They use the on course nutrition (so max 2 bottles on the frame) and are pretty good about hiding their flat kits (if they have one)… taped under the seat usually.
Its not difficult, you just need to figure out what works for you and how to minimize it using on course nutrition.
Amazing race by the way. Your swim was ridiculous, especially considering what a cluster it was by the time the 30-34 wave went off! I’m a 30 y/o South Florida guy as well, so I’m well aware of what a talented dude you are.
My setup was pretty much identical to yours. (3) 300 calorie bottles, one on frame, on BTA, one behind the seat, and a 500 cal flask down the front of my kit. The only difference is instead of gatorade, I was taking water at the aid stations, so I’d have something to drink down the gels with.
Well apparently not. I had 300 x 3 bottles, 500 in a gel flask (ok so 1400 cals), biked 2:26 and felt absolutely no discomfort.
Well apparently not. I had 300 x 3 bottles, 500 in a gel flask (ok so 1400 cals), biked 2:26 and felt absolutely no discomfort.
And you finished them all? Are you a pretty big guy?
I’m 158 lbs. Typically I have one bottle with 700-800 cal of infinit (I now carry it behind my seat, but when I rode a shiv it was in the fuelselage). I have one bottle of water BTA that I swap out on course for more water. In hot races I’ll pick up a water bottle at every aid station. That’s all I do for a half. In a full, the only difference is I’ll have 1000 cal in the bottle a couple of bars in my pocket too, bringing the total up to around 1500 cal.
I consider my bike reasonably fast (2:15 most recently at 70.3 FL), and like to think I have a clean setup.
BTA water bottle - swap at each aid station- and a X-Lab aero bottle with ~800 cal on the frame. I have half a Powerbar already open and stuck onto my aero bars, which I eat on the way out of T2.
Flat kit is in two places - tube and levers under the seat and CO2 and inflator are taped in the tip of my aero helmet. Everything is pretty out of the wind.
I also agree that 1500 calories seems like an awful lot for a HIM bike leg. I feel that I’m pushing things at around 1000, but that’s been working for me. I guess 500 calories more could work for some folks - how’s the run been going with all of those calories on the bike?
Well apparently not. I had 300 x 3 bottles, 500 in a gel flask (ok so 1400 cals), biked 2:26 and felt absolutely no discomfort.
Do you mind me asking height weight and run split (in relation to pure PB) 550 an hour is very high for HIM…could be right for you…but best (for me) to not talk about absolutes for race day nutrition.
As an aside, I haven’t seen or found the research that says 350cal per hour is the absolute upper limit for intake.
Maurice
Well apparently not. I had 300 x 3 bottles, 500 in a gel flask (ok so 1400 cals), biked 2:26 and felt absolutely no discomfort.
Do you mind me asking height weight and run split (in relation to pure PB) 550 an hour is very high for HIM…could be right for you…but best (for me) to not talk about absolutes for race day nutrition.
As an aside, I haven’t seen or found the research that says 350cal per hour is the absolute upper limit for intake.
Maurice
Sure. I’m 5’9", 142lbs, and I ran a 1:31:xx, which for what it’s worth was actually not a bad run split for an age grouper considering the heat/humidity in town that day. PB is a 1:26 off the bike in ideal conditions, slightly lower intake on the bike but not by much. Saw a lot of the “super bikers” circling the drain on the run course, which makes me wonder if maybe I should just sacrifice a few watts and keep my set up as is.
I’m also undeniably a heavy sweater. My girlfriend and I will go out to run 15 miles and I’ll be absolutely drenched in sweat, she won’t have a drop on her. Now whether or not that’s a bad thing, I don’t know as the science appears to still be on the fence about sweat rates and their effects on performance. But I figure just to be safe, as long as I can tolerate the access calories, why not?
1/2 seems so easy, 200-300 cal in 2 bottles, bento box for another 300-500 more, flat kit in draft box on SC, thats it and its super clean set up!
I am running into problems trying to figure out super clean set up for a IM now that i know how bad XLabs “aero” down tube bottled tested for me. Looking at bottles behind seat but wonder how easy it will be to reach back every ten min for nutrition.