IM Nutrition Plan

[GinnySellars]

Hey Gang

Just thought I would share my nutrition plan (and force me to think it through), and give you guys a place to chat over ideas.

This year during training I've been really easy going, and eaten en-route a fair amount. I often stop and get a ham and cheese sandwich at the Salmon River Store, and last week even stopped for a sit down lunch at the Carr's Landing Cafe...time to dial in race nutrition.

Bike plan 5hr 30min to 5hr 45min

300kcal per hour= 1650-1750kcal

6 bottles of fluid

3 bottles with me to start, 1 per hour + an extra 1/2 bottle of water as I go through an aid station
Choices:
2 scoops eFLY+ 4 capsules of eCaps electrolyte= 120kcal
bars 200kcal
gels 100kcal
eLoad electrolyte edible 'candies'

So
Hour 1 bottle + 1 bar
Hour 2 bottle + 1 bar
Hour 3 bottle + 2 gel
Hour 4 water + 3 gels + electrolytes
Hour 5 water + 3 gels + electolytes
Hour 5.5 water + 2 gels + electrolytes

So with me, I'll carry 2 bar, 7 gels taped to my top tube. I'll get 3 more gels from aid stations, and all water from aid stations.

Let's see how this pans out!!

[Andrew]

From the coach...

The total calorie count looks good.

You could choose to cut down on the number of gels you carry, if you allowed a higher concentration of E-Fly in the bottles (4-6 scoops/bottle). It would mean you would have to take in more water at the aid stations, but would allow you to carry less packaged fuel from the start. I have found the higher concentrations of E-Fly in the bottle do not add significant taste, nor add to GI upset. And it is certainly easier than taping 7 gels to your top tube.

You could try a more concentrated solution on your next long ride, just to see how it goes, and play with whether you can tolerate the calories better from a bottle vs the gel.

Just my suggestion.

[GinnySellars]

Thanks Coach! As you know, I don't use a Bento Box, because my knees touch it when I climb. I also only have one pocket in my tri top...so yes, I should consider using more liquid fuel. I will have to be very focussed to get enough water. For a 1/2 Ironman, I like the bottles to be the right concentration, so that I don't have to be so careful to get enough plain water.

OK, I have one more longer ride, so I'll give it a whirl with 1 bottle a little stronger, and some plain water.

[courtney.rennie]

Ginny, Is there some physiological reason you are changing to water in bottle 4?
Court.

[GinnySellars]

The only reason is that only water and gatorade is offered on course. Gatorade makes my stomach cramp. By the time I get it watered down enough so the sugar doesn't affect my stomach, the electrolyte balance is way too weak anyway. So, I'll take water, and a tube of electrolytes with me instead.

[Becky]

Hey Gin,

Are you not picking up a food bag at the turn around?  When you switch up from your own bottles to water and gels...what form are you getting your electrolytes in?   

[GinnySellars]

So my nutrition plan has changed again...

I'm now going to rely on aid stations more for food instead of carrying it, AND I'm going to use more concentrated bottles.

eFLY + electrolytes + BCAAs (branch chain amino acids)

1st bottle 200kcal
2nd bottle 400kcal
3rd bottle 400kcal

The first bottle can go down 'as is'. The other two will be divided into 2 hours, with water to supplement. I'll get a bottle of water from an aid station once the first bottle is done.

I will take 5 gels with me, and expect to have 1 every hr.

This is 1500kcal, so I don't NEED anything else, but may have a bar from an aid station if I feel I want something solid.

The BCAAs are already in the GUs that I use, but I've had the experience of falling asleep on the bike more than once, and it's possible it's from lack of protein and tryptophan getting in the way.

In response to you Becky, no I'm not using the food bag. No real reason, just haven't used it before and don't like the break mid-ride.
I'm using ZoneCaps by eLoad for electrolytes. I'll empty them into my bottle during preparation.

On the run, I'll take a container of eDisks in my back pocket, and have a gel every hour.

[GinnySellars]

If Simon needs a 'salt stick', I think Andrew has an extra. It mounts right on your bike, and you twist it, and a capsule pops out the end. That's what he's using.