Nothing epic. Everything went according to plan. Strong swim, easy bike and ran the entire marathon (except when fueling). Came to the finish feeling amazing and could have kept running another 6 miles at least.
The biggest mistake I saw out there (including all of my friends) was nutrition. I would venture to say that 90% of all athletes out there are clueless in this area. I say way too many athletes walking the marathon because they had various GI issues: throwing up, cramps, diarrhea, etc...It was obvious to me that their bodies were shunting blood flow to their muscles and the food they were taking in was not getting digested. So not only was their body trying to purge the unused mass, but they were not taking in the calories they thought they were.
It was appalling watching so many people take everything offered at the aid stations. And seeing so many bottles filled with Gatorade and the like in the bike bottle cages! Orange slices, bananas, grapes, etc... Even my good friend succumbed to this temptation and alas, paid the price.
This is not a plug, but I used Hammer Perpetuem the entire day and never wavered. Even if you don't use their products I highly encourage you to read their knowledge base about nutrition and why things like Gatorade and other simple sugar based solutions are a recipe for disaster. Everyone I know that has used this product has had great results.
None of my friends could believe I would be only taking in liquid calories all day, even though I explained over and over again why it was a total food source and why the body can digest it when it can't digest solid foods. Here is how simple my plan was:
BIKE:
I carried one multi-hour bottle in my cage that had all my calories for the first half of the bike...take sip every 15 minutes, and chase with water. Pickup second multi-hour bottle at special needs and sip every 15 minutes...THAT'S IT!
RUN:
I carried one multi-hour fuel bottle on my back hip. Sip every 15 minutes. Pickup second bottle at special needs, sip every 15 minutes...THAT'S IT.
I could have mixed only 1 bottle for the bike and run leg each, but don't like my calories that thick, so put second bottle (packed on dry ice) in special needs.
I've read some other posts where people are drinking gatorade every 15 minutes, vanilla wafers every 30 minutes and a GU every hour. I'm not trying to knock on anyone in particular because most people just don't know, but this particular person said they had serious GI issues for almost the entire run (my several friends included). Besides the issue of insulin response to simple sugars, this nutrition is more complex than necessary. On race day I want SIMPLE.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating and now everyone in my triathlon group is finally listening up. I felt great, looked great, and all my internal plumbing worked that night and the days following...just like it always had in training.
Oh, and BTW, I added endurolytes and ammonia buffers into the multi-hour bottles as well, so I didn't even have to think about that either.
You don't even want to get me started about what people do for their recovery drinks!!! I have a secret formula that hands down will beat or rival ANY formula on the open-market...I'll be happy to share if you request.
While I might have the nutrition thing down pat, I have a lot to learn about other aspects of Ironman and was truly humbled by the amount of talent out there. I struggled with an IT band injury that only surfaced within the last month of training and almost prevented me from doing the race. (It only flares up on the bike and is most likely a hip alignment and bio-mechanical imbalance issue. I will be working on this in the offseason.) Hence, I had to take it very, very easy on the bike (I had to stop at virtually every rest stop and stretch my hips and IT band). Other than that, everything else was great!! I was slow compared to most of the field, but I felt better than most of the people around me! I quite literally could have continued to run another 6 miles easily!
BIB# 937
Photos:
http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=45835&BIB=937
1:10 Swim
6:45 Bike
4:43 Run
13:06 TOTAL
CHEERS!!
Congrats on a good
Congrats on a good finish.
On race day I want simple too...I use water and Gu Roctane. Succeed! Caps for electros, as well as pretzels and coke and water on the run.
Every time I've used Perpetuem I heave. It doesn't work for me in fact I gave up on their products long ago. I can't stomach anything they make except Hammer gel and I burn through it too quick. The only IM where I had GI issues (IMLP 2004) I was using Hammer products. Some of those folks may have been heaving up the "P"!
I think a lot more people are solid on their nutrition than you may think. They use what works for them and are flexible if it's not working.
Just remember, what works for you, may not work for others. While you're right that some folks at IM's are clueless...it's a very small group.
Yeah, you are probably
Yeah, you are probably right. Sorry it doesn't work for you. I had five other friends there and in listening to their nutrition plans, they seems unorganized and unsure. I took this as a sampling of new IM athletes, and it may be that this was IM FL where more than half of the field were first timers. And I know different things work for different folks. One of my friends who is a pretty experienced age grouper and has done about 8 IM sticks to gels and coke and he turns in fast times. Doesn't make any sense to me based on what I've learned, but if it works, why knock it I suppose.
BTW, am thinking about IMLP next year. How tough is the course?
Great job following your
Great job following your plan and finishing the race in a good time! Congrats! ;-)
Nice to have your nutrition
Nice to have your nutrition down like that. Great race as well.
I too, have given up on most Hammer products. Although I do agree with you that the perpetuem does work, I just can't stomach it any more. Infinit, accel gels, E-caps, and PB&J get me to the finish line(and cookies, soda, soup, and anything else that keeps me running).
Sounds like a great
Sounds like a great experience. I always hope to have a race day that goes according to plan :)
Great time!
jsoder wrote:I carried one
[quote=jsoder]I carried one multi-hour bottle in my cage that had all my calories for the first half of the bike...take sip every 15 minutes, and chase with water . . . On race day I want SIMPLE. [/quote]
So you made a super concentrate of your preferred 'nutrition'? Pretty good idea. And simple too: Grab bottle. Shoot in mouth. Follow with water.
jsoder wrote: BTW, am
[quote=jsoder]
BTW, am thinking about IMLP next year. How tough is the course?[/quote]
Sold out unless you plan to do the community fund slot.
Well, I guess my theory
Well, I guess my theory about not knowing anyone who has had problems with Perpetuem is shot down in flames. I have to admit that the flavor is not so good, and is an aquired taste. I have found that the colder it is the better, so I use a Polar bottle and typically freeze it solid the night before. (hence the reason I had my special needs bottle frozen solid and then packed on dry ice. this way it was still cold).
The new Cafe Latte isn't so bad though, and it helps to change it up. They definetely need to come up with some more flavors.
TriSooner: yes, concentrated formula. For those of us that it works for it sure is a simple solution.
IthinkIcan: sorry, I didn't mean this next year, but next, next year, as in 2011. Have you done it?
jsoder wrote:IthinkIcan:
[quote=jsoder]IthinkIcan: sorry, I didn't mean this next year, but next, next year, as in 2011. Have you done it? [/quote]
Not yet, you caught my interest though b/c I would love too... so I dbl checked registrations. There was a thread not long ago where anton and others participated and a number of trifuelers volunteered.
If memory serves correct I believe I've heard others say its a challenging course. Its on my radar since it seems to be the closest Iron distance race to MA. The only other is in MA, but supposedly 'on sabbatical' for 2010.
jsoder wrote: The biggest
[quote=jsoder]
The biggest mistake I saw out there (including all of my friends) was nutrition. I would venture to say that 90% of all athletes out there are clueless in this area. I say way too many athletes walking the marathon because they had various GI issues: throwing up, cramps, diarrhea, etc...It was obvious to me that their bodies were shunting blood flow to their muscles and the food they were taking in was not getting digested. So not only was their body trying to purge the unused mass, but they were not taking in the calories they thought they were. [/quote]
Race nutrition is very specific and is vital to survival and performance. That said, I have to admit that I can get away with a variety of nutrition on race day - including the nefarious gatorade, which is often demonized, yet almost universal to races.
While I can appreciate your nutrition plan and successful finish, I can't help but poke a hole in your global logic. A lot of people race on a very thin margin between performance and disaster. Nutrition will make or break their day, and that's the nature of those that are competing against a specific goal. Most professionals race this way. They have a plan, they train to the plan, and they execute on race day with minimal room for error. If you finished the race feeling like you could keep going, then you're comparing apples and oranges. Did some people gamble and lose? Most certainly, yes. What you didn't see were the ones that pushed the envelope, executed their plans, and succeeded.
The take away point is that we all have an optimal nutrition plan, and what drives one person to victory may steer the next person into disaster.
jsoder wrote:Came to the
[quote=jsoder]Came to the finish feeling amazing and could have kept running another 6 miles at least.
[/quote]
That's a different way to saying that you left a little on the course. I've finished races and thought that I could of gone faster, but I've never thought to myself that I could of gone longer. If there's ever a 146.6 IM, you're ready!
Well done. Once you have the discipline to race within your limits, that has to help your confidence.
Don't know if you're still
Don't know if you're still following this, but if you are, can I get your recovery formula that you mention in your initial writup?
Thanks,
Steve