MAJOR GI DISTRESS - Help needed !

Andres Duarte

I need to make some drastic changes to my nutrition during a race, but not sure what to do.

Cartagena 70.3 was very hot, so when I started the bike part I decided to drink a little more than I planed.  I used the Gatorade they provided.  For food I had PowerBars eaten according to plan.  (I have also try Cliff bars in other races).

So far so good ... all was going according to plan.

Then I started running,  first couple of miles went according to plan.  Then I had my first Gel and I felt a little cramp in my stomach.  A little later I had Gatorade and another cramp.  And for then on I was going worse and worse until I had to stop to let the cramp go and then continue walking.

In many races it has happen to me that I get blotted at the end of the running part.  I have changed gels from GU to Powerbar and always got the blotted feeling at the end.. but never as severe as what happen in Cartagena.  Also, in the at the end of the bike I usually get a sensation of not more food needed.

I don't think it was dehydration, because at the beginning of the running urinated well.

Any suggestions?

 

CarolynP

You may be eating more calories than you can digest.
I also have always had GI issues (usually it is a starvation march) and flavor fatigue especially in the heat.
So for my Ironman I hired a nutritionist and I practiced my nutrition plan every weekend for 5 weeks leading up to the race. Documented the results and tweaked one thing at a time documented the results and tried it again. I also wrote on the packages the order and approximate time I would eat as later in the races I tend to forget to eat, hence the numerous starvation marches I have been on in races.

I also found that the day leading up to the race is just as important if not more important.

Anyways, as for race day I have to go really bland and no caffeine (unless I really need it), so:

Breakfast 3.5 hrs before - 2.75 Cups A. Sauce, 1 Banana, 1 Scoop, Whey Protein, 1 Bottle, Tailwind sports drink
Pre snack - 1hr before - 1 Bobos Oat bar
15mins prior 1 cliff gel
Once on the bike every 40 mins - 1/2 Bobos Oat bar, 1/2 Bobos Oat bar, 1 Cliff Gel, 1 Glukos Gel + BASE, than repeat if needed. I drink 1 bottle of Lemon Lime Skratch per hr. or Tailwind
One the run I only drink water with a lick of BASE and two Glukos blocks every two miles. And if I can get it down a Cliff Gel every 40 mins (which the hotter it gets I can not do)

Sometime I switch out the Bobos for Bonk Breaker but they tend to be a little drier.

Best of luck to you GI issues suck

Carolyn

Scott Giljum

What did you eat in the morning before the race? When did you eat it? What did you eat (if anything) on the bike? When you say things went to plan, I assume you mean you were able to run at the paces you wanted to. Were those paces taking into account the extra heat? When you trained, did you train with GE or something else?

Andres Duarte

Hi Scott,

I have two portions of oatmeal.  It is usually what I have before long bike rides and races.  After I was with a bottle of Gatorade diluted in water drinking little sips every few minutes.  

On the bike I only had Powerbars

Yes by plan I mean speed and pace adjusted for the extra heat.

While I trained I used the same nutrition.

Thanks

 

Andres Duarte

Thanks Carolyn,

I probably would have to do the same and get a nutritionist.  In the race rehearsals the nutrition worked well.  I think I need to get something like fruit or crackers in the bike, my guess is that the problems start from the bike and materialize on the run.

Two days before the race I stop red meats and minimize sauces and condiments.  The day before the race I eat for lunch ricotta and spinach raviolis and for dinner spaghetti with a little butter and chicken.

Scott Giljum

Andres, a nutritionist is great answer, though not cheap. And you are right, the issues you felt during the run are more than likely a result of what was done (or not done) on the bike. If you over-cooked the bike, it could result in what happened, especially in the heat. I have always been told GI issues typically happen for a couple of reasons:
1. You overcooked part of the day (typically the bike which expresses itself later)
2. Your nutrition was not enough. If it was super hot, your body could have had more difficulty digesting the power bars. A mix of bars and gels might help (I personally take one then the other every 45 to 50 minutes).

Also you do need to look at how much you drank. I know you said a bit more than normal, but normal may not be the right amount. A sweat test would help dial in what that amount should be and give you a better indication of what more should look like. I sweat like crazy and in hot conditions need to be drinking about two full bottles of GE every hour and then some otherwise things start to go sideways.

Hope this helps.

moetai@gmail.com

Had issues for years on the start of the run because of poor drinking and eating strategies on the bike (water and powerbars like u). Now having only gels/liquid calories on the bike for olympics and half ( i had 3 very small 80kcal each bars in IMAZ last month on the bike) and force myself not to ingest anything for the last 10' of the bike. Then its just water and coke on the run. Works for me.
Ps: coffee and powerbars and/or waffle for breakfast

moetai@gmail.com

found out that the harder I go on the bike or the hotter it was, the less I could tolerate solid food, hence the gel/liquid only.
and for some reason, I can't digest gatorade like drinks
good luck finding what works for u

Frederick Guesneau

I like the very simple rule: if you start having stomach issue, switch to water only until it settles. I am not a fan of solid even for ironman distance. I stick to gu and energy drink. I will add a little of solid half way through the bike (small bites of high cliff bars) but it is mostly to eliminate the feeling of empty stomach. Find out the hourly calorie intake you can take, switch some of it (dont add it) for a few solid bites 1/2 way through the bike), add water (useless nutriant) only if you feel an imbalance in your sodium). You need to adjust the calorie down if hot weather is present.  During the run, I only take gu if my stomach says OK! I use the gu to add cafeeine and increase calories during the run, otherwise energy drinks 100%. A few more comments: the bike portion should be easy and not hard enough to upset the stomach; use the training season to push hard and increase your Power, not the race; easy on the bike and prepare for the run. You should start the run not hungry (think about a race where you only run a marathon - don't start hungry! Don't start with a bagel in the stomach!) and try to simply sustain the energy (calories) you added during the bike (mostly liquid during the run - caffeein GU if stomach says yes. Your training should test your nutrition during the bike and how you feel starting the run. Many workouts are designed for that purpose. 4-5 hour bike with a 30-40 min run after. watch your stomach and energy after 30 minute run (drinking liquid calories only during the 30 min run). If you feel hungry, you need to up the calories during the bike, if not, up the calories to test the limit!. PS. I used to plan 265 calories per hours, I now take 400 cal/hour during the bike (less if hot). Yep, nutrition is a challenge and is as important as training and equipment. Good luck! PS. Sorry for the long text ( it will make up for my normal low participation).  

Robert Sabo

If you take solids on the bike which I do I stop them in the last third to quarter of the bike. So in a 70.3, I stop bars in the last 45 minutes and in a full in the last hour to hour and a half. I take only gels and Gatorade for the last section and no solids on the run.
You will have to try some of these changes in training to see which work for you.
Writing down exactly what you did in training is hard but helpful. Having a plan is great but figuring how to adapt it on the fly during a race is tough.

Andres Duarte

Thank Scott !

I did the sweet test, but not in such extreme heat conditions.  So there may be something to research there.  Besides to change to gels for the last part of the bike, I am not sure what to do in terms of the amount of calories when there is high temperatures.  Decrease the calories, maintain or decrease?.

Francis Picard

You should post your full nutrition plan for the day before and what you take during the bike, that might help us to give you ideas.

But like others had said, I would try without solid

Andres Duarte

Thanks to all.. great advise!