Still having nutrition issues...
For those who listen to my podcast and/or read my race report, you'll notice that I had some MAJOR issues with my nutrition during Lake Placid. My bike nutrition plan is solely based off of using infinit-the blend listed below:
Supplement Facts Servings Per Container (25) Serving Size: 2 Scoops (67.12 g) |
Ingredients |
Amount Per Serving Calories: 251 Calories from Fat: 0 Total Fat: 0g - 0% of daily value Saturated Fat: 0g - 0% Sodium: 541mg - 22% Potassium: 156mg - 5% Total Carbohydrate: 59 - 19% Dietary Fiber: 0g - 0% Sugars: 14 Protein: 3.97 - 7% Vitamin A (Beta-Carotene): 0 - 0% Vitamin C: 0 - 0% Vitamin E: 0 - 0% Selenium: 0 - 0% Calcium: 43 - 4% Magnesium: 32 - 8% |
During the run my stomach went south...and fast. I kept with my bike nutrition plan very closely, doing 250 cals/hr and water, and by mile7/8 of the run I was cramping, bloated, and running for every porta john I could. This left me very frustrated because I held back a lot on the bike to hopefully run to my potential-but nutrition held me back from that. As I said to Coach P in my podcast, I have no idea what went wrong and would love some feedback based on my individual formula. Just an FYI, it was roughly 82 degrees in Placid this year for the high, and I was taking in a bottle of water in between each aid station on the bike (so about every 10 miles). I was about 120 lbs on race day.
ANY ADVICE is welcomed and appreciated. Thanks all 
Comments
I find, in an IM and sometimes hotter HIMs, that I have to stop drinking my infinit at least a half hour before I get off the bike to allow what's in my stomach to process thru before starting to run. Otherwise, too much stuff sloshin around in my stomach to process while I'm running, and BOOM...
Although I love the simplicity of concentrated Infinite, I have decided to ditch it and try something different this year. I paid for race nutrition plans from Core Diet, and so far it has been working great in training. Will put it to a test in a HIM in late August.
2x what Penny said-what do you use on run? Also, how much do you dilute your concentrated infinit?
I take 1 swig of infinit to 10 sips of water and it works. I also stop the infinit with about 15 mins to go on bike.
I cannot take infinit on run-makes me go to the portos--I do gel every 30' and water at every aid, and I'm not talking about grabbing a pixie half full, taking a sip and putting the rest on my body. i grab 4 cups. 2 to make sure i get a full 6-8 oz water (remember you are much smaller than me and prob sweat less, but still you need enough water for you), and then the other 2 cups I drench myself with (one over head, 1/2 of other down bicep to elbow crack and same on other side. Ditch the cup and rub your arms from wrist to shoulder-the water makes you feel cooler, it's a great trick!), which also helps keep my body temperature down so I FEEL LIKE EATING & DRINKING throughout the race. I think when we get hot we don't feel like eating, so cooling yourself down has multiple effects.
This is just what has worked for me the past 6 big races. Hope it helps!!!!
Really try to be robotic on race day. (in robot voice) run to next aid station, grab 4 cups, 2 in mouth, 1 on head, 1/2 arm each, rub. repeat. (if things get worrisome, like i developed a slight side stitch) i still talk to myself in robot voice. "activating rich and patrick comments"--slow down, fix the problem. I know it's so dorky, but it works.
At one point I was doing this up the hill. "Patrick said small steps, head down, move forward" all of a sudden I hear "Dottie!!!" I looked up and there he was.
So, now robot voice brings Patrick to me. Haha, I'm telling you, it works
Penny- I was doing a gu every 3 miles (no infinit on the run) with a full cup of water, then full cups of water at each aid station between. On the bike I was finishing a full bottle of water between each aid station...chasing sips of infinit with 3 big gulps of water then plenty between. I did the sips on infinit every 15 minutes. Nothing in T2-I was in and out in about 3 minutes.
Scott- I finished my last sips of infinit about 20 minutes before finishing the bike, because I was nervous that would happen as well...
Jim-Thanks for the feedback. Ive tried many things and finding infinit seemed to be the trick...until a few miles into the run. Im up for trying something completely different in order to be able to RUN my marathon
Dottie-Like I said to Penny, a gu every 3 miles with lots of water on the run, and with each sip of the concentrated infinit I took in 3 big gulps of water along with a decent amount between aid stations (a bottle of water every 10 miles). You are hilarious with your robot-like tendancies during the race...I this was the first race I made a big effort at staying close to my plan, and still I have the issues. Im up for changing anything at this point.
Tim-One person told me at 120lbs I should be taking in a bit less...Do you still take in 250 cals/hour now not using infinit? If so, what is your plan (exactly)?
My current plan for upcoming IMMT.
Dinner night before.... mostly white rice and sweet potatoes. Easily digestible and low fiber food all day.
Breakfast.... I eat 600-700 calories 3-3.5hrs before the start. Cream of rice hot cereal with some coconut, hemp, almond butter, maybe a piece of dark chocolate.
Pre swim peform and gel.
Bike- 5.5-5.75hr... plan- 4x24oz bottles of perform 210 calories each total 840 calories perform and 17.5oz per hour if I need more fluid water off course - I drink every 15 minutes to thirst- keeping it simple I drink 1 mouthful minimum and up to 2-3 or more if thirsty and hot , I eat every 30 minutes , on the half hour 2 margarita shot blocks(60 cal) , on the hour 1/2 waffle (80 cal) , I plan 2 waffles total, ending at the 4hr mark for (320 cal) finishing the ride with margarita shot blocks (total 10 blocks for 300 cal) total cal planned for 5.5 hrs 1440 or 260 per hour. I like the blocks because I can adjust caloric intake on the fly (use more if cold and not drinking all perform use less if drinking more perform then planned. I carry all nutrition but If I drop I can grab off course . I found the waffles to very digestible and tasty mid ride ( ate 2 they were so good - midway thru a 100 mile ride in training 320 calories I thought I might have over done it but finished ride with same intensity). The sodium of the perform and the margarita blocks adds up to almost 3000 or 500mg or more per hour. Caffeine plan is small amount of pre-race in perform bottles. Margarita shot blocks are not as sweet as the others since they have so much sodium.
Run---4hr or less plan.... flask of EFS 5 servings w/5 salt stick w/caffiene tabs inside (500cal). Every mile one mouthful perform or more to thirst , every 3 miles sip of EFS flask and water , repeat, EFS is gone at mile 18 , then coke/perfom/water rotation every mile. Estimated perform/coke 60oz or around 500 calories and 20-40oz water. This comes out to 1000 calories or 250 per hour... Again the sodium in the EFS and perform add up to around 2000 or 500mg per hour! The salt in the EFS makes it much less sweet and more palatable....
Its worked in training and its not far from what has worked in my previous IM's. Again with the blocks on the bike I have the flexibility of more or less depending on how I feel, on the run with the flask I have the flexibility of more or less when I sip from it. I went to a flask because I found one full gel to be too much at a time so I like just a little bit every 3 miles and usually only lasts 6 sips for 5 servings but it works.
That is my plan exactly! I hope this helps... It actually helped me to go thru it again Thanks!
......One unknown is the aid stations at IMMT... for the 70.3 they were spread out every 1.5 miles on average which was a bit too far... Hoping they move em in to 1 mile for the IM...