Ironman Perform vs Infinit
Coach P- I am confused. I have been using Inifinit bike formula and run formula in my training based on EN recommendations. Now, we have a new recommendation that Ironman Perform is the best per Jesse in the Nutrition Webinar. You made a reference to infinit in your Coaches chat 8/6 that lumped infinit with single CHO source products. However, the label on both my run and bike product say 3 CHO sources-maltodextrin, sucrose and dextrose, which is what we want per Jesse. I have been confused on how to actually make an infinit concentrate work all day on the IM bike course and you also allude to the probelm in the coaches chat. I am running low on my infinit bike product, so should I now buy Perform and try it out?
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1) choose your nutrition based on what works for your body
2) choose it based on your racing strategy - do you want to carry your own or live off the course?
I've raced multiple marathons with concentrated bottles of Infinit without any problems. Personally, Perform/Gatorade don't work for me because the favors are too strong. I don't mind carrying my own fuel for now, so Infinit works for me.
IMHO: it doesn't really matter what your use as long as it works for your body. I know other RDs who have had clients use everything from Twizzlers to real food. I have a friend who has successfully raced marathons using a fruit leather with chia seeds she makes herself. There isnt ONE single fuel that works for every single person. You need to find what works for you and that you like over the time of your race.
- there is some concern that Perform may not be around that much longer. Powerbar has stopped selling it in bottles in stores, only available via powder so many are thinking it will be gone once the contract with WTC is up. I'd also try some before if you've never had it. There are 3 flavors and I personally don't like 2 of the 3, so I'm taking any chances and am going with Infinit.
- Infinit was noted as a very good product by Jesse - I think he likes Perform better only because it's on the course. It has his 3 key CHO sources and you can set the sodium as you like. He just thinks it's a hassle to carry powder to mix. While I agree that it's a pain to mix, I know that the time I may lose doing that is nothing compared to the time I'll lose if my stomach goes bad....
Agree with what Penny and others say above...
As everyone has said, it's all individual.
I've done many races using concentrated Infinit. I raced with Perform last year, and trained with it via the powder, because I wanted to focus on simplicity and living off the course. That that my Infinit plan was working, I just wanted to make it very simple. The Perform part of my plan worked well for me.
However, the common theme among most good race reports is to take in calories via an easily digestible source: liquids and gels vs bars and real-food-esque type stuff. The more calorie dense whatever you're eating is, the more on-the-ball you need to be with drinking water on it and the less margin for error you have if it's a hot day, you get behind on your dehydration, etc.
Today I was at an event at my LBS and spoke to a PowerBar sales representative regarding rumors that Perform would no longer be available.
His explanation was that Perform has been around for nearly 11 years and is a product that sells and performs (no pun intended) well in the market and that there are no plans to end the manufacturing of the powder version. The reason Perform still exists in Ironman events is that PowerBar does it as a courtesy to Ironman because it would make it very difficult for volunteers at aid stations and race participants to mix it on the fly during a race.
So, essentially from this conversation Perform will be around for the foreseeable future in Ironman Events. That being said, I still find it hard to find in the powder form from time to time but can find it if I look for it. Smaller GNC store might not carry it but I was told you could find it at larger branches.