Need advice about Infinit

Jane Hargraft

 It's clear from IMC that I need to get more in me on the bike and I need more calories and probably more sodium. I am about to listen to the Infinit pod cast from the Wiki, but would appreciate advice about Infinit or anything that works for you over the long run. I am trying to avoid stomach upset on the run and trying to get more sodium and calories in on the bike. Thanks!

Cary Blanco

I'd recommend watching the Nutrition Seminar - have a look at this page in the wiki

I recorded mike from Infinit at giving a talk after Coach P in IMLP in 2010 You can grab the mp3 of that talk here

Bruce Thompson

Jane - The stuff works great for me.  Have used it for all training and racing the last 2 seasons and haven't had any problems at all.  No bonks, no cramps, no GI problems.   Hot days, cold days, IMs, HIM, Olys  --  doesn't matter.  Infinit works for me.  I race with nothing else.  For an IM I will also eat a bagel at BSN and take a banana or two off the bike course.  Only Infinit + water + S-cap on the run.

Jane Hargraft

Yep, I am going to listen to the podcast right now - i was looking for anecdotal advice - do you like it, etc

Jane Hargraft

 I just listened to your IM Moo podcast - Awesome! - what is S-cap?

Bruce Thompson

Thanks.  I had a good day.

S-caps are a sodium capsule made by SUCEED.  Each cap has 341 mg of sodium and 21 of potassium.  I  put 3 or 4 caps in a tiny pill baggie and put that in my fuel belt pocket for the run.  Will just take 1 cap every 2 hours (1 per hour if it is over 90F) to supplement the stuff in Infinit.  The Infinit people will tell you that you don't need more, but I take them as insurance since I'm a heavy, salty sweater.

For Infinit, make sure you fill out the questionairre on the website and it will create a formula for you.  Then schedule a phone consult with Infinit - you can do that on the website too.  The consultant will tweak your formula based on the conversation.

Norton

S-Caps=Succeed Caps=the gold standard of electrolyte supplements.

Also: many of us need more that the "standard" 240-280 cal/hour. Figure out what works best for you in training and stick to that during races. I supplement Infinit with all kinds of stuff: gels, blocks, sport beans, rice cakes, Snickers, KitKat bars, anything I can tolerate to get the calorie count up there. I even went through an entire large bag of Fritoes during a recent 1200k brevet; it was tasty and supplied me with steady calories.

robin sarner

And of course the Perform way.   If you tolerate it.   On the course.   Easy.    As per the podcast.    Works for me and performance has increased a lot

Jane Hargraft

 Thanks bill. I ran into trouble at IM Canada eating anything I saw on the run. Ran out of gas and generally blew it, so want to correct tht. All really dumb as I've run 25 marathons so should know better. 

Bruce, I visited the infinit site - I will definitely call them. Do you use it in the OS as well? I am part way through the nutrition talk with Jesse and wonder if everyone does the race rehearsal and recovery drink thing every time? I mean, I don't take a gel for a 45 min run and often don't take liquid as I don't need it. Wht do you-all think?

Jane Hargraft

 Robin, did you do IM Canada? I can't recall meeting you. I would love to have a SEATAC sleeper cell I with you, me, Jenn, steve and al so close ( and my husband too)). Of course, I'd be the caboose!

Bruce Thompson

Jane - I'll use Infinit for any workout (bike or run) that is over 90 minutes long.  It is part of getting my body accustomed to what I'll use on race day.  If a bike workout, I concentrate it just like I would on race day.  If a run, I use my Infinit run formula (has few calories than my bike formula + has caffeine in it) at the normal concentration.  Any thing less than an 90 minute workout, I just eat something (usually a power bar, or banana or 1/2 bagel) 30 minutes before the workout and then drink water during the workout.  Then I make sure I get a good post workout drink - smoothie with protein, or chocolate milk.

John Withrow

Jane-- I use Concentrated Infinit on my bike and love it. I don't use it for anything less than 2 hours though. For IM races, I make 2x 3hr bottles and start with one on my bike and get the next one at BSN. I make these bottles a day ahead of time in an insulated camelbak Podium bottle and I freeze them solid. I them put the BSN bottle inside an insulated lunch bag inside the BSN bag. This way I start on my bike with a nice slushy bottle that stays cold for at least 2 hours, then I get another slushy bottle at BSN which is a nice pleasant thing to have at the halfway point of the bike.

On the run, I use Infinite Napalm. I really like it at this point. much easier to tolerate than the stuiff on the course. Here's a thread about it. I give more detail near the bottom of the post. http://members.endurancenation.us/Training/TrainingForums/tabid/101/aft/8544/Default.aspx#116731

Gene

Jane -

In regard to the concentrated Infinit: I would have loved for this to work for me but it doesn't.  I trained this way for over 1.5 years and it worked in training.  BUT, it did not work out in races.  In both a half and full IM the concentrated bottle of Infinit failed me.  After talking to the owner (I forget his name) who was nice enough to return my email with a call, he told me that many of his athletes cannot handle the concentration of Infinit in their stomaches for races. I was diligent drinking a sip every15 minutes and chasing with water just like in training, but it doesn't work for me in racing.  I wish I knew why.  Now I am following a Core esque plan and only drinking  IM Perform.  It has worked great fo rthe last 6 weeks including a RR.  Good luck in your hunt for nutrition bliss.  Just giving my .02 from the other side of the Infinit fence. 

 

Gene

[Deleted User]

I had the same experience as Gene. I loved the simplicity of concentrated Infinite, and it worked great in training and even race rehearsals. For Lake Placid 2011 I developed major stomach cramping on the run (as did a number of other EN athletes that year). It may or may not have been the concentrated Infinite, I don't know for sure. I to was careful about chasing the concentrate with water, but I think it just does not work for me. I also seemed to bonk on the run in HIM races. I am now a Core Diet convert and so far, so good. I feel stronger right to the end of long workouts, and seem to recover better too. No stomach cramping in HIM races, but I have not tested it in a full Ironman yet. As a footnote, when I was setting up my Infinite formula a couple of years ago I had a phone conversation with one of the guys there. I don't remember all the details, but I do recall he seemed not to be a big fan of concentrating their product.

Carl

I have also used Infinit for the past two years but just recently switched completely to Perform. Why? 16 dollars a container vs 43. They raised the prices recently. For me it worked great but the 275 calories it was giving me wasn't enough. It had taken 2.5 years to dial in my nutrition and calories needed per hour to keep me from bonking.

I'm also very careful about salt tabs cause they seem to bloat me and often nauseat me. I do better with a high sodium base in my drink vs taking as a tablet or capsule.

harrast

I came late to the Infinite party and the punch bowl was already empty, so I decided to try Perform. In fact, I've stocked up on all the nutrition the core diet webinar recommended--Clif Bloks, Powerbars, Powerbar Gels, salt sticks and Perform. At this point, I'm just experimenting. I've come a long way since starting out as a course omnivore.

Bruce Thompson

Like John W, I make two 3x concentrated bottles of Infinit for an IM ride.  One goes on the bike in transition and one is in BSN.  Only I don't bother with the cooler.  I've never had a problem drinking 3x concentrated Infinity even if it gets hot. Sorry to hear that concentrated Infinit does work for others.  I guess we all have to experiment and find what our stomachs can handle.

J.T. Thompson

Hey Jane - I'll add a few thoughts:

- I found that Infinit with protein gave me a few problems with the stomach....I switched to a new formula with no protein and it worked great.

- I also backed off on concentrating it - just go with standard strength - has also worked great since I made the change - no stomach issues. Did find that I now get a little hungry, so supplementing it with powerbar and jels, following the Core Diet program....

I've also said this before, but I'd just keep in mind that Powerbar has stopped producing Perform in bottles - can't find it in stores. Many speculating that once their contract with Ironman expires, that they will pull the plug on it....