2am pre-race "breakfast"

mcstrangelove · March 29, 2011 3:43PM

The coaches call for 600-800 liquid calories at 2am before a HIM. Can this be Infinit formula or possibly several packets of meal replacement powder? I'd have to drink about 10 bottles of Gatorade to hit that number!

Also, anyone know if EN has a booth, meet & greet, etc. at this weekend's Oceanside 70.3?

Mac

jburbatt · March 29, 2011 4:00PM

I wouldn't drink Infinit solely because you'll be downing it all day. I drink a Naked Juice. Usually Green Machine since it doesn't have any fiber.

Matt Samojeden · March 29, 2011 4:10PM

Im with Jennifer - I go with a fruit smoothy style drink - find something that works for your system.

mcstrangelove · March 29, 2011 4:39PM

I've checked Naked juices and other bottled drinks but they all seem to be only 60-150 calories. Do you normally drink 3-4 of them? I'm wondering how people get the 600-800 cals that R&P suggest.

I'm fine with shotgunning a few bottles at 2am, but I don't wanna wreck my stomach either

Jeff Unruh · March 29, 2011 4:59PM

Is the 600-800 kcal still prescribed for HIM?

graham_m_dunn · March 29, 2011 5:42PM

Those Ensure meal replacement shakes (or their generic equivalents) often have "Calorie+" versions that are 350 calories apiece. I drank two of them before Muskoka 70.3 last year.

[edit: found the 350 cal version]

GMAN 19030 · March 29, 2011 6:11PM

This is the one area where I will 100% disagree with RnP. My ass isn't waking up at 2:00 AM for anything because I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. I'll snack on something before I go to bed and fuel up when I wake up. I'm not a hobbit. I don't need second breakfast. ;-)

Scott Alexander · March 29, 2011 7:10PM

I eat a smoothie for breakfast everyday, almost a year now. At Vineman 70.3 last year, since I was travelling without my own blender, I found a Jamba Juice in Napa and bought two soy protein smoothies (and added some of my own flax seed and extra whey). I downed one before I went to bed (about 11am) and then one for breakfast (about 5am).

Just like everything else, especially nutritionally, don't try anything new on race day! So if you want to do it, try it on race rehearsals first - at least.

Coach Rich · March 29, 2011 7:29PM

There are lots of ways to get in a quick 600-800cals in 5-10' then go back to sleep. I used to be an Ensure guy until I read the ingredients. Yikes! Now I find a Naked Juice protein smoothie, about 300-350cals per.

FWIW, this 2am breakfast thing has been vetted successfully by thousands of athletes since at least 2002. Ignore our advice at your peril, just sayin'

Mac, contact John Stark about Cali plans. We're getting together at Boardwalk Brewery 1-3pm on Saturday, after the race. And I'll be somewhere on the run course. Won't say where but if you walk or slow down...I'll be right there.

Al Truscott · March 29, 2011 9:54PM

Odwalla makes a few "monster" drinnks in the 440 cal/12=16 oz range.

A Jamba Juice Jumbo size (24 oz) P-Nut Butter Chocolate Moo'd with protein boost will top out at 1000 cal - that's my night before an IM meal of choice.

"Boost" is a powdered form of Ensure which is a bit more tolerable.There's one other whose name I forget - 600 cal/8 oz mixed with whole milk. If I find it I'll add it here. Recently I've had a lot of experience "eating" all these things and more when I was trying to gain 15# while limited to a liquid diet. Bleech!

mcstrangelove · March 29, 2011 10:00PM

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'll definitely have something on hand. Rich, I'll look for you guys after the race, god willing....

GMAN 19030 · March 30, 2011 6:56AM

Posted By Rich Strauss on 29 Mar 2011 07:29 PM
There are lots of ways to get in a quick 600-800cals in 5-10' then go back to sleep. I used to be an Ensure guy until I read the ingredients. Yikes! Now I find a Naked Juice protein smoothie, about 300-350cals per.

FWIW, this 2am breakfast thing has been vetted successfully by thousands of athletes since at least 2002. Ignore our advice at your peril, just sayin'

Mac, contact John Stark about Cali plans. We're getting together at Boardwalk Brewery 1-3pm on Saturday, after the race. And I'll be somewhere on the run course. Won't say where but if you walk or slow down...I'll be right there.

I completely understand the reasons why. I would rather get another two or three hours of sleep. You're operating under the assumption I could wake up, eat a 'lil something and go back to sleep. I'd end up staring at my alarm clock for the next three hours. I'd rather sleep straight through. I can't make up that lost sleep. I can make up the calories.

scottwstewart · March 30, 2011 9:01AM

It seems like a lot of people use smoothie type drinks for their 2am pre-race meal. At IMFL this last year, I took a little different approach. I had oatmeal with raisins and an english muffin with peanut butter. Yes, it takes longer to make and eat then a smoothie, but it was my last solid meal before the race. At 5am, I had some CarboPro (sports drink) since i knew the liquid calories would be quickly digestible. That allowed me to start the race full on fuel but with an empty stomach. Even though I was one of the slower people on the swim, I no point during the swim or bike did I feel low on energy.

I personally really liked the 2am meal. I was so nervous for the race that I wasn't going to sleep much anyways, so waking up at 2am was no big deal. Also, as long as you get plenty of sleep two nights before the race I wouldn't worry about a little lost sleep the night before the race.

Al Truscott · March 30, 2011 5:23PM

The senior moment had passed; I remember the name of the 600 cal/8 oz shake mix: Scandishake

Coach Rich · March 31, 2011 3:40PM

I think solid vs liquid is fine. I choose liquid because it digests more quickly, that's all.

2am pre-race "breakfast"

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