Caffeine

I use caffeinated gels strategically, too...mostly towards the latter parts of the race, when I'm feeling tired. 

For example, in runs (half marathon and above), i use them later in the race. In tris (olympic and above), I use them on the towards the middle to end of the last two events...I feel as though it gives me a slight boost.

I try not to use them early in the race, though...I want the benefit to feel/be apparent.

Just like my take on higher sub aerobic threshold volume training as the basis for long course training, a periodized diet heavy on protein/healthy fats and slower carbs, I am a big proponent of caffeine usage thecaptin. I take it before short and long course.

I train with it as I would race with it. I also do a slight tapering of it prior to race week.

I am very sensitive to its effects and am not one who suffers from the side effects. These are important to test in practice.

Here is a link to a summary I wrote about Seebohar's caffeine loading protocol. It covers a great starting point that one can adjust to their needs and body. The key I have found is to either go all in or not go at all. In other words, if you run out of caffeine buzz in simple terms, you end up petering out before race or training day's end. Holler if you want more specifics and good luck my man.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/tricoachgeorgiacom/seebohars-caffeine-protocol-the-essentials/472209692825204

Slayer - great follow on to my question.   I am trying to figure it out in terms of short course.   I got the pre-race dosing amounts.   I need to figure out in race dosing.   With sprints being little over an hour, it seems that I only need to pre-dose once between 30-45 minute mark.  This would be on the bike, which makes it easier.  However, when you are in sprint hammer mode on the bike, it can be hard to find a moment to make it quick.  In other words, I think you need a large source quickly.  I am not sure Roctane has enough to accomplish the 1-3% amount.  I am thinking spiked drink is the way to go.   Thoughts?

On OLY distance, it is obvious you need 2-3 dosing events to get through the event (ie 2:30 - 2:40).  Two on the bike, one on the run.    I am thinking that I combine drink and gels on the bike plus a gel at the start of the run and another at 4 miles. Thoughts?

The caffeine in-take sort of matches the calorie needs for short course, so it all flows together. 

thecaptin, my thinking on sprints, olympics and wherever I can afford the risk is to race as light as possible. that means no water bottles or caging, spare bags, etc on the bike.thus anything i can get in me comes pre-race or in transition on sprints and through the torpedo bottle on my horns.

I love strong coffee pre race and the powder caffeine product "Pre-Race" mixed in my drinks or straight CVS type caffeine tabs that are buffered. obviously the powder mixed in with your liquids is easiest to take in during the race mixed in with whatever else you are taking.

I try to avoid gels due to the dreaded blood sugar spiking that makes you think you are bonking. i also stay with caffeine once i start it. its not for everyone, but it does work for me. if you do these methods, like any fueling strategy, it helps to practice it in training before racing.

go get em tiger! ROAR!!!!

I don't think you would be able to process a gel fast enough at sprint intensity for it to help.

I don't think El Captan is planning to walk the run.  

IIRC at resting HR it takes about 10-15 mins to ingest something and 90 mins for the caffeine to peak in the blood stream.  At high intensities I don't think he would get enough ingested to matter, but I guess it could help psychologically.  

What about drinking a flat energy drink that has caffeine while on the bike?  Might help in the sprint, but would definitely have an impact on the Oly.  Sort of like flat coke at the IM.

So what about a can of flat Monster Energy on the bike?  A 16 oz can has 200 cals and 160 mg of caffeine.  

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0059561

I think no matter how you get it in your blood stream, you get it in your blood stream, your performance will likely improve.  The BMJ looked at all sports supplements a year or so ago when they looked at prescriptive footwear, and sports drinks, and concluded the only two that were empirically demonstrated to be effective for improving performance were caffeine and creatine. I have never tried the latter.

btw, If you take a lot of caffeine (think 10 espressos!) you will exceed the legal limit for caffeine.  The limit is 12 mgc/ml in your urine.  

i don't think my stomach could handle that level of caffeine...yikes!

damn...nix that plan...I will try something else...iced espresso sound like a nice change from sports mixes.

Seriously, I am going to try Scratch with pre-race mixed in on my next training ride.   Interesting on sprints that it is all pre-race planning.   OLY will more than likely a pre-race mix then caffeine spiked drink on the bike. 

Oh, you are!  We just have way to much time on our hands!  

Amen...

Sarah is much more serious then she lets on. She spent all winter beating me down at Athens masters.

The thing about nuun or gels is that its got negligible or not as high amounts of caffeine in it so you really are not getting the performance benefits you can with proper dosing.Why leave that on the table if you can get up to 10-12% benefit if your goal is to be done as quickly as possible? Heck the athens criterium cyclists are jacked on even higher dosages of caffeine according to my source who knows them well.

Being unsystematic is fine and dandy if you're not being serious about racing; however the longer the course or more serious you are the more systematic you have to be so you can figure out which variables contribute to bad training or racing days based on systematic manipulations. Like thecaptin said, there is a parallel with caffeine (or sodium) loading and fueling. Many a racer's great fitness was lost to a fueling or hydration mistake so its best to track these things. That's why we talk about "dialing it in" so often in long (and short) course.

Part of me hates what I type anymore. But I have learned some painful lessons as an athlete and as a coach and hope you all can benefit from my way of thinking even if it sounds a bit serious.

I picture FattyFatFat coming on here and swatting me down and saying beer and pbj are all you need to PR so go easy on me here my man! BD is already bringing in legal limits to caffeine. WTH is that all about? The day I get arrested for my pizz having too much caffeine in it is the day I leave the sport haha.

I am with the comment imputed to FattyFatFat.  It seems to me that a regime of caffeine supplementation during racing does border on doping. 

Taking a drug (caffeine, ibuprophen, albuterol) for anything other than treatment of an injury or normal eating/drinking seems to violate the spirit of competition.  The test for winning becomes not who has trained the hardest, longest, best, but who has the best knowledge of what supplements to take and when.

I took two ibuprophen before and during the Publix GA marathon because I was undertrained and beat-up and wanted to dull the pain, but I think it puts an astrisk next to my performance because I likely would not have been able to push as hard if I had not masked the pain.  How is that any different from taking ibuprophen or caffeine to stave off muscle fatigue in a more talented/faster/contending racer.  Maybe I am wrong?!

Wow I am late to the part on this one.

I have to agree with Slayer on this one, strategic use of caffeine is definitely of benefit to the long course athlete (short course not so much). I drink a cup of coffee before sprints and Olympics simply because I have one every morning and if I don't drink one then I get the raging caffeine headache by mid morning. For long course the defizzed coke and caffeinated gels are hugely beneficial. I don't know that I am on board with a caffeine taper simply because (at least in my case) my family would kill me as a result of being so grumpy.

I had a pro athlete that I coached a few years ago that did a 3:05 marathon at IMFL on a fuel belt filled with Mountain Dew.

I personally like Fattyfatts race nutrition plan!

This made my day...thanks.