Moving from Sprint to Olympic

I agree with Ron, I have not tried the Olympic at this time, but I feel it is just around the corner. I would really up my swim workouts and would start increasing the run time. You would probably hold your own on the bike. Basically, I would make sure that your comfortable with the fact you could finish with out injuring yourself. This stuff is addictive.

Still Tri'n
Michael

Hello,
Since the Olympic distance tri will have you out on the course for 2.5-3hours or more, NUTRITION before AND during the eventis going to become much more important.

During a Sprint, most of us can get away with taking a few gulps of fluids, perhaps a gel or two, and finish up fine. BUT once we start exercising well over an hour, we start depleting our GLYCOGEN (stored sugar) stores. Once that happens....BAMMM ! You're walking at best, perhaps not even finishing.

Hydration becomes important as well, especially in the hot, humid conditions we are racing in now in much of North America. I've seen fit athletes rushed to the ER after not watching their hydration levels in evens as short as Sprint tris.

NUTRITION RECOMMENDATIONS :

24 hours prior : eat a high-carb dinner early evening (before7pm) the evening before. be sure to drink enough fluids (preferably sports drink, as it contains salt you'll need as well) the entire day before. Drink enough that your urine gets clear...more thanthat and you'll feel bloated and grumpy all day !

Morning of race : eat a light, carbo-filled breakfast, finishing at least 2 hours prior to the event (YES, that means waking up EARLY). Top off the fluids as well, as you drained a bit of fluid at night during your sleep.

30minutes pre-race : probably want to STOP any fluid or food intake NOW...your stomach will thank you for it. If you've been drinking enough, your nerves and bladder will kick in and you'll probably have to urinate right up until the start.

RACE :
-- try not to drink too much of the lake/ocean water during the swim !
-- wait at least 10minutes on the bike until you start drinking or eating...the shock of going from a swimmer to a cyclist will have the blood redistributing around your body. give it a few minutes to settle down.

BIKE
-- drink at least 1.5-2 LARGE (24oz) bottles during the ride. Better to SIP regularly than to GULP. Good idea to stick to energy drinks (gatorade, etc) as these give you a few more calories as well as electrolytes (salt) that you need as well.
-- also eat at least 2-3gels and/or an energy bar. Most athletes find gels are easier to stomach than solid foods. First timers shoudl bring BOTH with them and experiment : what is easy on the gut during training is NOT necessarily what will work during a race

RUN
-- if you've ingested enough calories during the bike, you won't need too many during the run, which is a good thing as getting calories down during the run is harder than the bike (a stomach being jostled around doesn't take too kindly to food !)
-- carry 2-3 gels with you and try taking one during the first mile, when you should be EASING into the pace anyway. Be sure to have fluid nearby to wash it down. Drink a few sips of water at each aid station and if its HOT be sure to dowse your head and body with a cold splash of H20! Take a gel at mile 3 and another one at 5 if you fell you need it.
--LISTEN TO YOUR BODY : if you feel yourself overheating during the run, SLOW DOWN and take in more fluids. Don't be surprised if you get a "sloshing" feeling in your gut. This is unabsorbed fluids sitting in there which will be absorbed once you slow down a bit.

Have fun !

Jay
http://www.ironcoach.com/

Great response Coach Jay. Many of us probably tend to overlook nutrition when training and competing.

Still Tri'n

Thanks for the in depth response and attention to detail coach.
Much appreciated!