triOK's Group - FULL (Page 10)

Funny!

I always wear speedos when I'm doing laps, but a normal bathing suit any other time.  I grew up wearing speedos on the swim team, so I'm used to wearing them.  It feels weird trying to do laps in anything else.  I always wear two pairs at once, to prevent the "see through" thing.  That was something I learned on the team.  Both guys and girls would wear two suits.

Thanks for doing us all a public service. 

nah, Jammers are cool.  And truth be told, Speedos are ok too as long as you aren't doing lunges or anything.  Its just the crack thing that bothers me.

How was that for a mental image.... HA!

Jammers are spandex shorts (made by Speedo) that you can swim in.  They are just like tri shorts without the chamois.  Almost everyone I see at the lap pool wears jammers and they love 'em.

They are perfect to race in, assuming you are only doing a sprint.

As I was telling Zach earlier, I have also done this race and it is just as brutal as it sounds.  The climbs, the rocks are just evil.  The race is called 12 Miles of Hell, but they usually lengthen the distance a bit.  When I did it, it was 17 miles....of pure torture.  There is a down hill section called the Kevinator (named after a guy that didn't do so well on the way down) that is suicide.  For those crazy enough to try it, there are people standing at the bottom to catch you so you don't roll off of the cliff on the other side of the trail.

I was so unprepared, WAY undertrained, and also had no nutrition with me.  This was the first race I encountered the bonk...and ever since, I have become quite friendly with gels. 

Here's some pics from that race...

The best jockstrappers a girl could ask for.  These are my babies.... they cheer me on at all my races.

 I was wondering about that.  So, it's normal for bathroom breaks in longer races?  Do they have portapotties in the transition area or something?

What triathlons or other races is everyone starting to plan on?

 I'm thinking of either The Great Buckeye Challenge Sprint Tri between Columbus and Cincinnati in August  http://www.greatbuckeye.com/ , and/or The Portage Lakes Sprint Tri in Akron  http://www.hfpracing.com/races/triduseries/akron_schedule.php in September.

I have friends and cousins and Aunts and Uncles close to both races, so I would have a built in cheering section!

These races are 4 weeks apart.  That seems like it would be plenty of time to recover from the first and train for the 2nd one.  Anyone else have any thoughts on that?

I may also run a 5k race in San Diego when I'm there in June so that I can get used to the atmosphere of being in crowds, etc.  That's assuming, that I go completely off plan and start running more.  Ironically, my plan doesn't even call for any running until the exact day of that race.  With the very little bit I've done so far I feel fine.

For example:

Carb-BOOM energy gels $1.00, regularly $1.25

Pro-BOOM recovery gels $1.60 regularly $1.99

Hydra-BOOM $17.60 regularly $21.99

Recover-ease $32 regularly $40

Energ-ease $32 regularly $40

Seriously, people.

OK...I am not saying this just because I selling this stuff.  I will give you my experience with gels and you can make up your own mind.

I use gels for any activity longer than an hour and a half.  Anything shorter than that, and sports drinks will get you through it.  I use gels in every race, regardless of distance (except 5k or 10k - I am talking about triathlons, road/mountain bike races).  I always carry a gel with me on training runs because I know the warning signs when the bonk is coming on.  In a race (sprint) I gel during T1, after the swim.  In an Oly, I might gel before the race even starts and then again during T2.

If you have ever experienced the bonk, you will know exactly why gels are important. Your body only has enough energy stored for an hour and a half (general estimate) worth of intense excerise (at race pace).  After that, your body shuts down, literally, in all regards.  Your muscles say, "no more, you idiot," and your mind turns itself off.  And it happens VERY quickly - in a matter of minutes.  If you are on a 40 mile bike ride in the middle of nowhere and you bonk, you could be in big trouble.

I have bonked in a couple of mountain bike races and it almost caused me to DNF.  I have bonked on a few training runs and I had to cut them short.  If you have ever heard anyone who runs a marathon talk about "The Wall at Mile 18," they are referring to the bonk (among other things).  When your body runs out of carbs to use as fuel, the body shuts itself down.  Gels help keep your blood sugar at a steady level and keep your body from depleting itself.

Some gels have caffeine in them.  If you have read much in the Tri Talk forum, you will start to realize that most athletes get a benefit from the caffeine in gels.  Personally, for this reason alone, the gels are worth it to me.  I see HUGE benefits from caffeine.  And its not so much physical as it is mental.  The caffeine helps you to focus.  I do get a huge jolt of energy from it too.

Downsides of gels:  some people have stomach issues when they use gels.  It can cause an upset tummy.  Personally, I have never had a problem with any gels except Powerbar gels.  They are so thick they feel like they just sit there.  And they are really hard to get down.  One important thing is that you should not drink sports drink and use gels at the same time.  They are both formulated to absorb into your system quickly.  Using both upsets the optimal carb/water ratio and it is not absorbed as quickly.  This can lead to tummy upset also.  If you gel, wash it down with pure water.

In all honesty, if you are just doing a sprint, you can get by with never touching a gel.  Anything longer and they become vital.  They are cheap and convenient (especially when you buy them from me! )

This is all based on my opinion and my experience.  I have a pantry at home full of all kinds of crap that help me get through my workouts.  I've tried it all.  If you have questions, ask away.

In general, gels have more calories in a smaller space (more concentrated).  If you drink gatorade, you are getting dosed with simple sugars, which cause a spike in blood sugar.  Gels are made with complex carbs (maltodextrin etc) that keep your blood sugar at a nice, even level.  Some drinks, though, are also made with complex carbs... you just have to look at them.

Gels offer quick, convenient access to good quality carbs.  Sports drinks are fine... its really a preference thing... you just have to drink a lot of it, and that may cause a bit of sloshiness in the tummy.

And then there is the caffeine thing.

I agree 100% with what TriOK's saying.  I, personally, stay away from the caffeine ones because they make me feel weird.  But that's another issue. 

It's the equivalent of fueling up every hour on a trip across Texas.  Yes, you could drive 400 miles on a tank and risk running out of gas, but why would you?  The body breaks down carbs first because it's more efficient.  The purpose of gels is to replenish you Glycogin (sp) engine before the body starts looking for fuel elsewhere, like your muscles, which is not efficient or productive.

As stated, they are more concentrated and easier to carry.  A standard gatorade will give you about 200 calories and takes up a lot or room.  I can get 600 calories of gel into my gel flask which fits in my hand or on my bike stem. 

I gel before the start of every race.  Right before I leave transistion to go to the start.  And during an Olympic, I take at least 2 'swigs' of gel during the bike. 

Thanks Dan!