kaburns1214 Mentor Group 2012 - CLOSED (Page 41)

Hammer Endurolytes (pill form) may not provide the electrolytes, but as many of you know I changed from using Endurolytes (pill form) to using Endurolytes Fizz (tabs that you put in water).  The Fizz contains more electrolytes and I found it made a huge difference for me and I do not carry as much crap. I put 1 fizz in each fuel belt bottle, 2 fizz in a bike bottle.  I used Endurolytes pills throughout the summer and for the Fox Valley and Chicago marathon and suffered horrible with cramping.  I switched right after Chicago to the Fizz for Disney, NO PROBLEMS!  They also come in easy to carry small sleeves.

I think what also made the difference is I had to drink so I was constantly getting the electrolytes vs. trying to remember to take pills, drink and suck down gels.  One less thing to worry about.

Kelly and I discussed this back in November and I put together a spreadsheet that compared Salt Tabs, Thermo tabs and Endurolytes and they all were pretty close in their profiles ... the Fizz had a bit more.  I can redo if anyone is interested.

You can stomach a lot more than you think: (1) if you practice with the nutrition; and (2) if you keep your HR low on the bike your able to process calories (that is there's still blood flow to the stomach).  If you notice the calories are bike loaded so that I come off fully fueled for the run (and I don't take in nearly as many calories on the run). 

Hammer gels and Heed have no electrolytes and Endurolytes (the pill) have a very limited Electrolyte profile.  While the Endurolyte Fizz tabs have a much better profile they don't contain calories, so if you're doing an IM bike its good to hit both calories and electrolytes in the same shot by using liquids and gels that contain both calories and electrolytes -- plus its a lot easier to not have to carry as much stuff. 

Lice actually like clean hair because it's easier to grab onto (gross, I know).  The problem is that you never really know where it came from.  Kids often spread it when they hug one another, which is probably why little girls get it more often than little boys.  Lice can also live on fabric for a while, like coats and pillows.  The coats in the coat cubbies at school often touch each other, and the lice can move from coat to coat.  If you have little ones in preschool or early grade school, then they'll often have a rest period, where they lie down on big pillows or mats.  The lice can live on the pillows and mats, too.  Paint smocks can also be a nice home for lice. 

We've gotten 4 notices of communicable disease letters re head lice in the last month, all cases in the first grade (Conrad's class).  Luckily he hasn't gotten it this year.  Since my kids got it twice last year, I make sure I do weekly head checks, so I'm on top of it.  I'll probably keep the weekly checks until the youngest is in 4th grade.  So much easier when you catch it early.

kelly,

Your plan looks interesting.

But I have a few questions.

1. You drink no water the whole race?

2. What is the reasoning for no Gel the first 6 miles of the run?

3. Why do you change to caffinated gel on the bike? And why do you not stick with caffinated gel on the run?

Do you salt tabs or any other dproducts? I just saw Salt Stick Caps now make a caffinated Salt and caffine pills. Any thoughts?

1. You drink no water the whole race?

No water (unless I need to rinse my mouth out or something).  You need fluids, sodium, potassium and carbohydrates for a full course race.  Water only provides you with one of the four.  Using a sports drink gets you the fluids but also gets you Na, K and CHO.  Plus I find that I abosorb sports drink much better than water (no sloshy stomach).

Of all the sports drinks, GU, Gatorade, Perform and Clif all have comperable CHO:Na ratios.  The difference is in the sugar sources (for example Perform uses multiple long and short chain sugars while Clif uses brown rice syrup).  Heed is a different story, Heed has really low Na content and also uses alot of Xylitol, which is a sugar alcohol and can cause stomach upset for a lot of people. 

2. What is the reasoning for no Gel the first 6 miles of the run?

I take a shot blok every other mile (so I'm taking calories in).  Using the shot bloks means I get fewer calories on a more frequent basis, which helps with stomach issues.  By the time I take my first gel I've settled into a pace and am able to absorb it better.  At LP, I actually forgot to take my gels and did the marathon on shot bloks and perform.

3. Why do you change to caffinated gel on the bike? And why do you not stick with caffinated gel on the run?

The rule is no caffeine until mile 80 or so of the bike.  Caffeiene is a performance enhancer and should be used when you most need it.  I actually use caffenated shot bloks for the second half of the run and start drinking Coke at about mile 22.  I don't need the caffeine in the first half of the run, so its better to save it and use it as a "secret weapon" on the second half of the run. 

Do you salt tabs or any other dproducts? I just saw Salt Stick Caps now make a caffinated Salt and caffine pills. Any thoughts?

If its hot I use Thermotabs.  I take a tab every hour starting on the bike.  Salt stick has a really high potassium content (63 mg K and 215 mg Na), which doesn't work for some people.  Thermotabs are 15 mg K / 180 mg Na, Lava Salts are 15 mg K / 195 mg Na and Endurolytes are 25 mg K / 40 mg Na (really low in Na, which makes Endurolytes not so useful).

Which is why I said: " Some people will call the plan over kill (and obviously there are lots of ways to fuel a race) but it works really well for me"

Seriously, though, I think we all would like to hear your thoughts.

This is so funny ... dogs barking the Darth Vader Imperial march

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/dogs-bark-darth-vader-theme-volkswagon-super-bowl-203157640.html

Question is did she win?

new bike to add to the stable

Gotta go ride now! 

I brought my most of my own nutrition but I kept it pretty simple. I hate sports drinks so used 100% water that was available out on the bike course, with a few Nuun tablets here and there. And I like solid foods on the bike so I started with Shot Blocks, had about 3 every 30 minutes for the first few hours. Had a PB&J at mile ~45 and another at mile ~75, a banana or two from aid stations when I wanted them and some Shot Blocks thrown in. I eat to hunger on the bike and try to eat consistently until about 30 min from the finish of the bike, when I switch to just water to help with the transition to the run.

Once I hit the run it was water or water with Nuun at the start, Gels every 45 minutes then as it got later I switched to cookies, chicken broth and coke. I'm a bigger girl (5'11" and raced at about 183 lbs) and was out on the course for 15:47 so I probably take in more calories than most people. My stomach is pretty iron and I felt good all day on this plan. I practiced a lot during training and it ended up being what worked for me.

I am seriously ill.  Haven't been this sick in years.  I was able to hit yesterday's and today's priority workouts, but the B workouts are out.  I'm hopeful I'll feel better in the morning and will be able to put in a solid couple hours on the trainer.  If not, I'm going to be really bummed.  You all know I never miss workouts, and I missed 3 this week!  Grr!

bryancd - 2012-01-20 11:23 AM K.I.S.S. and less IS more. I think what's crucial, especially for those long course racing for the first time, is to start practicing with the bare bones min., using nothing but what will be available on the course. It's only when you race a Half or full IM that you can seriously screw up your nutrition. For Olumpics or Sprints the race is too short for anyone to make a mess of it. Despite efforts of the nutrition companbies to scare the living crap out of AG athletes into thinking if they don't pound down their products using some complicated timing system they are doomed. WRONG. The reality is you don't need nearly as much as you think. And this applies to you as well, Kelly. There will always be some people who require more tailored nutrition simply due to their tolerence, or lack thereof, of on course nutrition. But if you can get by on gels, water, sport drink, and maybe a few bars, your long course racing life will be a joy. And more races end badly with GI distress on the run as opposed to a nutritional or hydration defecit. And the thing about a deficit is that you can always add back in and come good. Once your GI shuts down, you're done. So what is simple and easy? Gel's around every 45min. on the bike washed down with some water. 2 bars on the bike to be finsihed before mile 80-90, sipping on sport drink when thirsty on the bike. The run is simply take in some aid at every station, be that a sip of sport drink or water, and try and keep doing gels every 30min or until you are sick of them. That's when you hit the coke.

thanks!

it sounds simple but i worry about getting to the point of that weak/drained feeling.  i know it is not a bonk but nontheless it is a downer so i try to stay eating all the time.  i am going to really try and simplify things and use less.