Any other suggestions besides gels and infinit for IM?
-
No new posts
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller | Reply |
![]() |
Expert ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() So i have been reading a lot of nutrition threads lately trying to figure out an alternative to gels and infinit. Basically everyone suggest either GE and gels or just infinit. I'm wondering if there is anyone who has done something besides this for their Ironman. I have had mixed results with the gels and GE. I had a great bike and run at my HIM in california last year using only gels and GE. But it seems to me when the temp gets to 85 or above that my stomach doesn't like the gels. It seems to just stop digesting and pretty soon i'm full and can't eat or drink. Some people have suggested that maybe i have to much sugar in my belly. So.....is there anything else out there? I guess i can't rule out infinit.....I have a bottle of it, but just haven't used it yet. Any suggestions or comments? Anyone else have this problem when it gets really hot. I live in Oklahoma so we are in the upper 90's to 100's during the summer and i'm doing IMLouisville so it will be hot. |
|
![]() ![]() |
Extreme Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() CarboPro? For my HIM/IM runs this year, I'll be using CarboPro mixed into Nuun water. |
![]() ![]() |
Champion ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Carbo pro is like maltodextrin which is about 5% of the cost. I will use a mix I make up myself with maltodextrin, electrolytes, flavoring (current favorite is raspberry lemonade very little) and water to meet my nutrtion and electrolyte requirements. Other things folks eat fig newtons, candy any low fat variety, uncrustable peanut butter and jelly, 100 calories packs, other low fat carbs that are high on the GI scale. There are many options...try different things.. |
![]() ![]() |
![]() Why not try the Infinit? For my IM bike, I had two 3 hour bottles and a payday. had the bottles on the bike, sip every ten minutes, just got water at aid stations. Was about as easy as nutrition plans come. Payday was for variety, didn't get hungry or bonk (at least, not until much later on the run ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
Cycling Guru ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Yeah, whatever the course provides. You already paid for it with your entry fee, use it! Alternate water and GE at each stop. Find a solid food or gel that agrees with you and carry that. For a HIM I'll take a gel bottle which holds 5 Gu and be fine on the bike. For an IM I just double that. and carry two gel bottles. |
![]() ![]() |
Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() I'm a HUGE hammer fan. perpetuem and sustained energy both work really well for me |
|
![]() ![]() |
Master ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Daremo - 2009-06-03 9:31 AM Yeah, whatever the course provides. You already paid for it with your entry fee, use it! Alternate water and GE at each stop. Find a solid food or gel that agrees with you and carry that. For a HIM I'll take a gel bottle which holds 5 Gu and be fine on the bike. For an IM I just double that. and carry two gel bottles. Yea, what he said. I would try to train with what they are using on the race course first to make sure it agrees with you. For IM Japan, I can't find half of the stuff they are dishing out so i'm bringing my own, except for the water. |
![]() ![]() |
Expert ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() As my primary source of bike calories I have used Spiz for 4 IM and plan to use it for my 5th. In training I've mixed up to a 1200 calorie bottle for a 6 hour ride. Some energy drinks get nasty after getting warm on the bike. I have not had a problem with Spiz, it still taste good when warm. Run calories come from whatever they have on the course. |
![]() ![]() |
Elite ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
Expert ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Ok guys....Just did a HIM yesterday and gels do NOT work for me. I had 2 gels, 1/2 bar, 3 shot blocks and 36 oz of GE. My stomach just shut down. I didn't eat anything after 40 miles on the bike. All i had on the run was water. I didn't even push this race like a HIM because i wanted to work on my IM nutrition. I stayed in zone 2 the entire time on the run and bike. I was dragging the last 5 miles of the run because I only took in like 600 calories the whole day and didn't eat anything for 3 hours. I couldn't put anything down on the the run. My body was actually making me dry heave and i could still feel the gels in my stomach. So i know it wasn't because i was going to fast cause i was in zone 2. Also, i had enough fluid because i had to go to the bathroom at mile 8 on the run. So i had enough water to digest. I even tried taking TUMS which a lot of people say works great and it semi-helped, but still couldn't put anything down. Anyone had this bad of problems. I'm doing IMLouisville and i think i'll have the endurance, but obviously won't be able to finish if i can't eat anything. |
![]() ![]() |
Cycling Guru ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Gels + shot bloks + GE - water = disaster!! You HAVE to drink water with all those things to dillute them so they will be properly absorbed. If you just drank GE on top of the other stuff, no wonder you had nutrition issues! After you take a gel, drink water. After you take shot bloks, drink water. It even says that on the packaging of all those things. It sucks to go through that, but that is what racing and training is for .... to see what actually works for you. |
|
![]() ![]() |
Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() I had gastric issues when I did my first couple HIMs. Was drinking Perpetuem on the bike, and a little Gatorade. Then Gatorade on the run. I was eating gels, etc. on the run. Then I talked with Hammer nutrition rep, who said it's important to know how many grams of carbs and/or calories you need per hour. He suggested I get half my calories from Perpetuem on the bike, and half from gels, then just drink water. So I'm an average sized female, and need to take in about 250 calories per hour. That comes out to one scoop of the Perp and one gel. I've switched completely away from Gatorade or any carb containing sports drink. I strictly use Nuun. By following these recommendations, I completely got rid of my stomach problems. |
![]() ![]() |
Champion ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() I have been playing all year to figure out for a HIM what works and through experimenting have settled on Sustained energy (unflavored) a Hammer product mixed with coffee. First liquid nutrition my stomach tolerates. And I also have trouble tolerating Gu and gels if anything longer than Oly. I did not do well with Infinit - tried 3 different mixes - just not for me and I did not do well with perpetuem either but sustained energy has worked! Try it on your longer bike rides. I calculate to about 200 cals per hour (a little less than recommended) and that helps. On a couple long rides I added a hammer gel in the bottle (it will mix with water but Gu will not) for some extra carbs. Edited by TriToy 2009-06-07 2:47 PM |
![]() ![]() |
Expert ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Daremo - 2009-06-07 10:49 AM Gels + shot bloks + GE - water = disaster!! You HAVE to drink water with all those things to dillute them so they will be properly absorbed. If you just drank GE on top of the other stuff, no wonder you had nutrition issues! After you take a gel, drink water. After you take shot bloks, drink water. It even says that on the packaging of all those things. It sucks to go through that, but that is what racing and training is for .... to see what actually works for you. Sorry i did not tell you that i did drink water. I wasn't following the GU's with GE....I know better than that. I would take a GU and then do 6-8 oz of water and it didn't help. It still sat in my stomach. I will try infinit or the hammer products. Just need to get it figured out in the the next 12 weeks! |
![]() ![]() |
Expert ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Just want to echo that training is for figuring out what works. For me it was Perpeteum and 1/2 strength Gator Aide. In shorter training rides I used Power Aide Gels - BUT bananna Strawberry flavor just makes me sick. I carried Gels for back up on the bike, and did end up using some at the end of the ride. (needed more energy and I was tired of the Perpeteum) |
![]() ![]() |
Expert ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I am going to try infinit this weekend on my long ride and see how my stomach holds up. If that doesn't work then i'll try some hammer stuff. Hopefully i can get it figured out before the IM! |
|
![]() ![]() |
Not a Coach ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Perhaps you're trying to take too much in too short a time? Sounds like you were at 300+ cal/hr. Try cutting back 25-50 and see what happens. |
![]() ![]() |
Expert ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() JohnnyKay - 2009-06-08 11:24 AM Perhaps you're trying to take too much in too short a time? Sounds like you were at 300+ cal/hr. Try cutting back 25-50 and see what happens. Sorry i didn't make it clear....I didn't take all that in per hour....Thats all I took in for the entire HIM! I had a total of about 500 calories for the whole race because my stomach shut down and i couldn't eat anything else. |
![]() ![]() |
Not a Coach ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ballyard7 - 2009-06-09 9:22 AM JohnnyKay - 2009-06-08 11:24 AM Perhaps you're trying to take too much in too short a time? Sounds like you were at 300+ cal/hr. Try cutting back 25-50 and see what happens. Sorry i didn't make it clear....I didn't take all that in per hour....Thats all I took in for the entire HIM! I had a total of about 500 calories for the whole race because my stomach shut down and i couldn't eat anything else. You said you were done all that by mile 40 on the bike. And I add up over 600 calories by that time. Assuming you waited 15-20min after the swim & t1 (a good idea if you didn't), you took it all in roughly 2 hours by my guesstimate. Maybe faster. |