Ironman Nutrition Tips/Suggestions

laser750

Hi,

I'm training for my second ironman next year. While I was reasonably happy with my bike time, I'd like to improve it and besides improving my training routine, another area I would like to look at is nutrition. Last year I used a lot of porridge bread and salt supplements. Gels don't agree with my stomach too much.
I'd like to get suggestions/advice on what else works for people that is easy to prepare. I've read that L-arginine and nitrate supplements might be beneficial also.

Is it better to go down the natural route (keep using porridge bread and maybe add protein) or go the pre-prepared route using supplements, energy or protein bars?

Any advice on isotonic drink preparations? Ironman usually supply PowerBar so will look into their options.

Any tips/advice is appreciated.

pgibbo

Have you tried Tailwind? It's very easy on the stomach. I used it this year while training for an IM. It worked well in training and on the day.

P.

joey100

Know a few people who used tailwind too and found it worked well. I used bars until the last hour on the bike and then moved to gels and then gels on the run. Worked well for me. What ever you choose make sure you practice in training, get your stomach used to it. And try them around race effort too, for me I find it hard to take gels at higher intensity say Olympic or sprint but around Ironman intensity they were ok.

rodriquez

plus one on the tailwind - I only started using it towards the end of my IM training and on the day itself and have to say I didn't have any energy slump on the bike.

I had one normal mix in the front bottle to start with and I had made one super concentrated bottle which was on the rear bottle cage.

All I had to do was pick up water on the aid stations and mix a portion of the concentrated bottle with the water in the front every hour or so

peter kern

OP are you talking race nutriton or training nutriton or both ?

you have to be a bit more specific.



regardless this is a good thread on race nutriton with some very solid information ( i hope its the right thread if not i will check ) cant remeber where it starts but there is loads of solid stuff in this thread.



https://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Ask_Me_Anything%3A_Debut_Win_8%3A10_Course_Record_at_IMMT!_P6712841/?search_string=cody%20beals#p6712841



ps power bar does not anymore supply race nutriton at ironman races its enervit now.

tunney

peter kern wrote: »

OP are you talking race nutriton or training nutriton or both ?

you have to be a bit more specific.



regardless this is a good thread on race nutriton with some very solid information ( i hope its the right thread if not i will check ) cant remeber where it starts but there is loads of solid stuff in this thread.



https://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Ask_Me_Anything%3A_Debut_Win_8%3A10_Course_Record_at_IMMT!_P6712841/?search_string=cody%20beals#p6712841



ps power bar does not anymore supply race nutriton at ironman races its enervit now.

Powerbar as a brand is going away

BTH

peter kern wrote: »

OP are you talking race nutriton or training nutriton or both ?

you have to be a bit more specific.



regardless this is a good thread on race nutriton with some very solid information ( i hope its the right thread if not i will check ) cant remeber where it starts but there is loads of solid stuff in this thread.



https://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Ask_Me_Anything%3A_Debut_Win_8%3A10_Course_Record_at_IMMT!_P6712841/?search_string=cody%20beals#p6712841



ps power bar does not anymore supply race nutriton at ironman races its enervit now.

Red bull seems to be a big part of his nutrition strategy. No thanks.

peter kern

coffein is the only legal drug thats proven to work... there is nothing wrong with red bull. ( as a pre competiton drink or competion drink obviously not on a daily basis)

taurin is certainly not that proven but there is some studis that would suggest it can have positive effects.

while i have never bought red bull, the supermarket brand version i use from time to time. ( only before or during racing)

and one forum member that starts with a Z seems to have his car full all the time with it lol



out of interest where does it suggest its big part of its strategy ?he mixes his own drinks. ( i seem to rember he adds red bull for taste and coffeine but most of his energy is from maledxtroin he buys in bulk and something else i cant remember now.

peter kern

tunney wrote: »

Powerbar as a brand is going away

it did not achieve the profit margin nestle demanded after some restructuring and they sold it 2013 or in 2014 . i have no idea what the american company that bought it is doing with. but they are defiinitely leaving the triathlon market.

zico10

peter kern wrote: »

and one forum member that starts with a Z seems to have his car full all the time with it lol

I've far more refined tastes these days. The cans of Red Bull have been replaced with cans of Monster Energy.

peter kern

zico10 wrote: »

I've far more refined tastes these days. The cans of Red Bull have been replaced with cans of Monster Energy.

just went to the shop and bought 300 cans of monster. lol

Diego Murphy

laser750 wrote: »

Hi,

I'm training for my second ironman next year. While I was reasonably happy with my bike time, I'd like to improve it and besides improving my training routine, another area I would like to look at is nutrition. Last year I used a lot of porridge bread and salt supplements. Gels don't agree with my stomach too much.
I'd like to get suggestions/advice on what else works for people that is easy to prepare. I've read that L-arginine and nitrate supplements might be beneficial also.

Is it better to go down the natural route (keep using porridge bread and maybe add protein) or go the pre-prepared route using supplements, energy or protein bars?

Any advice on isotonic drink preparations? Ironman usually supply PowerBar so will look into their options.

Any tips/advice is appreciated.

Nutrition will be different for everyone but the one bit of advice I'd give you, is to treat nutrition in your training the same way you would on race day. It's as important as any other bit of training that you do.