Ironman Race Nutrition
For Ironman Arizona, I will be following a different nutrition strategy than in either the 2003 Ironman Coeur d’Alene or 2004 Vineman Triathlon. Namely, I will be relying entirely on liquid nutrition during the race instead of solid food.
The reasons for this include: 1) when racing, it was difficult to rip open food wrappers and then chew, 2) in theory, a lot of the body’s energy is diverted to digest this food, and 3) one is more prone to stomach problems when racing hard.
Also, all of the pros seem to rely on liquid food, so it must work. The food strategy I will follow will closely resemble Coach Gordo’s. He’s an online coach who has managed to do an Ironman in under 8:30, so I figure, he must know what he is talking about.
The mainstays of my race nutrition will be Gatorade + Carbo Pro, tangerine “double-caffeine” PowerGels, and water of course. I’ve tried them in training with positive results.
See Coach Gordo’s nutrition plan for his recommended timing and frequency of nutrition intake during the race. Will report next week if this works in Ironman Arizona for me!
