Ironman Chattanooga is only seven weeks away, so it is time to start focusing on the details that will help me in the race. For any Ironman distance event, race nutrition is critical to performing well. In particular, taking in the right amount of calories and electrolytes on the bike, can be the difference between a great race and a potential disaster.
I had a six hour plus long ride scheduled today. This is close to my expected time for the bike leg at Chattanooga, so today’s ride was perfect for a dress rehearsal of my nutrition plan. Below are the details of what I consumed today. The “numbers” are right, but as you will see below, I plan to change it up a little.
- 8 scoops of my Custom Infinit Blend in two water bottles
- 2 Packs of Honey Stinger Chews
- 3 Honey Stinger Gels
- Total Calories = 1,800 (Carbohydrate = 426g / Protein = 16g)
- Electrolytes – Sodium = 1950mg, Potassium = 540mg, and Magnesium = 80mg
- Total Liquid = 144 Fluid Ounces
Even though I was able to take in all my nutrition and my stomach was able to handle it, I really struggled with the gels. I just didn’t like the texture and they were super messy. Next time I think I will skip the gels, add another scoop of Infinit and take some more chews. Maybe that will work out better for me in terms of race nutrition.
The other good news from my ride, was that both my new aero pads and new shoes were a big hit. They were significant comfort upgrades, which made my century ride much more bearable.
