By Dr. Rick Kattouf II, Author of Forever Fit and CEO and Founder of TeamKattouf, Inc.
Tis the season for cola, pretzels, and chicken soup broth. No, I'm not referring to your upcoming Labor Day picnic - it's now Ironman season. The aforementioned foods are available to the Ironman athletes at the aid stations during the run, but do athletes really consume such foods during the race? You betcha!
As you can imagine, training for a 140.6-mile, multiple-hour event requires a lot of time, energy, focus and commitment. Many coaches and athletes subscribe to the, "When you train for an Ironman you can eat anything you want, " philosophy but - if you do - it will lead to GI distress, poor race results, and a "soft" physique that is high in body fat.
My goal for you is to increase your return on your investment and make sure you avoid any Ironman nutrition pitfalls.
Training for Ironman
The bike is not the time to consume sandwiches, gummy bears, granola, etc. Learn to utilize liquid fuel on the bike, as it is more easily digested.
On your long bike rides, you will need to stop at a convenience store to refuel, but stay away from the Little Debbie's, candy bars, etc. This is like filling your Corvette with E-85 when it requires premium gasoline.
On your training runs, choose the energy source that best fits your GI system. I recommend utilizing something like a fuel belt system, and sticking with liquid fuels as you did on the bike. Energy gels also make great run fuel, as they are easy to carry and easy to digest.
Ironman Race Day
On the Bike: You spent thousands of dollars and thousands of hours preparing for this big day,so now is not the time to play chemist with your GI system. Your on-the-bike fuel will be dialed in since you found success with it during training - simply utilize the same plan as in training and you will be well on your way.
During the Run: I am going to guess that you never packed a cooler with pretzels, cola, and chicken broth, threw it in a back pack, put on your Garmin, and hit the road for a 20-miler. Am I right? Sure, these foods will be there at the run aid stations, but if you are looking for a successful outcome, skip the buffet! Remember, you have your run fuel dialed in from training, so just use this same plan and your gut will thank you.
Too often, the post-IM talk includes something like, "Wow, I felt amazing on the bike, and then I got off the bike, started my run and my gut felt horrible. I was bloated and did not have much energy, so I drank cola, chicken broth, and ate pretzels. It went downhill fast from there..."
Avoid these IM nutrition pitfalls, and you'll increase your chances of having a stellar day!
