Timing is key when feeling and hydrating for and during a long-distance race. Here, James Witts explains when and what to eat and drink during an Ironman\u2026 <\/p>
Knowing when and how to fuel your long-distance triathlon requires meticulous planning, practice and patience until you know what works for you and when.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n So let\u2019s dive right in \u2013 breakfast. Though following a similar carbohydrate template to the other distances, you might want to consume some protein to stimulate the post-race muscle process.<\/p>\n Take five-time Ironman world champion Daniela Ryf<\/strong><\/a>, whose breakfast includes a smoothie containing oranges, berries, vanilla yoghurt, oats and lupine protein. Ryf also consumes bread topped with tahini and jam.<\/p>\n Sip on fluid until the start line and squeeze out a pre-swim gel<\/a><\/strong> hit.<\/p>\n During the race, aim to consume 90g of carbohydrate per hour and begin feeding as soon as you exit the swim. The extra length of time on two wheels offers greater opportunity to consume real food.<\/p>\n \u201cRice cakes are a good option as they contain 75% carbs,\u201d says triathlon coach Fran Bungay. \u201cAlso try peanut butter and jam sandwiches in bite-sized chunks or even mashed banana and honey sarnies.\u201d<\/p>\n These \u2018real\u2019 options are also important to prevent flavour fatigue.<\/p>\n Set a reminder on your watch to feed every 15-20mins. Not only does this sustain energy stores but also helps to tick off the bike.<\/p>\n Many elite athletes work through a template of ride, fuel, ride, fuel\u2026 Smaller goals to reach the bigger one.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> \u201cAs for the marathon at the end, for many it\u2019s about survival,\u201d says sports scientist Matt Furber. \u201cAim for the 90g an hour but be flexible.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s such a long race that you need to be. In other words, if someone\u2019s handing out Jelly Babies, maybe grab them! Coke\u2019s also a good choice later in the run.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> Dehydration is the enemy so 500ml of fluid per hour is the norm. You can tolerate 2-3% dehydration but more and studies show your performance will suffer.<\/p>\n That said, don\u2019t overdo it as the potential for hyponatremia is greater the longer you race, especially in the heat. Hyponatremia<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s when you consume too much fluid and dilute the salt content in your blood.<\/p>\n A personalised sweat test from Precision Hydration<\/a><\/strong> is useful here. Just remember that your maximal fluid absorption rate is 800-1,000ml an hour. Consuming any more than this isn\u2019t required.<\/p>\n This focus on sodium means choosing the occasional salty snack on the bike such as pretzels.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> For recovery<\/strong><\/a>, the more depleted your glycogen<\/strong><\/a> stores, the longer it\u2019ll take for them to refuel, and can take up to 7hrs after an Ironman. So aim for 15-25g protein after you finish.<\/p>\n A recent study has also shown 40g of protein before bed will deliver a sustained supply of amino acids during your sleep.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> Illustration:<\/strong> Daniel Seex<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n Timing is key when feeling and hydrating for and during a long-distance race. Here, James Witts explains when and what to eat and drink during an Ironman\u2026 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":23479,"template":"","categories":[1,23],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"3"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/how-to-fuel-the-ironman.jpg",600,440,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/how-to-fuel-the-ironman-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/how-to-fuel-the-ironman-300x220.jpg",300,220,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/how-to-fuel-the-ironman.jpg",600,440,false],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/how-to-fuel-the-ironman.jpg",600,440,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/how-to-fuel-the-ironman.jpg",600,440,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/06\/how-to-fuel-the-ironman.jpg",600,440,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Timing is key when feeling and hydrating for and during a long-distance race. Here, James Witts explains when and what to eat and drink during an Ironman\u2026","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/23478"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}When and what should you eat before an Ironman?<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n
What should you eat during an Ironman?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How often should you eat on the bike in an Ironman?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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How often and what should you eat on the run in an Ironman?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What should you drink during an Ironman?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What and when should you eat after an Ironman?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"