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What do you drink?

Hi,

would like some advice on fluids for the IM or any long event for that matter.



On the weekend past, I did my longest training day with 5 hours on the bike and a hour run after. I was simply using 2 regular bottles and 1 Aero bottle - all with water.



I have never tried any of the powder mixes and would appreciate peoples experiences/recommendations and to what quantity of bottles are pre made.



Thanks very much,

Paul

Comments

  • 5 hours bike and then an hour run?? And I was proud of my 3.5 hours on the bike yesterday[:-]. Currently using Maximuscle "Viper" energy and recovery. Taste pretty good and seems to do the trick for me. Avl. on Wiggle, but cheaper if you go to GNC and have a gold card.



    SwimminTukker

  • Chris JChris J Posts: 71
    When I train for 90 mins or more then I occasionally imbibe TORQ fitness energy drink. Seems to work much better for me than SIS products but as you will be advised here the key is to see what works for your own constitution and palette. Good luck



  • I started off buying a couple of the sample packs that SIS and Powerbar do. You get a range of products to try and doesn't require a big investment for something you might find you don't like the taste of.



    I'm currently using SIS PSP but I'm getting sick of the taste of it (bought a big tub to save money) so I'll swap to Lucozade Sport Orange for a change.



    I know it's a bit more expensive, but if you're not using power much you might be better buying it in sachets. That way you can just grab a few before a long cycle and decide on-route if you want to use just water or add some power. Also, the volume is pre-measured so you avoid over mixing it like I did once and ending up with crippling stomach cramps.



    You can probably get very technical with all the different brands but personally I'd try a few different types and go with one that you can stomach as some flavours are a bit odd.
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    I've been quite happily using Lucozade sport for years. I've recently started getting the tubs of powder to mix up myself, as it works out to about half the cost of the pre-mix stuff. I still buy the pre-mix for portability and occasional use. Cheapest place so far to get the powder seems the be the Lucozade web-site, funny enough.



    I've been trying to stick to the rule that if your session is less than 1 hour use plain water (or maybe squash), and only use sports drink for longer sessions - like my 2 hour ride home from work.



    The only other 'sports' drink that I use is Reflex Instant Whey, which I drink if I have had a particularly muscular late session and cannot squeeze a full meal in before bed... such as my Tuesday night 9-10pm swimming class. I mix it up with semi-skimmed for an additonal 35g of protein - about the same as yet another bloody tin of tuna. Zzzzz....



    I get through much more protein during the winter, when I tend to swap some intervals and bricks for weight training (mainly core, with some leg and shoulder work). I always drink protein after a weights session.
  • BARNYBARNY Posts: 157
    I recomend the powerbar drink I feel it sit nicely in me and is not a sickly as the SIS drinks.



    FOr IM as well powerebar is the drink they give out all around the course so it makes sense to use it.. you can get away with just cartrying one bottle and then just pick up a new one at every aid station.



    For my recnt ironman I ate powerbar bars and cliff bars on the bike 9roughly one an hour and had SIS go gells on the run all with powerbar drink.. worked a treat.



    You shoudl NOT train for so long without taking anything - you are weakening your body!
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    I just re-read your first post, Fonzy, after reading Barny's comment about training for a long time.



    So... YEAH! What Barny said...



    5 hours is too long without food and electrolytes. You are taking on a load of water there, which is simply diluting whatever salts remain in your body after all that sweating. And you're not taking enough energy in.



    Bloody hell, if I tried that sort of thing the only thing keeping me awake after 5 hours would be the headaches and the cramp.
  • SimonBSimonB Posts: 12
    Hi, if you're doing IMUK then Gatorade is the stuff they'll be serving at the feed stations - I've been training with it recently as part of my prep and it seems to work ok!



    Cheers,



    Simon
  • Free WillyFree Willy Posts: 63
    For my long training rides I am currently using Nuun tablets, I make up a couple of bottles and take a tube of tablets with me and refill with water and add a tablet when necessary, I find these not sickly sweet (no sugar!) and lot better for my teeth than gatorade/powerade etc, for carbs I tend to use powerbar bars and gels as these appear to be the most popular for the IM races, for IM events I will 'practice' with the drink provided to ensure it does not upset my stomach etc, and if I can tolerate it I will use it if I run out of my own supplies, I have known the drinks at various events to be mixed incorrectly and this can really screw up your nutrition/electrolyte intake plan so I try to control the drinks myself.



    I have recently started trying the Saltstick tablets and if they are ok I will use these at IMUK and just have water to wash them down, you should always have water with the gels anyway. This will also hopefully help me to get the correct amount of electrolytes and carbs, I am not very good at eating on the bike and I normally wear 2 watches, one with a 15 minute countdown and every 15 minutes I try to have a bite of a bar etc, the countdown alarm just reminds me to do it as soon as it is convenient ie not while going up a big hill!



    FW
  • This is all very helpful indeed - thank you.



    Just to clarify, the focus here was on liquids. Like you Bopomofo, I would fall over if i had only drank water!



    Foodwise, still experimenting, but yesterday during the 5hr bike, I had two bananas, one powerbar gel, a handful of raisons, 2-3 handfuls of jelly babies and one small dairy milk bar. This did work well for me.



    I think I am doing ok the food side, so it was advice on how to do better with the hydration side of things that i was aiming at.



    again, thanks for info!

  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Never having done one I feel a bit of a fraud bringing this one up but with regards to Willy & Powerbar drinks I do know of someone who trained with powerbar mix all summer & got to his race powerbar on course...pre mixed, different concentration/composition & disaster on the stomach cramps front, so try both if you haven't already.
  • pacmanpacman Posts: 109
    3 little pints of guinness fonz ehh ohhh
  • paulfitzpaulfitz Posts: 67
    SIS Citrus Go Electrolyte for me on the bike, especially at the moment. More concentrated, so a big tub goes a long way compared

    Generally I use Water on the shorter stuff and as convenience use the Lucozade Hydroactive (not Sport) when just hydrating prior to activity
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    Pre swim : 500ml dilute powerbar (berry flavour)

    T1 : gulp of water

    Bike : quarter powerbar (cookies & cream) every 15 mins, sip (100+ ml) powerbar liquid (made as directed) every 10 mins. Second Half try to dilute the liquid - by pouring extra water into the aero bottle - and maintain the solids every 15 mins

    Run : Sip/squirt very dilute powerbar liquid every 10 minstry the solid bar every 15 mins. Also take saltstix on the run and whatever is good at feed stations.

    Note : in an IM you will have to play mind games during the run the feed stations and feeding can be a good focus for this.

    I have devised this feed stratetgy through research, experience, trial and error and listening to others. Most importantly whatever feed strategy you decide to employ you MUST practise it and ASSESS it in training. DO NOT TRY ANYTHING NEW ON RACE DAY!

  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Saltstix?
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