Umar's great Ironman guide
|
6.5min reading
One of Sweden's coolest competitions is now just a little over a week away. Ironman Kalmar is the major goal for many Swedish and international triathletes this year. Our own CEO Simon Gustavsson will make his debut at the Ironman distance in Kalmar this year, so the entire Umara team is buzzing with excitement for triathlon right now. With Umara's goal of helping athletes perform at the highest level of their ability, we want to provide some tips in this Ironman guide on how to think about energy intake in the last few days leading up to and with your energy plan during the race.
Make sure you have tested all the equipment you will be using and that it works as it should. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and try to plan for what gear will suit best. Warm weather means lighter clothing, for example.
Last Week
With less than a week until the start, there isn't much more you can do in terms of training. Hopefully, you feel well-prepared, and now it's about relaxing and finding a good feeling in your body. Reduce the volume but try to keep shorter sessions. A session with shorter bursts of high intensity can also be beneficial for peaking your form.Make sure you have tested all the equipment you will be using and that it works as it should. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and try to plan for what gear will suit best. Warm weather means lighter clothing, for example.
Carbohydrate Loading
With 3 days left until the race, it's time to start replenishing glycogen stores with a balanced carbohydrate load. A somewhat controversial topic for some, but research is clearly in favor. By consuming a bit extra carbohydrates before a prolonged activity, you can increase the body's glycogen reserves and have more endurance on the track. If done correctly, you also won't feel bloated and heavy before the start.The goal of carbohydrate loading is to fill glycogen stores so they are bursting with energy. To achieve this effect, a daily intake of 10g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight is required for 2-3 days leading up to the competition. With this intake, a phenomenon known as supercompensation occurs, which is characterized by overfilled muscles with ample stored glycogen. A good loading can have you standing at the starting line with an extra 100g of carbohydrates in your muscles. Something that keeps you going for about an extra hour.
You don't need to complicate things, though. All types of regular carbohydrates that you consume through your diet will eventually result in muscle glycogen as long as your stores are not already bursting. Let taste and preference guide you to your carbohydrate sources, but avoid complex, fiber-rich carbohydrates in the last day before the start, as you don't want your intestines filled with "unnecessary" material at the starting line. Don't see carb loading as an excuse to eat junk food; instead, aim for light carbohydrates on the last day anyway. Besides eating good food that you are used to, you can supplement with a sports drink or U Loader to easily get your carbohydrates without feeling heavy in your stomach. One scoop of U Loader provides 73g of carbohydrates, which is about 1g/kg if you weigh 75kg. When you can't take in more than 8g/kg of carbohydrates from your diet without feeling slightly nauseous, it's easy to drink two bottles of U Loader during the day to reach the right level.
The Day Before
The day before can often feel like one long, nervous wait. Try to relax and enjoy the lively atmosphere. A light jog or rolling a bit along the bike path to keep your legs moving could be wise. Then check in your bike and try to eat light carbohydrates without too much fiber. Drink an extra bottle of sports drink or U Loader.Before the start
Before the start, we also recommend an intake of caffeine of 3-6mg/kg body weight. That amounts to about 210-420mg for a 70kg person. Our U Intend contains 250mg of caffeine (one scoop or 2 shots). Caffeine has a performance-enhancing effect and reduces your perceived effort.The race begins
Rule number 1: You cannot compensate for energy during such intense physical activity. What you need to do is start consuming energy immediately after the start and then regularly throughout the race. Taking in energy in small doses and often (say every 15-20 minutes if possible) reduces the risk of stomach problems as you won't need to eat large amounts at the stations to meet your energy needs.Then, it's important to start from your own ambitions. They will dictate how your energy plan will look. But the basic rule is the same for most people: aim to consume about 90g of carbohydrates per hour. Use sports nutrition such as sports drinks, gels, and bars as these are often optimized for carbohydrate intake and keeping your stomach settled.
Swimming
Above we mentioned starting the energy intake right after the start, but unfortunately, this becomes difficult to manage during swimming. 1-2 hours of swimming without energy depletes your glycogen stores, making your pre-race fueling very important so that you are as energized as possible at the starting line. Here comes the interesting part. If you eat your last meal a few hours before the competition, you will have well-filled glycogen stores. However, the levels drop every time your muscle has to contract, meaning that by the starting line, you are probably not 100% topped up. A very good tip is to drink/eat a small portion of sports drink or take a gel 15 minutes before the start. These carbohydrates won’t have time to be stored as muscle glycogen, but an interesting factor is that your intestine goes into standby mode to take in more carbohydrates. So you won’t have to wait for your body to activate the absorption mechanisms, as they are ready and set to take in energy later.
The Cycling
After you have methodically but quickly exited T1, the longest segment of the race awaits. 180 kilometers of cycling is a tough challenge. After a swim without any energy intake, it's important to start your energy consumption right away. Drink your sports drink and try to stick to your planned race strategy for both energy and intensity. There are many different ways to set up an energy plan during the cycling segment. One example is to mix a bottle with strong sports drink or gel that contains all the energy you need to achieve 90g of carbohydrates per hour. Your other bottles can then contain water instead to cover fluid loss. You can adjust later if you prefer to take in more gels and bars if it's tough to just drink energy during such a long race. Ease off the pace a bit before T2 and prepare your body for the upcoming run.
The Running
This year, personal hydration along the course is not allowed. Therefore, think carefully about how you will manage your energy plan during this last and most important stretch. We recommend focusing on gels as they are concentrated with energy instead of running with smaller bottles since liquid weighs more. If you only want to use your own products, we recommend 3-4 gels per hour. Also, if you feel your stomach can handle it, try to get in some gels with caffeine. Water and energy from the organizers will be available at the hydration stations, which are located approximately every 2.5 km. If you cannot carry all your energy from the transition, you have the option to leave a bag in Special Needs, which can be picked up at the Kattrumpan station that you can then use to refill with, for example, gels.There is much to consider at an Ironman, but go to the race meeting and listen carefully. And trust your energy plan and training, you are strong and well-prepared, this will be awesome!
In the video below, Simon and Tommy discuss more about how to think about energy setup ahead of an Ironman.
We at Umara wish you good luck!
In the video below, Simon and Tommy discuss more about how to think about energy setup ahead of an Ironman.
We at Umara wish you good luck!