my body, the science experiment

so in all this training, we are also supposed to be researching all the nutrition products you need while you train, actually during your ride, swim, run, etc. sounds relatively easy until you realize there is not perfect scenario; what works perfectly for one does not work perfectly for another. you obviously cannot take any nutrition while you are in the swim portion of our race, so you ideally need to get your body primed for the nutrition before your swim, obtain most of your nutrition on your bike because your body has trouble digesting or processing nutrition while you run. so - like i said....science experiment. so from this point on, i will use this section of my blog to track my nutrition experiments....

first attempt - 1 bottle cytomax (2 scoops), accell gel every 30 minutes after the first hour of training, and a bottle of water....

result - serious bonks, loss of energy

-need to gel every 25 minutes to avoid the bonk and loss of energy effect of the gel that happens after every 30 minutes

second attempt - training at cartersville (loved it)- 32 mile ride, 3 mile run (hard grind the last 6 miles of the ride pushing 24 mph. (note to self...spin the legs, take it easy before the run) Temperature in the 90's

- 1 salt stick before the ride,

- 1 bottle cytomax with herbal lift( guarana),

-one bottle of carbopro (2 scoops),

-gel every 25 minutes after 1st 45-60 minutes of training,

-gel shot before run,

- 1 salt stick right before run.

result - while the ride was stellar, and the guarana provided a great alert feeling about 60 minutes into the ride, i experienced some lower gastric distress (the carbopro was a new introduction) - my run left alot to be desired. my quads cramped directly on the beginning of the run. having never cramped before, i was not sure what was going on . when i stopped to take a look at my legs, my knee caps were bounding on their own, and it looked like there were gremlins in my quads moving around under my skin. apparently this was the start of cramping.

The next day i was 3 lbs lighter due to water weight loss from my training.

thoughts:

-take the 2nd salt stick 15 minutes before my ride is over to transition into the run. taking the salt stick just before my run did not allow enough time to digest and absorb the electrolyes.

-add additional water bottle cages behind my seat post to hold plain water. adding calories (gels and carbopro), my body needs more water for digestion.

3rd attempt (atlanta cycling vinings route 32 miles, 1 mile run) temperature in the 90's, air quality bad

-one bottle cytomax with herbal lift (1 scoop)

-one bottle carbopro (1 scoop)

- 4 gels every 25 minutes after first 45- 60 minutes

-no salt sticks

result

- not too bad

-slight gastric distress

-loss of energy after about an hour 1/2

- no cramping

-gels very effective, but tough to get down in the heat

-needed more water....alot more. definately need to get more water bottle cages.

stay tuned for more science experiments :)