Ironman Chatter

[katinthehat]

There's a Ruggles Green by my place, I'm just sayin

Two things I've heard friends say about IMTX and the heat are this. The first is, don't confuse drinking water with cooling off. Dump water, ice yourself, take the towels etc, but drinking isn't going to necessarily cool you off and over drinking can really come back to kill you on the run. The second is, if it's hot when you start the run, start off run/walking to give yourself a chance to settle down and ease into things, especially if it's a lot hotter than you feel used to training in. Once you get on the run course, the possibility of the mechanical problems are history, now it's just something physical that could take you out. So just ease into things because you'll still have plenty of time to finish.

Last year it was just such a puke fest from people not anticipating the heat and overreacting to it on the bike and then being just an absolute mess on the run.

[kams]

May 1, 2014 16:41:34 GMT -5 katinthehat said:

There's a Ruggles Green by my place, I'm just sayin

Two things I've heard friends say about IMTX and the heat are this. The first is, don't confuse drinking water with cooling off. Dump water, ice yourself, take the towels etc, but drinking isn't going to necessarily cool you off and over drinking can really come back to kill you on the run. The second is, if it's hot when you start the run, start off run/walking to give yourself a chance to settle down and ease into things, especially if it's a lot hotter than you feel used to training in. Once you get on the run course, the possibility of the mechanical problems are history, now it's just something physical that could take you out. So just ease into things because you'll still have plenty of time to finish.

Last year it was just such a puke fest from people not anticipating the heat and overreacting to it on the bike and then being just an absolute mess on the run.

Yes - this is good info. This is sort of what I was getting at when I asked if I could take in too much sodium ^^^ up there somewhere - because I know the risk of overdoing the water without the electrolytes balancing out, but wasn't sure about the other way around.

One thing a friend of mine also mentioned about the run course, is that the day will be cooling down while I'm running, so every loop the sun will be less intense, as will the temp. So, I feel like hanging back in my first loop is not a bad idea at all. Hanging back all day long is the plan, really. And, I am all about ice in the shorts, hat, water on the body, sponges, oh yes. I know that I don't know humidity, but I do know hot as shit.

[katinthehat]

Yes, the longer you run the cooler it gets (haha!) and the sunset really makes a difference. If you think you'll be running into the night, pack some glow in the dark bands for your neck and wrists and maybe even a headlamp since part of the course isn't super well lit.

I just think it's easy to overdo it on the bike since you don't have the jostling motion of running. I know sadlebred can chime in with all sorts of stories of what cyclists eat on breaks during long rides and there's no way you'd ever eat a plate full of BBQ then go run a marathon! In my totally uneducated and inexperienced opinion, I think if you can start the run feeling as cool as possible and with a tiny bit of hunger, you're in the best place possible. Short of a mechanical, you're going to have so much time to finish the run, even at a slow walk. By the second half of the second run loop, you'll be golden to eat whatever sounds good and feels good to you. There will be plenty of time and space to make up any nutritional deficits by a few miles into the run.

I know I sound paranoid but I've just seen quite a few friends have some hot races lately and they were puking by mile 3 of the run because of what they did on the bike.

And that being said, pack extra for the bike (which totally goes against what I just preached on about) because if you say, oh, the bike is going to take, six hours, and it takes you seven (or whatever) but you've only packed enough for six, then you could be in a real pain cave at the end there.

Okay, and a last debbie downer from me, if you have time and want to chase away taper crazies, spend some time researching how to fix mechanical issues on the bike. I had two friends DNF because of IMO, stupid bike mechanicals, that in the moment, they just didn't have the mental capacity to sit and think about how to fix them. Things like, how to deal with a chain that gets stuck in the wrong gear, what happens if you feel a weird vibration (the roads suuuuuuuuuuuuuuck), things like that.

But you are going to be so awesome and have not a lick of trouble and I can't wait to cheer you on! RAH RAH RAH!!

[sadlebred]

May 1, 2014 17:25:32 GMT -5 katinthehat said:

I just think it's easy to overdo it on the bike since you don't have the jostling motion of running. I know sadlebred can chime in with all sorts of stories of what cyclists eat on breaks during long rides and there's no way you'd ever eat a plate full of BBQ then go run a marathon!

I know people that will stop to eat fast food during the middle of a ride. I would die. I can't do it. I do recommend if you can eat some solid food on the bike, do it. You may get tired of Gus, Shot Blocks, etc. I can't eat solid food before I run, but I can eat quite a few different kinds when I ride. You can experiment with granola bars, Clif Bars, and such. I'd avoid anything with too much protein and fiber b/c of bloat/gas/tummy problems as well as anything with chocolate or a coating since it will be a melty mess in the heat. Crackers are also good, maybe a tsp pb w/honey.

[sadlebred]

May 1, 2014 21:58:26 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

May 1, 2014 17:25:32 GMT -5 katinthehat said:

I just think it's easy to overdo it on the bike since you don't have the jostling motion of running. I know sadlebred can chime in with all sorts of stories of what cyclists eat on breaks during long rides and there's no way you'd ever eat a plate full of BBQ then go run a marathon!

I know people that will stop to eat fast food during the middle of a ride. I would die. I can't do it. I do recommend if you can eat some solid food on the bike, do it. You may get tired of Gus, Shot Blocks, and all that sugar. I can't eat solid food before I run, but I can eat quite a few different kinds when I ride. You can experiment with granola bars, Clif Bars, and such. I'd avoid anything with too much protein and fiber b/c of bloat/gas/tummy problems as well as anything with chocolate or a coating since it will be a melty mess in the heat. Crackers are also good, maybe a tsp pb w/honey.

[kams]

May 1, 2014 21:58:26 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

May 1, 2014 17:25:32 GMT -5 katinthehat said:

I just think it's easy to overdo it on the bike since you don't have the jostling motion of running. I know sadlebred can chime in with all sorts of stories of what cyclists eat on breaks during long rides and there's no way you'd ever eat a plate full of BBQ then go run a marathon!

I know people that will stop to eat fast food during the middle of a ride. I would die. I can't do it. I do recommend if you can eat some solid food on the bike, do it. You may get tired of Gus, Shot Blocks, etc. I can't eat solid food before I run, but I can eat quite a few different kinds when I ride. You can experiment with granola bars, Clif Bars, and such. I'd avoid anything with too much protein and fiber b/c of bloat/gas/tummy problems as well as anything with chocolate or a coating since it will be a melty mess in the heat. Crackers are also good, maybe a tsp pb w/honey.

FaSt food! I can't imagine my stomach could handle it! I'm way too late to experiment now, but these are great things to keep in mind. Thanks