Triathlon ......

[AndrewF]

CL had a Cervelo P3 for R30k at their opening special... I was just a little tempted

 

Yeah, was also tempted - problem is they have down specced quite a bit plus the wheels aren't that great. But still a good price

[JGR]

Yeah, was also tempted - problem is they have down specced quite a bit plus the wheels aren't that great. But still a good price

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/71482-bianchi-d30-time-trial-bike-large/

[Stiggy]

How's everyone's training going in this terrible JHB weather. Not ideal for getting out onto the bike or for a run!

[kingalton]

Nice cool run in the rain last night....

tough 1.5 hr intervals on the IDT this morn....

 

gotta get it done

[Stiggy]

What's everyone's take on nutrition on race day?

I know a good breakfast is imperative (mine is futurelife and a banana with a coffee) but while I'm racing, what's the plan.

I did the 70.3 a couple years ago, didn't really have a great eating plan and totally bonked on the last half of the run.

Suggestions? Products? Home remedies?

[tankisbyon]

What's everyone's take on nutrition on race day?

I know a good breakfast is imperative (mine is futurelife and a banana with a coffee) but while I'm racing, what's the plan.

I did the 70.3 a couple years ago, didn't really have a great eating plan and totally bonked on the last half of the run.

Suggestions? Products? Home remedies?

 

Still have to figure mine out, but I wont be having too many gels, every race I have done before, which were all much shorter that I took gels in, I ended up with stomach problems...

 

For the run, I am also going to be sticking to mostly liquids, again due to stomach problems...

 

My stomach and running are not friends...

 

Gonna try for about 400 calories per hour - I have bonked a few times, especially on the bike and I never seem to learn that I need more calories than I think..

[Snytjie]

Still have to figure mine out, but I wont be having too many gels, every race I have done before, which were all much shorter that I took gels in, I ended up with stomach problems...

 

For the run, I am also going to be sticking to mostly liquids, again due to stomach problems...

 

My stomach and running are not friends...

 

Gonna try for about 400 calories per hour - I have bonked a few times, especially on the bike and I never seem to learn that I need more calories than I think..

 

400 kcal is a lot, and you are likely to struggle with that amount. General standards are 200 - 350. You have to train your gut to take that, and can't just do it on race day. I would think that you should also calculate what you need in the light of effort, rather than just aim for some number.

 

With Jailbreak I burned 5900 kcal. I kept my HR mostly in the 150-155 range, and from RER testing I know that means 70% glucose and 30% fat burning. So I used 5900kcal * 70% = 4130 kcal in glucose. I took in 300kcal per hour and was comfortable with that. That left me with 4130-1800 = 2330 deficit which had to come from muscle and liver stores, and from gluconeogenesis (your liver producing glucose from protein). I couldn't do much more, i.e. my gut couldn't take more, I could feel that I'm on the edge wrt energy available and I could feel the blowout come right at the end.

 

So, I know: for 70.3 races, take 300kcal per hour and stay in the 150-155 range otherwise your going to blow. Go longer, and the effort will have to come down to, say, 145-147 HR for most of the race which = 50/50 glucose/fat burning.

[JGR]

1 gram of carbs per kilo per hour ......

 

Also struggle with stomach problems from the various gels and bars. I try stay away from products with caffeine in them

[kingalton]

How does the transition work for Ironman - I saw something about collecting your transition bag which is hanging up somewhere?? what do you leave at your bike and what do you leave in the transition bag?

[clyde79]

I have been keeping my eye on the classifieds for a TT bike for a couple of months now. My biggest worry is getting the right size as fit seems very important. I am 170cm (about 5.7") and from most sizing charts I seem to be on the cusp between sizes 52 and 54. If I go test ride a bike how do I know if it is the right size or it'll be okay to be adjusted to fit correctly?

 

Any advice?

[ggreensill]

It's all about trial and error. It took me a good 12 months to work out something that my gut could handle and I still don't think I have mastered my nutrition by any means.

And its not just a case of trying a gel and seeing if that particular type of nutrition works for you or not. I tried 4 different types of gel before I finally found something that I think worked.

Be creative with different brands and types of nutrition now while you still have the chance. The biggest issue is the run and how it turns your gut into a cement mixer. If you have the time always do a short run after a cycle, even a spin class. Take some sort of nutrition beforehand and see how you feel during and after the exercise. If you are only able to do a short run increase the intensity as this will shift blood from your gut to your working muscles.

It might sound steep to take a R20 gel after a spin class at a Virgin Active but in the end a couple of hundred rand testing different products may just make or break your race.

[Ilana]

What's everyone's take on nutrition on race day?

I know a good breakfast is imperative (mine is futurelife and a banana with a coffee) but while I'm racing, what's the plan.

I did the 70.3 a couple years ago, didn't really have a great eating plan and totally bonked on the last half of the run.

Suggestions? Products? Home remedies?

 

Work on your nutrition plan in training. Fine tune to best suit your needs. Copy and past for race day. After 3 years and many hard lessons learned I have finally worked out my Ideal nutrition plan. I completed Jailbreak with not one dip or spike in energy levels. Find out what works best for you and not what works for others.

 

How does the transition work for Ironman - I saw something about collecting your transition bag which is hanging up somewhere?? what do you leave at your bike and what do you leave in the transition bag?

 

You can't leave anything at your bike in Ironman - you have time to go into transition the morning of the race to put water bottles and nutrition and shoes(if needs be) onto bike. Also to check tyre pressure and general gear check. You get three transition bags - swim, bike and run. Your swim bag will have anything you need to place into the bag that you have for the swim and will need after the race. Your bike bag will have all your bike leg gear and run bag the same. They are hung up in race number order and you grab them as you enter the transitions area. You have a changing tent we your drop your bag when you are done and the volunteers hang your bag back up in its place for you to collect after the race.

 

Edit - spelling

Edited December 12, 2013 by Ilana

[gadget]

How does the transition work for Ironman - I saw something about collecting your transition bag which is hanging up somewhere?? what do you leave at your bike and what do you leave in the transition bag?

 

At full ironman you have an additional 2 bags for the special needs tables. One for the bike and one for the run. Here you can store extra nutrition, or a top if you are planning to run late. However, you lose what you don't use - you can't go after the race to pick it up.

 

ITO transition. Everything that can be attached to your bike stays with the bike. Helmet, sunnies etc stays in the transition bag which is hung on a hook in numerical order. DO NOT try and make you bag visible by putting on ribbons or stickers etc. They will take it off and you will not find your bag. In the past they had people decorating their bags in a similar way, person nr 1 grabbed the wrong bag and did not have the decency to go re-hang it. Person nr2 ran 21km barefoot.

 

When you are on the run, your bags will be hung together with you wetsuit, cycling stuff etc in it.

[JGR]

I have been keeping my eye on the classifieds for a TT bike for a couple of months now. My biggest worry is getting the right size as fit seems very important. I am 170cm (about 5.7") and from most sizing charts I seem to be on the cusp between sizes 52 and 54. If I go test ride a bike how do I know if it is the right size or it'll be okay to be adjusted to fit correctly?

 

Any advice?

52 possibly 50

[nochain]

I have been keeping my eye on the classifieds for a TT bike for a couple of months now. My biggest worry is getting the right size as fit seems very important. I am 170cm (about 5.7") and from most sizing charts I seem to be on the cusp between sizes 52 and 54. If I go test ride a bike how do I know if it is the right size or it'll be okay to be adjusted to fit correctly?

 

Any advice?

I would think 52 ,54 would be too big.

[Ilana]

Anyone here using the Suunto Ambit 1?

I recently bought one (got it for a massive bargain) and is my first intro the sports watch world.

So far I have found the watch works well on run and ride settings however I am having trouble with the multisport and/or triathlon settings. Most people have told me that all I need to do is start on that setting and it will automatically detect the different disciplines. However it gives me one reading at the end and I find myself having to do a lot of mathematical calculations in race to work out how far I am distance wise and what my actual pace is on a specific leg of the race. When I upload my "move" it does not show my splits so sort of have to work it out according to hr fluctuations and approximate distance.

 

How am I supposed to be using these functions to get the best benefit? Any help is much appreciated.