Triathlon Nutrition for a newbie

Nutrition is a very unique portion of training for everyone because no two athletes are ever the same and we all operate at a different cadence in bike/run legs.  I will provide a few tips that I have seen often and have experienced myself.

1. Do a sweat test.  Weigh yourself and then run for one hour and re-weigh in.  This will tell you approximately how much fluid you lose per hour.  All athletes should do this periodically, just as your heart rate will change with a good routine, so will fluid retention.

2. Do a salt test.  Wear black on a sunny and warm day (not a humid 110* phoenix day!) and run for an hour.  how much white powder is on that jersey?  This is salt loss.

3. Pick a race distance to train for.  Nutrition is not much of a factor in a sprint as you are typically done inside a couple of hours - nutrition can make or break your Ironman race and be the difference between a Personal Best (PR) and a Do Not Finish (DNF).  So sense seeing a medic on such a happy day just for a free IV!

After doing the above three, you have some personal information to start with.  Now, carry and re-fill water and drink, drink, drink on rides and runs.  Try to drink something about every 10 -20 minutes to replace what fluids at about the rate you lose them according to your sweat test.

EAT!  I burn about 3000 or more calories (Yup, big guys get more of a bang for the buck when training!) per hour.  I use a carb/protein mix on bike rides that also has electrolytes in it. If you keep eating while biking you will have fuel in the tank while running.  Always important when 26.2 miles separate you from the finish line.  Also a huge deal if 3.1 miles is all it takes to proudly wear than new "triathlete" label.

Investigate your race.  If you can train and eat/drink what is available on the course, you will be set.  Do not eat something new on race day unless the porta-potty is part of your heart rate monitoring plan!  Still carry your own water and Accelerde/Infinit/Power Gel concoction that works best for your salt and calorie loss.  I never race "off" the course as I have never been successful at that - so do, but better safe than sorry.

Help at all?

That is excellent advice.  I appreciate it so much.

Stuart