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2012-07-14 11:55 AM


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nashville, Tennessee
Subject: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE

I just finished a sprint in which I felt pretty bad the whole race, starting from coming out of the water.  I couldn't get my breathing under control and had a side pain for most of race.  I have read alot about caffeine helping performance.  I'm a regular coffee drinker.  But today I took a 100 mg caffeine pill right before the race.  This is the second race that I have tried that and both races I felt terrible.  I don't know if the caffeine had anything to do with it.  But I'm curious if it might raise my heart rate too much during the swim and I'm unable to recover.  Has anyone ever had a bad experience using caffeine?  I know most seem to like it. 



2012-07-14 12:13 PM
in reply to: #4311398

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Master
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Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE

I haven't tried caffeine pills but they definitely don't metabolize like coffee.  I haven't hear anything good about using them to train or race. 

Did you take it on top of your coffee?  If so, it was probably overload.  If you're a regular morning coffee drinker, best to stick to your normal routine on race day.  Do what you do normally as far as caffiene intake and what works for you on regular training days.

2012-07-14 12:32 PM
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Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
mchadcota2 - 2012-07-14 12:55 PM

I just finished a sprint in which I felt pretty bad the whole race, starting from coming out of the water.  I couldn't get my breathing under control and had a side pain for most of race.  I have read alot about caffeine helping performance.  I'm a regular coffee drinker.  But today I took a 100 mg caffeine pill right before the race.  This is the second race that I have tried that and both races I felt terrible.  I don't know if the caffeine had anything to do with it.  But I'm curious if it might raise my heart rate too much during the swim and I'm unable to recover.  Has anyone ever had a bad experience using caffeine?  I know most seem to like it. 

I would ditch the caffeine, or at least try it out in workouts.

2012-07-14 12:32 PM
in reply to: #4311398

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Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE

I have heard a lot about it helping performance, why do you think Gu and many other sports supplements have caffiene?  Anyway, I have started just this year taking a 5 Hour Energy right before races, about 30 min before, and it seems to give me more of a kick, and I have felt great.

Nutrition, supplements, anything you take into your body is going to be so different for every person, so I say go with what works and ditch what doesn't.

2012-07-14 12:50 PM
in reply to: #4311398


439
10010010010025
nashville, Tennessee
Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE

I appreciate the input.  Yes this was on top of my usual morning coffee.  Maybe its not the caffeine and I just suck worse than I thought.  I'm always anxious during the swim anyway and I thought that it may have raised my heartrate too much.

2012-07-14 1:36 PM
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Expert
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Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
I suck down several Starbucks doubleshots while getting ready for a race.  It not only gets me going but gets me moving downstairs...  'nuff said?


2012-07-14 1:44 PM
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Regular
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Ponchatoula
Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
Ditched the caffeine 7 months ago. My life is much better without it. About 3 months to notice the caffeine free differences.
2012-07-14 4:55 PM
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College Station, TX
Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE

Behind creatine and whey protein caffeine is one of the most researched performance enhancing drugs and it works. I don't think I can attach PDF research articles but it has been shown ad naseum that caffeine prolongs time to exhaustion for endurance athletes and increases time trial/race performance. Caffeine also boost intermittent high interval tasks and, in a not so obvious way, boost weightlifting performance (for a workout, not necessarily one lift). There is a reason that the International Olympic Committee bans caffeine in certain quantities. I've been training and racing with caffeine since my undergrad track days. I've know countless athletes across a variety of sports that supplement caffeine. Look at any preworkout drink and the common denominator is caffeine. 

There is a big difference between being a regular coffee drinker and taking caffeine. ALL of that caffeine will be dispered throughout your body at one time (peak levels hitting 30-60mins post ingestion) and can really throw you for a loop if not ready. Don't take something on race day that you havent trained with regularly. My first time taking caffeine I could barely walk after my workout and almost vomited all over the gym floor. Take it slow if it is something you want to use. 



Edited by antialex 2012-07-14 4:56 PM
2012-07-14 5:26 PM
in reply to: #4311398


439
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nashville, Tennessee
Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
thanks alot
2012-07-14 5:30 PM
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Regular
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Westfield, IN
Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
Caffeine has been proven to help performance. I don't think I would use the pill. And whatever you do, test it out in practice.

Have you practiced swimming very much? If not that could be your issue
2012-07-15 12:36 AM
in reply to: #4311658

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Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
I tend to not have a coffee race day morning, but my breakfast includes a serving of perpetuem w/ caffeine (the coffee flavored one), then my bike nutrition includes 2x servings an hour as well.  I can't say I've tried a ton of nutrition options, and I suspect it would be hard to sift out whether it's helped or not, but I like it


2012-07-15 12:48 AM
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Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE

antialex - 2012-07-15 4:55 AM

There is a big difference between being a regular coffee drinker and taking caffeine. ALL of that caffeine will be dispered throughout your body at one time (peak levels hitting 30-60mins post ingestion) and can really throw you for a loop if not ready. 

Thanks for the informative post about caffeine.

I fill one of my bottles with Coca Cola for longer bike rides; are you saying that I'm not getting the benefits of the caffeine for at least 30 minutes?  Maybe it's all in my head, but I think I can sense a boost in energy after about 5 minutes.

2012-07-15 12:49 AM
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Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
double post


Edited by JCZ 2012-07-15 12:49 AM
2012-07-15 5:46 AM
in reply to: #4311398

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Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
Caffeine free here too, 9 yearsPrimarily bc I dont like my heart rate artificially high, medically and it would limit my available exertion.Plus the headaches, the inflexibility of not finding a coffee in the am, the crappy sleep.And I suspect they put the caffeine in some, now most, gels because it sells, else they wouldn't.One serving a day is not the same as none, so you won't know what it's like till totally clean.First few weeks suck.Beware it's in lots of soft drinks.
2012-07-15 12:08 PM
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Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
JCZ - 2012-07-15 1:48 AM

antialex - 2012-07-15 4:55 AM

There is a big difference between being a regular coffee drinker and taking caffeine. ALL of that caffeine will be dispered throughout your body at one time (peak levels hitting 30-60mins post ingestion) and can really throw you for a loop if not ready. 

Thanks for the informative post about caffeine.

I fill one of my bottles with Coca Cola for longer bike rides; are you saying that I'm not getting the benefits of the caffeine for at least 30 minutes?  Maybe it's all in my head, but I think I can sense a boost in energy after about 5 minutes.

Caffeine pretty much works immediately, especially in your brain. I was just trying to say If you were to have your blood drawn, caffeine concentrations would be at their highest between 30-60mins. So, the mental boost and feeling like you have extra of energy vs. the drugs vasodilator and excitation contraction coupling effects. The drug has a very long half-life though, something on the order of 6 hrs (longer in the brain IIRC).

2012-07-15 11:10 PM
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Panama City, FL
Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
Good Lord, probably too much caffeine. Do your normal coffee and should be fine. Cliffs shot blocks with caffeine are also good if you need something more during Rae. I take 3 of them (50mgs ) total prior to swim and feel good for shorter races. When I've had too much, I feel weak like bonking.


2012-07-16 10:54 AM
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Barrington
Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
I think there's a timing mechanism here too, re the comment about metabolizing the pill...my guess is you were digesting it all day. I'd you want caffeine for some reason beyond what you do in the AM, then take 1-2 caffeinated gels with water about 15 mins prior to race start!
2012-07-16 11:05 AM
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Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
Can I just say how appropriate it was that this thread title was all in CAPS? 
2012-07-16 12:57 PM
in reply to: #4313672

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Sensei
Sin City
Subject: RE: CAFFEINE BEFORE RACE
I swear by my 12-16 oz cup of coffee before a race with a light meal.  I wouldn't do the pills though.
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