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Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon?
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| General Discussion | Triathlon Talk » Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? | Rss Feed  |
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 2017-05-03 5:37 PM |
 30 |  Subject: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon?I've got a sprint triathlon coming up in August with the following distances: 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run (start time is around 7am) This will be my first triathlon. Obviously one would drink water, but would one consume something like a Larabar or sports drink during this? It's quite early to estimate, but I would project my finish time at say 1:22 ish. Thoughts? |
| 2017-05-03 6:08 PM in reply to: drew_ab |
Member 1004 | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? It's too short to need a bar or gel. I take some sports drink during the bike and drink water on the run. |
| 2017-05-03 7:56 PM in reply to: drew_ab |
| 93 | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? That's a good start time since you'll be done before things get too hot. Even with the short race (I typically come in under 1:25), I found that a gel after about 5 minutes into the run gives me a nice boost. It might be the high caffeine more than anything. Whatever it is, I can feel it and it helps much for most of the second half of the run. Other than that, I have a sports drink in the transition area, and at T1, I take a big gulp before I run off with my bike. I have a single water bottle filled with sports drink for the cycling. I take another healthy gulp of my sports drink waiting at the transition area at T2. And then I drink from what's offered on the course (usually water over my head and grab a glass of sports drink each time). I hope this helps. |
| 2017-05-03 8:10 PM in reply to: Trilogy |
Elite 3779    Ontario | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? Water is all you need for that distance/time. |
| 2017-05-03 8:29 PM in reply to: drew_ab |
| 233 Ventura, California | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? Eat something light about 1-2 hours prior to the race, banana, orange, half slice of bread with peanut butter, whatever worked in training. I would hit a gel about 10-15 minutes prior to the swim. I would take in fluids on the bike and hit another gel about 2/3rds into the bike, this will set you up for a strong run. Better to have a couple gels then to crap out on the run. Don't underestimate your nutrition. Do not take in a solid food bar, too much for the stomach to process. |
| 2017-05-03 10:20 PM in reply to: b2run |
| 93 | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? A couple of things. I usually drink a sports drink with a very low sugar content. More for the electrolytes than anything. Today where I'm at (in Taiwan), it's 87 degrees with a humidity of over 70%. I think it makes sense to drink a sports drink for even a sprint tri in this weather. The gel during the run. I don't think this is for everyone. I have experimented racing with different nutrition schemes and I swear by the gel for the run for a sprint triathlon. Again, my guess is that it's probably the caffeine more than anything. I recommend trying some brick workouts before the race and experimenting with different things. The gel could very well mess with your stomach so you definitely want to experiment with that before the race. |
| 2017-05-04 9:06 AM in reply to: drew_ab |
| 197 | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? I've only done a few sprints, so I am not the most experienced person responding. All I've ever taken during a race is water. I keep two bottles on the bike (never touched the 2nd one during a race), and I make use of the water stations on the run. I am a type 2 diabetic, so I keep a granola bar or two at the transition area, as well as one in my saddle bag on the bike in case my blood sugar drops too low. I suppose keeping a bit of food in the transition area won't hurt anything, and may come in handy. J White |
| 2017-05-04 9:50 AM in reply to: drew_ab |
| 1300 | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? Just some water on bike and at run turn around. I'd usually have a light breakfast also for a sprint. Maybe a gel before the swim. Sports drinks at high intensity levels don't agree with me. At the end of the day for a sprint I try to limit as much as possible with everything since seconds count. Good luck with your first race. |
| 2017-05-04 11:12 AM in reply to: drew_ab |
| 702 Aledo, Texas | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? I've done sprints both with and without nutrition. Definitely take water, that's a no-brainer that I actually neglected in my first race. I noticed the effect immediately on the run. I've raced where I took one gel about 3/4 through the bike. I had a really strong run (11th overall, 2nd in age group). I don't know that the gel was a factor (I typically am top 3 runner), but I felt good when everyone else was clearly suffering. I haven't taken nutrition in any subsequent sprint, and it hasn't affected my run performance at all. In fact, my last one, I had my tri 5k PR, which followed a too-hard swim with a lactate-induced bike. If you think nutrition would help, take it. You will want to take it early enough in the bike that it will kick in by the end of your first mile on the run. I try to get it about 15' before my first mile ends (usually about with 2-3 miles to go on the bike). |
| 2017-05-04 1:00 PM in reply to: LundyLund |
Champion 10018 , Minnesota Bronze member | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? I really don't see any reason to NOT, unless it would upset your stomach. What I usually did is either have a sport drink on the bike (efficiently having fluid and some nutrition at he same time), or - if I forgot to bring a drink - then I always have a gel in the last stretch of the bike so I have time to eat and drink a little bit before running hard. Time flies on race morning. You may not eat anything in the hour before your swim (I recommend snacking while setting up), so you'll be several hours food free by the time you run. I wouldn't do well on that. My sprints were all in the 1:35 range, so a bit longer than you. Not a lot though. |
| 2017-05-04 1:01 PM in reply to: rjcalhoun |
Champion 10018 , Minnesota Bronze member | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? Originally posted by rjcalhoun Eat something light about 1-2 hours prior to the race, banana, orange, half slice of bread with peanut butter, whatever worked in training. I would hit a gel about 10-15 minutes prior to the swim. I would take in fluids on the bike and hit another gel about 2/3rds into the bike, this will set you up for a strong run. Better to have a couple gels then to crap out on the run. Don't underestimate your nutrition. Do not take in a solid food bar, too much for the stomach to process. This is my philosophy as well. |
| 2017-05-04 2:27 PM in reply to: drew_ab |
Expert 2852 Pfafftown, NC | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? |
| 2017-05-04 3:04 PM in reply to: nc452010 |
Regular 589 Wisconsin | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? Water/Gatorade on the run course, and beer afterwards. |
| 2017-05-04 4:40 PM in reply to: drew_ab |
Master 8247 Eugene, Oregon Bronze member | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? Depends on your energy needs and how intensely you'll be going at it. Personally, I can never get down anything but water or Nuun (electrolyte drink). I'm simply biking/running to hard to get or keep anything else down. |
| 2017-05-05 5:46 PM in reply to: Hot Runner |
| 30 | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? Thanks to all the replies. To respond to the intensity comment, I will probably be going hard as I possibly can. It's been a long time (3-4 years) since I've done a race, and before they were running race. My only comparable distance was a 10-miler which I did in about 1:11. My heart rate started at about 150 and was 170 by the end. I held the pace 100% throughout and expended every ounce of effort to do so. So, I was thinking my HR may start the same and climb to 170 by the end, but we shall see. I've done lots of short zone 4 repeats in training. |
| 2017-05-05 9:59 PM in reply to: drew_ab |
Expert 2373 Floriduh | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? In sprints, I just take water on the bike and this is usually just to get the salt water from the swim out of my mouth. I set up a bottle of gatorade for T2 and drink until I get out of transition and toss away soon afterwards. I live in Florida and I have found a need for electrolytes at that point in the race rather than needing the nutrition. |
| 2017-05-07 5:34 AM in reply to: drew_ab |
Veteran 945 South Windsor, CT | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? Congratulations and welcome to triathlon! There is a lot of nutrition that needs to be done in triathlon, but in sprints, your body doesn't need the nutrition/hydration nearly as much as for longer distances and certainly long course tri's. Getting to the race-being ready, uninjured and knowing the course are important. My routine is to have ~400 calories about 2+ hours before the start time. It should be light, easily digested and something you like and have practiced. I often have a poptart (or Boost/Ensure), RK treat, coffee, banana and sip on G2 up to the start. There is probably a minor physiological boost with some sips of a sports drink/water or a favorite nutrition item (I love peach rings while running-weird, huh?) and definitely a real boost with caffeine. Taking a little fluid in probably helps a little bit, but don't take too much or you may have GI issues. You might want to experiment with short, high intensity bricks to simulate how your body handles different nutrition and how you like various things. My mouth gets dry from mouth breathing on the bike so I like having only a small bottle on my aero bars, just in case I want it, and it offers no aero penalty at all. I have a small ziplock bag to grab in T2 with a small G2 (12oz) and a bag of gummies/peach rings or shot blocks to munch on during the run-with a few lifesavers/cough drops (my mouth gets dry). I usually chuck the G2 by the end of the transition area and tuck the bag into my pocket. I often take a little water to drink from the aid stations (or dump it over my head if it is hot). Do not let these things slow you down in transition as the sprint can give away tons of time between S/B/R. I usually run the sprints around here in ~1:10. Try to get the T times down as low as possible if racing it, but if not, just enjoy it all. Practice, train and enjoy race day for what it is-truly special. Have fun! |
| 2017-05-07 6:41 AM in reply to: 0 |
Master 8247 Eugene, Oregon Bronze member | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? I like diluted Nuun Energy (sugar-free electrolyte drink with caffeine) in my aerobottle for sprints. The caffeine definitely gives some kind of boost--could well be placebo effect, but who cares? Have thought about a caffeine gel on the run but have never felt like I could get it down. As for people who snack on gu, bananas and the like up to shortly before the start--I'm impressed. Every time I've tried any calories within about 2 hours of the race start, it has not turned out well. Either reflux on the swim or running in a panic for the nearest porta-potty before the start! Whatever you do, try it out before race day, with a race-intensity workout. My sprints have mostly been in the 1:15 range. If it's taking less than 90 minutes, assuming you ate a solid dinner the night before and a light breakfast the morning of, you're not going to starve or "bonk", even if you take in zero calories during the race itself. Overeating and GI upset is probably the bigger danger at that distance. Plus, in hot conditions, you do need to pay attention to fluids/electrolytes. Edited by Hot Runner 2017-05-07 6:45 AM |
| 2017-05-07 1:51 PM in reply to: 0 |
| 319 Sarasota, Florida | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? I just used water and a little gatorade. Occasionally I will find myself hungry during a very windy sprint brick. I honestly didn't feel anything was required during my Oly which was on a calm cooler day but took one gel on the bike and felt it gave me a little boost. Edited by runtim23 2017-05-07 1:52 PM |
| 2017-05-07 5:16 PM in reply to: runtim23 |
Champion 9407 Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? Studies suggest taking something with sugar, even if you just rinse with it, during shorter events can help an athlete race at a higher intensity. The idea is that your body will start to slow as glycogen levels dip; when the body knows sugar is coming, it will not work as hard to preserve stored glycogen and you can therefore push a little harder. So yes, you should take something; at high intensity, probably best to use sports drink (possibly diluted) so as not to stress your gi system too much (vomiting during a race is not much fun). Shane |
| 2017-05-07 8:10 PM in reply to: drew_ab |
| 1055 | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? Originally posted by drew_ab I've got a sprint triathlon coming up in August with the following distances: 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run (start time is around 7am) This will be my first triathlon. Obviously one would drink water, but would one consume something like a Larabar or sports drink during this? It's quite early to estimate, but I would project my finish time at say 1:22 ish. Thoughts? Bottle of water on the bike of which I might not take more than a couple swigs. It's more for clearing my throat than hydration. Maybe water at a run station if it's hot. |
| 2017-05-08 8:20 AM in reply to: drew_ab |
Pro 5892 , New Hampshire | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? A good breakfast to start the day and then one gel about 15 min before start (right after warmup and stretching). I do have Skratch in my bottle, but that's more for flavor than anything else (warm water is not always the best tasting...). Sprint races are too short to really need anything during the race. |
| 2017-05-08 8:51 AM in reply to: drew_ab |
Elite 3683 Whispering Pines, North Carolina | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? For that short a distance, I don't eat during the race. A decent breakfast a few hours before the race, then a small banana or gel 20 mins before the start. Water only during the bike and run. |
| 2017-05-08 9:59 AM in reply to: d00d |
Expert 2852 Pfafftown, NC | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? If you eat during a sprint, have you thought about this, physiologically? Can your body process what you're eating? If so, you're not going hard enough  |
| 2017-05-08 12:15 PM in reply to: nc452010 |
Elite 3683 Whispering Pines, North Carolina | Subject: RE: Do you eat (or drink) anything during a sprint triathlon? Originally posted by nc452010 If you eat during a sprint, have you thought about this, physiologically? Can your body process what you're eating? If so, you're not going hard enough x2 in a sprint, i'm going so hard, even water is a chore to force down! |
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