Hey everyone, i have searched the previous threads but couldn't find anything in regards to my question...
i am gearing up to do my first marathon swim next year and i was wondering about some things. I have done a few ironmans and they serve chicken broth on the marathon, on here i have read that many of you like tea for warmth and to settle the stomach...seeing how i am not much of a tea drinker i was wondering if any of you have tried chicken broth during a swim? Also, not having much experience in salt water, what do you think that combo would be like (i don't have much availability to salt water--i live in Ontario) so is this something you would think would work or to stay away from (swimming in salt water and drinking chicken broth?)
I hope this makes sense, and i would appreciate any help!
looking forward to all of your expertice and advice!
While, I don’t have George’s marathon experience, what has worked for my marathon swims is feedings every 30 minutes with Accelerade (16-24 ounces). Drink it cold for warm swims and drink it warm for cold swims. And at the 4 and 8 hour marks, I’d add a dose of liquid Advil.
This worked in both fresh and salt water marathons. But the biggest piece of advice is to practice your feedings during swimming practice. I know a few swimmers who switched fuels just before a swim and lived to regret the change. If your stomach begins to get unsettled, switch to water for the next feeding.
Anything you can stomach is fine broth is fine I have even had campbells chicken noodle soup, even Coca Cola which we took the fizz out of it before we swam. Be sure you have some cold liquid to drink to help keep your temp down especially if the water is over 65 degrees it is surprising how hot you will get. If it tastes good when swimming in freshwater it will be fine in salt water. Just make sure when you are kicking in salt water that you don't kick in the air. The legs ride much higher in salt water.
thanks for the advice! I really appreciate it. I have been swimming for MANY years, switched to ironman triathlons (completed 2) and now have wanted to get back into swimming, hoping to do the Manhattan Marathon next year. Little worried as where i live i can't do a great deal of open water swimming, so i wondered about the whole practicing fueling while swimming in a pool...and the lack of salt water experience, but hey that is part of the appeal!!
I have done a few open water swim races (3km and 5km) and am spending the rest of summer building to a 10 miler to see what nutrition and distance is like. I love the knowledge and feedback from all of you here!
Thanks for the support and advice! If there is anything that you think i should be doing/trying, i look forward to the help!
Where do you live in Ontario, I know all kinds of places to swim there. I used to swim in Lake Ontario, Lake Simcoe, Rice Lake although lots of weeds, Georgian Bay, Willcox Lake north of Toronto, Emerald Lake, Kelso water reserve, even the Humber River, the waterfront at the CNE and the Credit River where Cliff Lumsdon trained.
I just got an email from Patty Thompson see her story half way down this page swimdownhill.com/.../page7.html the oldest female to swim accross lake Ontario it said Kim Lumsdon Cliffs daughter is scheduled to cross Lake Ontario the first weekend of August. Then Colleen Sheilds is going the week after. They both want to be the oldest female swimmer to cross.
I am starting out from Vancouver and driving to the Hamilton, Burlington, Tornto on Mon, then on to Montreal, Trois Rivers, La Tuque and Robervalle Quebec and visit with friends where the pro races took place when I raced. May even go to PEI, Atlantic City and even see if the sharks are still in Narragansset RI
As you can see there are many individual choices for open water event feedings. As Rob said the critical thing to do is to train with your personal choice -don't ever try something new at an event/race.
thanks everyone!
I live in Southern Ontario, the places you mentioned geochuck are a little far away, although i have swam in Kelso for a triathlon.. I can swim in Lake Erie for most of the summer, it is pretty chilly and then not long into the summer bacteria levels are bad, but i am thinking this summer it is something i am just going to not worry about! I guess the real bummer is that the open water season here is so short, i guess it is a good thing i don't mind pool swimming.
Thanks for the nutrition tips, some very interesting eating habits out there! I will let you know what my stomach settles on, i am going to try my ironman nutrition plan as it is very similar to what most of you posted--accelerade and hammer gels...i am just curious to see how my stomach handles swimming and eating (for MANY years i have done my morning swim with out eating first...so it is a challenge to change that and now to eat while swimming..should be interesting....)
