Just water (instead of gel or gatorade)

I think if the event is over 90 minutes in length you may benefit from fuel during the competition. Whatever you choose to try just be sure to use it in practice and be sure it doesn't upset your stomach or make you jittery. I personally do not like sugary type things; some people they work for though. My favorite is torn-up whole wheat bagel bits, gel-blocks (a little too sweet), and power bar "energizer" bars.

Eat and drink earlier. I just make sure I get up early enough to enjoy a good breakfast. I don't stray too far from what I normally eat during training as my body and stomach is used to it all. It really is a personal type thing. Some can eat Snickers, straight sport drinks, etc. and some can't handle more than water. You probably just need to experiment more during workouts and see what works and doesn't. That being said, I haven't done an event far enough that feedings or drink stations. But I would think anything 10K and up you'll definitely need more than just water.

OK, so I've learned that I can down a couple of cheeseburgers and a couple of beers and go out and swim 4K no problem -- even feels good. But I'm trying to find the "sensible" solution for either a 10K or longer swim or the shorter 3K-5K days on extremely hot days. Last year I swam a 3K in 90+ weather after driving two hours in my non-A/C Jeep to get to the race. Thinking I should hydrate, I made sure I had plenty of gatorade before starting the swim. I felt nauseous and my legs turned to rubber 1K in. On the cooler 3K-5K races, I do nothing but drink some water before and have always done fine as long as I have the beer waiting at the end. But by the end of 5K I always feel like I need something more if I want to go any longer than that. In prepping for eventually entering a 10K, I began to experiment with gels. I've tried two. 10 minutes after eating gu or PowerGel, I got light-headed and legs turned to rubber. I researched previous threads and saw that some folk just drink water for anything less than 8 miles or so. Anyone think differently? Any alternatives? I'm not sure I want to stuff cheeseburgers and beer in my suit. . . but they might work for the 10K postal. By any chance, was your 3k in salt water? A friend who's done several saltwater races said he can't stomach the mix of sports drinks and salt water, since he already takes in so much salt from just swimming. I'm trying to work out long swim nutrition myself. Gels that seemed to work fine when I'd use them for running didn't agree with me at all for swimming. Here's what's funny: Beer and/or coffee (but not coffee-flavored beer, ha ha)after a long swim or long run are as close to heaven as I can get on earth!

OK, so I've learned that I can down a couple of cheeseburgers and a couple of beers and go out and swim 4K no problem -- even feels good. But I'm trying to find the "sensible" solution for either a 10K or longer swim or the shorter 3K-5K days on extremely hot days. I'm not sure I want to stuff cheeseburgers and beer in my suit. . . but they might work for the 10K postal. Vodka? Rum? or my all time favorite Tequilla? :chug:

2 hours is my limit without feeding. i took a couple of hammer gels along for the ride at chesapeake this year but didn't use them. if a swim is going to be over 2 hours, i start on a perpetuem w/endurolytes after the first 30 minutes.... i know some people that like to feed every 15 minutes; i want to give it a try, but it is important to have a good feeder on the team to make the pit stops quick.

Going at high pace without anything for several hours without anything is certainly doable, but it sure gives me a boost to eat something after 90 minutes. Whether and what to eat has a lot to do with how your body metabolizes food. I prefer a PBJ sandwich over anything. Tough to eat on OW but chopped up and bagged correctly its manageable.

Thanks for all of the feedback. The 5K (did the Big Shoulders in 1:20) seems to be my limit before I'm completely sapped so I've been experimenting with hopes of doing the 10K postal this year and an open-water 10K next year. But then it's hard to tell if I am truly sapped as no matter what distance I choose to swim, I inevitably begin swimming at 100% with about 700 yards to go. And thus far, I've not attempted anything over a 5K. I think I'll try the bagel bits next. The energizer goos and gels and drinks seem to just make me sick - think it's an intense sugar rush followed by a sugar crash. Who knows, though. Maybe I should just stick with what I know works and that's cheeseburgers and beer.

Anything over 2 hours you will need something to refuel on. I like the Hammer product Sustained Energy. I has helped me in a number of 10 K open water swims and a successful almost 12 hour swim from Catalina to California. To help you get use to feeding, take some in during your workouts. Good luck!