Pre-Race and during race nutrition

i'm guessing that st john is going to be pretty warm. hydration and electrolytes . drink lots of water.... always... not just race day. i'm liking 1st endurance products these day. their EFS has lots of electrolytes. develop a stretching routine: got yoga?

Thanks for the feedback. Let me tell you what I did. I decided that my typical pre-masters workout hydration wouldn't be enough. So: Good pasta dinner night before race Stretched thoroughly before bed started drinking water the minute I got out of bed at 5:30am 2.5 hours pre-race I had cereal and bananas for breakfast along with a nutrition bar 45 minutes pre-race I took 2 Endurolyte capsules (Hammer Nutrition) along with a lot of water(per instruction) Stretched prior to race at the 1 mile water station I drank 2+ ounces of Hammer Gel and 12 ounces water at the 2.4 mile water station I drank 2+ ounces of Hammer Gel and several ounces of a concentrated mix of Edurolyte powder in water (in small squeeze flask normally used for gel) and 24 ounces of water The results: A little cramping shortly after the 1 mile mark. I relaxed my legs and the cramps went away. The gel must have kicked in because I felt a lot better and more energetic in the second mile than I did in the first. I restarted a very light 2 beat kick just as a balance to my stroke. As I went into the last mile and a half, I continued to feel very good. Kept a good pace (for me). Last two hundred yards I started a light 6 beat kick. No cramps. Finished and as I ran up on the sand....no cramps. Keep in mind, a few weeks prior I swam in the Hurricane Man (2.4 miles) in St. Petersburg and finished with major hamstring cramps. So, I realize there are a lot of factors involved in whether one cramps or not and energy levels. And, I am a one rat study. However, I do believe my electrolyte and energy strategy worked pretty well and helped me complete the my longest swim yet. Now, I need to work on my speed. I finished in the middle of my age group. T

thanks for the race report. one recommendation i would make is to keep track of your event nutrition based on time spent swimming and conditions (temp, tide, waves) as opposed to distance. different events/courses and conditions can result in a huge difference in minutes/mile.

Chefster: Please define "bonk." I have seen you use it in several posts and I am now pretty sure that it has nowhere near the meaning I thought it did. tanks

Chefster: Please define "bonk." I have seen you use it in several posts and I am now pretty sure that it has nowhere near the meaning I thought it did. tanks Well without using the internet to freshen up my idea of it, I have always used the term to describe an over all feeling of lack of fuel to burn. I mean I can work till I fall over from exhaustion, but if my blood sugars run too low, and there is nothing left in the tank...well , I get this shaky weak feeling and can't do a dam thing except slow right down so that I am burning whats left at a very low rate.. It happens to me if I do a number of hard workouts through the week without eating enough...by the end of the week I could bonk on the last hard workout. Last year I tried to loose that last couple pounds the week before an Olympic distance Tri. Ya, went on a diet before a big race ...dumb, really dumb...when I got out of the water and on to the bike the gas gage was already on empty..I was a well tuned 57 CHEVY Muscle car with no gas in the tank...I knew what happened immediatley and cursed myself for being so stupid about a couple pounds...I turned my bike around and DNFed. I have been racing for 15 years, have always placed right up at the top of my AG ...but I always toy with the outer limits of things..like diet or lawn mowers. Questions about it? Do a long run some night and don't eat much afterwards, sleep 8 to 10 hours and have a cup of coffee in the morning...go do a 40 mile bike moderatley hard with only water...chances are you will experience some bonk.:bed: