Nutrition questions/thoughts

Hi FindingMyInnerFish, I'm not a runner, so I can't speak to running. However, I do kayak/paddle in races that are long distance and have slightly different fueling plans between swimming long events and paddling long events. One thing I can say is that your body is in a horizontal position while swimming versus vertical while running. So, when eating/drinking while swimming puts your body in a different digestive position. That may mean that solids/liquids are staying in your stomach longer before moving into your intestines for digestion. Also, swimming with a good stroke requires using your abs a good bit. The tightening and use of your abs may also be putting more digestive stress on your system. As for salt versus fresh water, that seems odd to me. My guess is that you consumed some saltwater during your feeding, which upset your stomach. Other than that, I wouldn't know why you're having different experiences in salt and fresh water. As for fueling, I use mostly liquid type products for fueling in OW swimming. I'm a big Hammer Nutrition fan because their products are free from sugars and artificial additives. I use a combination of HEED, Perpetuem, and GEL along with plain water. I typically consume the calorie stuff first and then wash it all down with a couple gulps of water. I also believe in having a variety of things...even some solid food and have trained with all of it before a race so you know it works. There have been times when something just didn't sound good to my stomach and if it was the only thing I had, I would have been in trouble. Having a variety means you can switch between things as needed..if it's possible during the type of race you're doing. Dave

Thanks for the insights, Dave! I have liked the Hammer products in the past so may try them more when I train. A nutritionist friend recommended dates for solid food and those I found harder to deal w in salt water. I'm thinking the chop made a difference. Not a favor in a river swim, but definitely in a bay swim.

I had great success with UCAN in Key West last year. Drank a bottle before the race, then would alternate between water and UCAN every 20 minutes (you may need less since it won't be as hot), but that stuff stays on the stomach really well and it keeps your blood sugar very steady (unlike gels). Felt very strong throughout the race on just those two things and never really felt hungry.

I had great success with UCAN in Key West last year. Drank a bottle before the race, then would alternate between water and UCAN every 20 minutes (you may need less since it won't be as hot), but that stuff stays on the stomach really well and it keeps your blood sugar very steady (unlike gels). Felt very strong throughout the race on just those two things and never really felt hungry. That sounds promising. Which of their products did you use? I tried to go to their website but got a message saying "this connection is untrusted." So I looked for it on Amazon and found this link: www.amazon.com/.../B00B66SRV6 Was it any of the items shown there?

www.generationucan.com/home.html I like the Cran Raz and Lemon superstarch drink mixes. You might want to check a local running store to see if they have the sample packs before you invest in a big jug since it's a little pricey. The texture is a little chalky, but you can shake it up a lot with some ice and it helps a bit. But the stuff really works well.

www.generationucan.com/home.html I like the Cran Raz and Lemon superstarch drink mixes. You might want to check a local running store to see if they have the sample packs before you invest in a big jug since it's a little pricey. The texture is a little chalky, but you can shake it up a lot with some ice and it helps a bit. But the stuff really works well. Thanks for the info! For some reason my computer seems to block access to the UCAN website. Yet it seems like a pretty established company. I'll check out some local brick and mortar stores and see what kinds of samples they have. A friend in my area sells Hammer products and I maybe will also order some items from her. Interestingly, in spite of the bad-mouthing I've heard about Muscle Milk, I found it worked well for a 6000 yard swim. But I got all kinds of warnings from others about it, so now I wonder. Seemed to agree w/ me fine. But I'm a relative newbie in distance swimming, so I'm grateful for everyone's suggestions!

I use NUUN as well for swimming. I find I need to shake it up quite a bit to release the carbonation then I'm not burping like crazy when I'm swimming.

I use NUUN as well for swimming. I find I need to shake it up quite a bit to release the carbonation then I'm not burping like crazy when I'm swimming. Thanks for the tip! I found another drink powder that seems to agree w/ me: Glukose www.glukosenergy.com/.../promotional-shipping.html A running store in my area started to sell their products and so far, so good. Their drink powder and the gummies worked better for me than the gels, though.