How To Fuel For An Ironman | Triathlon Nutrition Tips For Going Long Distance

Fuelling for an Ironman is a massive task itself, but an essential to get right if you want to achieve your personal best on the course and not run out of energy! With over an estimated 8000 burned over the course of the event you need to have a plan - and we're here to help!⁠
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[@gtn]

Do you have a nutrition strategy on race day? Maybe you have a favourite snack? Share your tips with us!

[@mirage2nr771]

I really don't like sports drinks (or maybe didn't try the good ones). Can I replace it with an extra gel or something else ?

[@trepidati0n533]

@@mirage2nr771 Many people just eat their calories and drink their electrolytes. While not a single solution...it does give you more control in terms of "what you need". For example on a super hot day you might need to drink more..but if your calories are in your drink that could mess you up. The same goes the other way that if it is a cool day you might drink less thus take on less calories. Pro's may have a better feel for this and thus can balance it better...but I know that I am terrible at it and thus the two system approach has saved me.

[@TheMexli]

For longdistance races, I always write down a nutrition plan with marks at which point of the course I have to take a gel, bar or salt capsule (adapted to the course), which I attach to my handlebars on the bike ride, so you can controll your 60-90g

[@luc4662]

Mostly fresh fruits (plums, for instance). They taste good, gels are disgusting. I also like a bit of beef jerky for the salt (and the deliciousness).

[@ja9438]

Do you ever mix gels into your water bottle so you don’t have to fumble with opening and potential littering in IM ‘s and if so to what ratio and do some gels mix better than others?

[@nicktaylor7247]

10 gels + water in a bidon on drops. Energy bar and salt tab every hour gel mix 30min between bars. Electrolytes in second bottle cage drink often.

[@jjbellfrey]

Lots of helpful advice/tips for this rookie.

[@pooky2626]

I've always hated the gels. So I never train with them, but I do find that they are necessary in an IM distance event. I've done many 70.3's without them. 20+ years of triathlon what I have learned is nutrician leading up to race day is the most important (for me). In fact, I tend to eat less or no meat days before a race with more vegetables and pasta, beans, nuts and seeds. I always thought that a big guy like myself (210-215lbs) needed the meat, but surprisingly since I have cut "some" meat out I have gotten much faster in my 50's. So much that my best 70.3 is 4h45 at 50. best Oly 2h17 at 51. However yet to break the 11hr mark for IM. I eat as many bananas during the bike that I can get in me. And surprisingly, I tend to go for the sugary caffiene laden cola on the run portion...but only in the second half of the run. I do have an energy powder (MaxATP) that I mix in my coconut water which I have two bottles of on the bike. My take on all of this is that even nutrician has evolved so much over the years that "we" are always trying to find the next magic pill to make us faster. Nutrician and a 55 big ring is the key!

[@saifalyammahi8345]

Great job buddy keep up the good work

[@LasseWallerstedt]

Thanks alot for your videos! This is a really interesting topic. I have big issues eating what so ever during my longer events. Have to stick to fluid with alot of energy. So I bring the ”powder” in my pockets and mixed it with the sportsdrink they serve at the stations. Very often I completely crash after finnishing and throw up just by thinking of eating. This is a BIG issue for me. I have my no 1 full IM in August and refuelling is key for me so yes, please dig deaper in this topic. Regards, Lasse a true fan of GTN.

[@MrPlesters]

Thank you for another awesome video, love to watch the channel during Zwift workouts. I have a question, have you allready made a similar video about shorter distances (for example olympic distance) ?

[@sebastianpalm5937]

great video!

[@mirage2nr771]

Well, you're answering all my question this week XD Thanks GTN

[@heatherfell_oly]

Great to hear, good luck!

[@jasontheworldisyours]

Helpful tips

[@itarry4]

If you watch pro cyclists in road races, especially the stages that finish with a big mountain top finish you'll see many of them seem to keep the caffeine gels for just before they hit the climb. If it's around 35 - 50 minute climb then I've noticed a lot of them taking a caffeine gel around 5 minutes before the bottom of the climb. They might actually want to take it slightly later, like right at the bottom of the climb but in the pro races it goes a bit mad just before they get to the turn or whatever that leads to the start of the climb with all the teams fighting for position at the front of the peloton going stupidly fast and hard so taking a gel then would be a bit dangerous so they probably take it a bit earlier than they'd want to.

[@ja9438]

Do you ever mix gels into the water bottles in IM and if so to what ratio ?

[@chemistry9942]

0:25 Rodie rage in me builds up

[@lfoster7601]

Ok, on the bike, 60-90g carb, 500ml bottle, couple gels, couple bars. Sounds reasonable. Oh, hang on. Per hour! I'm expecting to be on the bike for 6hrs. That's 6 bottles, 12 gels, 12 bars. Do I tow a trailer? Can you guarantee knowing what's available at aid stations to top up? Will it be mixed right? Lot of races I've previously done, the drink will be mixed lean. Plus that's a lorra lorra peeing!

[@melvinpriester5046]

Yeah, I wish they would do a video/tips on the pure logistics of storing and transporting food. Do I bring it all on the bike? Suit pockets? If I want a sport drink mix do I carry enough bottle premade or just a tube of powder and mix it at an aid station? Salt tabs - what do I carry them in? I'd love just a really practical walk through of mechanical options and the pros and cons of and what to do with different on bike or on person storage strategies.

[@trimad6128]

In my ironman’s I carried 3 bottles initially then relied on powerbar drinks at aid stations which is a little hit and miss but I got through them.You do get an emergency bag along the course if needs be but I didn’t as I was racing in Nice so whatever I stored would have been hot🤮.I’d find out who’s fuelling your race and practice with it.If you’re eating solids just take small bites regularly and just prepare for conditions ie weather.

[@batchenalicehazut9181]

You can take 4 750 ml bottles on the bike, 2 on the frame cage and 2 on the seatpost. Gels get taped on your frame. Pockets are for solids and other bits. You can store extra gels in the suite on the leg silicone and also in your training braw ;)

[@dougmenon]

Any comment about ketone esters?

[@LiamHaleMcCarty]

#GTNCoachesCorner How much fluid should I replace during an Ironman? Does it change for shorter distances (half Iron, Olympic)? I just did a sweat test and am losing about 2 liters per hour on the bike. I don’t think there’s any way I can replace that much, but I don’t want to get super dehydrated either

[@Yamaha_Bolt]

If i can handle pizza during the bike should I go with that? I can basically eat anything and I have never had any problems. I do hate these bars and gels, prefer real food.

[@Saturday_ProFuel]

I give it one year or less before you feature our app on your awesome channel. That's when we'll know we have arrived. We're in beta now. Super positive reviews. Several years in the making. PS. It has a setting for wanting to avoid bathroom stops.

[@trbeyond]

Peanut butter M&Ms. great on the bike - they don’t melt and have just a little fat but mostly carbs. Also a bit salty and easy to pack.

[@oldanslo]

Peanut Butter M&M's have 13g of fat, 23g of carbs, and 4g protein in each 220 calorie serving. That means that 53% of the calories comes from fat.

[@trbeyond]

@@oldanslo that's not all i use! lol other than that its carbs via gels and drink.

[@jerometaguet1670]

over cooked rice, blended with banana, proteine, in a bottle... for the bike and gel for the run

[@DavidBrown-ts2us]

Regarding the comment that energy gels should be a 2:1 glucose fructose mixture. A recent podcast with Peter Attia and Rick Johnson talking about how fructose is metabolised indicated that it triggers pathways which drive fat storage and energy conservation. They weren't talking in the context of exercise, more just in general diet what happens if you drink a coke. I'd like to know what science the idea of the 2:1 glucose fructose mixture is based on, and if its different when you're exercising to when you're sitting on the sofa.

[@blaquaman1739]

I’ve been doing 14k run 4k swim and 10k prone paddle with just 2 bananas and a Gatorade, I’ll figure this out one day

[@markankone9362]

Are you going to do a big race this year ?

[@heatherfell_oly]

We've all got some races planned and hopefully a triathlon relay with a difference too.

[@markankone9362]

@@heatherfell_oly i still love to see the race in Scotland and the norseman 💪

[@pierre267]

Just to be sure. Do you mean every 90 minutes take: 1 botte + 2 energy gel + 3 bar??? Every 90 minutes. It would mean take in every 15 minutes a gel or energy bar?? Is that right?

[@cynthiareif6125]

Only one 500 ml of energy drink for a whole Ironman bike? So the rest of the fluid is plain water?

[@robgroves7424]

Caffeine free PPP?

[@kimfraser-rybinski9554]

What about athletes who are successfully fuelling on LCHF diets? Hawaii IM Age-group winner doesn’t use carbs.

[@heatherfell_oly]

Who is that? Love to know their nutrition plan.

[@trplpltr8804]

new studies shows, that carbohydrates are a catastrophic for body.. because.. the most products use the cheap and not healthy high concentrat Fructose.. that is poison!!! What is a fast energy ist pur glucose.. but that is "to" expansive for the producers the couldn't make a lot of money with that... better for stomach is Maltodextrin...

[@jamesd5241]

hahahahahaha xD dont believe everything that saleman triathlon taren tries to make you buy lol. snake oil might do the trick though

[@jamesd5241]

@@trplpltr8804 wrong

[@markthrelfall3577]

Thanks for the input, and it's definitely worth a video in itself. I do actually know Dan Plews, and from my understanding he uses a LCHF diet in his day-to-day life, but uses some form of carbs on race day. Regardless though, the majority of people are far from fat adapted, and will be watching this video a matter of months out from their IM race. We decided that for this video we would approach the broader audience, such as those people. It would be fairly reckless of us to start suggesting that they try to adopt a LCHF diet so close to their event. As I'm sure you know, it can takes much longer than a few months for someone to become fully fat adapted. We don't disagree with the idea of LCHF, but it was too much to cover in this one video. We will try to follow up with one in the near future. Thanks

[@The_classicnoob]

I had 6 🥔 in my pocket at IM cork

[@RaffertyPendery]

Thomas Brosnan thats awesome!

[@JOPEYDOPE]

When in Ireland

[@bennettartmn5917]

I burned 7,000 cals in just a 70.3.

[@extrospective]

Forgot to edit the comments section? lol

[@gtn]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention - it seems KZbin may be experiencing some issues, sorry for any inconvenience

[@manisi134]

All of this and Triathalon taren won't stop with the low carb bullshit

[@coreymishler6337]

How is Thalassemia in Gaza Palestine? High iron levels? Don't bleed away!!!

[@mini696]

Caffeine is only effective if you basically cut it out 100% from daily life and only use it in racing.

[@ktadema]

You must not be a regular caffeine user.

[@trbeyond]

Do you have any studies to support this ?

[@Mapletime]

Daily caffeine users will actually benefit more from race day caffeine than someone who is not consistently using caffeine. Basically use what you are used to, but don't stop or start caffeine on race day.