What should I eat during an Ironman run?

As a general rule of thumb, endurance athletes should aim to eat 60-90 grams of carbohydrate per hour during IRONMAN events, with athletes typically able to consume more calories and fluids during the bike leg and fewer calories during the run portion of the event.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ironman.com


What do you eat during an Ironman race?

Most of the vitamins and nutrients you need for optimal performance can be achieved through your daily intake, so a good Ironman training diet should be well-balanced and include fruit, veg, slow-release carbs and lean protein at least 80% of the time.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on veloforte.com


What do pro triathletes eat during a race?

? energy gels - now you even have more natural options, like honey-based gels. ? energy bars - good choice, but notice they're usually solid and dry - try to eat them with water or another drink. ? dried fruit - dates, prunes, apricots, figs, raisins (you might want to try chocolate-covered raisins as well), etc.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on omnicalculator.com


What should I eat the morning of an Ironman?

There are easy and convenient options, like a bagel and banana with peanut butter, a liquid meal replacement for a nervous belly, or a bowl of oatmeal and eggs, compliments of a kitchenette. Washed down with sports drink and coffee, most IRONMAN athletes swear by one of these early-morning menus.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ironman.com


What should I drink during an Ironman?

Plain water may be a good thirst quencher, but it's not an effective hydrator. Use a properly formulated sports or electrolyte drink such as Gatorade Endurance Formula (served on bike course) that contains additional sodium.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ironman.com


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



Can you listen to music during an Ironman?

Rule 1: Unplug your iPod. For safety's sake, you can't blast "Born to Run", or any music, during the race.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on active.com


How many calories do Ironman athletes burn?

Put all the sports together and you'll burn 7,000 calories or more during the course of the race. An elite athlete racing at the most aggressive paces in all three sports and finishing in eight to nine hours could burn 8,000 to 10,000 calories.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on healthyliving.azcentral.com


What is the best breakfast before a triathlon?

Race Morning

At least 1.5-2 hours before the race, aim to consume around 80-100g (320- 400 calories) of easy-to-digest carbohydrates, like a bagel, pita bread, waffle/pancakes, granola, or oatmeal with around 5-10g (20-40 calories) protein/fat (think: nut butter, egg, yogurt), along with ~16-20 ounces of fluid.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on triathlete.com


What should I eat and drink during a triathlon?

During Olympic distance and sprint distance triathlon racing, athletes should aim to consume between 30-60g of carbohydrate each hour. This can be achieved through a combination of sports drinks, carbohydrate gels and through solid forms of carbohydrate e.g. Sports bars or muesli bars.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on triathlon.org.au


What should I drink before an Ironman?

What to do before a full Ironman race
  • Drink a stronger electrolyte drink (like PH 1500) with 500ml/16oz of water the evening before your race. ...
  • Drink another strong electrolyte drink (like PH 1500) with 500ml/16oz of water a few hours before you anticipate getting into the water.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on tri247.com


How do you get lean in a triathlon?

Within a quick start, your diet and training should be different than they are within the race-focused training cycle in four key ways.
  1. Moderate caloric deficit. Aim to consume 300–500 fewer calories per day than your body burns. ...
  2. Higher protein intake. ...
  3. Gym work. ...
  4. Power intervals.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on triathlete.com


How many calories should I eat during an Ironman?

An Ironman will require at least 8000 calories. The body stores up to 2000 calories in readily available glycogen and significantly more in fat. Rested and well fed during taper week will ensure those glycogen reserves are full; roughly a quarter of our calorific needs for race day.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on coachcox.co.uk


What foods should be avoided before a triathlon?

Also steer clear of high fiber foods, particularly on the morning of the race. High-fiber foods do not contain the carbohydrates that your body needs for the race. In addition, high fiber foods will increase the frequency of bowel movements, as well as make you feel bloated (source).
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on triathlonbudgeting.com


What's the average Ironman time?

Average Ironman Finish Times. How long does it take to finish an Ironman Triathlon? The answer, based on our analysis of more than 41,000 finishers in 25 Ironman triathlons: about 12 hours and 35 minutes for the average triathlete. Swim 2.4 miles in 1:16, Bike 112 miles in 6:25, and Run 26.2 miles in 4:54.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on runtri.com


What does an Ironman do to your body?

Among the greatest physiological challenges encountered in an Ironman are core body temperature regulation, dehydration, energy depletion, muscle damage, nutrient absorption, and brain fatigue.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on triathlete.com


What do triathletes eat in a day?

Aim to get your carbohydrates from natural sources rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to your body. Fruit, whole grains, beans and vegetables have a better nutritional spectrum than processed white pasta, rice or relying on mass-produced convenience energy foods.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on veloforte.com


What should I do the morning of a triathlon?

Get some sleep: Go to bed early. If you're nervous about waking up in the morning, set multiple alarms (alarm clock, watch, cell phone, wake-up call) for a more relaxed and peaceful sleep.
...
The Night Before
  • Swim/morning bag. ...
  • Bike gear bag.
  • Bike special-needs bag. ...
  • Run gear bag.
  • Run special-needs bag.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on rei.com


What do you eat on an IRONMAN bike leg?

Water. Bananas (one medium – 30g CHO) Clif Shot Energy Gels (1 gel – 22-24g CHO, 60-90mg sodium) Clif Bloks Energy Chews (3 chews – 24g CHO, 70mg sodium)
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on racesmart.com


What should I eat the morning of a race?

A few good pre-race foods include:
  • A bagel with nut butter.
  • A banana and an energy bar.
  • A bowl of cold cereal with milk.
  • Whole wheat pasta with cheese and veggies.
  • A vegetable omelet with toast.
  • A cheese stick and carrots.
  • A smoothie made with fruit and yogurt.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blueplatechicago.com


What should I eat for lunch on race day?

You should avoid extra dietary fiber so feel free to choose white bread instead of dark and to drink juice instead of eating fruits. Typical pre-race meal foods include white bread and honey, eggs, oatmeal or low-fiber cereals, bananas, yogurt, and juice.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on polar.com


How long does it take to recover from an Ironman?

Allow a good three weeks to get over an IRONMAN: it may even be more! The kinder you are to yourself and to the recovery process the stronger you will be as an athlete in the future. Physically, you will do better by taking it steady. If you push now, you stand a good chance of picking up colds, illnesses or injury.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on tritrainingharder.com


How much do triathletes eat?

A general rule of thumb is that you should aim to consume 16-30 calories per pound of lean body weight—men and endurance athletes generally require the upper end of that scale. Conversely, some triathletes may eat too much, especially after heavy workouts.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blog.insidetracker.com


How do you pee during Ironman?

The perfect option to urinate during Ironman is to use the toilet stops placed at bike aid stations along the route. Cycists can find a bathroom every 12-15 miles of the course which is approximately 30 minutes for those who ride at 20 miles per hour.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on sportcoaching.co.nz


Can you wear a sports bra in an Ironman?

Biking or running with a bare torso is not allowed, and you must wear a shirt, jersey, or sport top/sports bra at all times.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on movethelimit.com
Previous question
Why do Canadians say beauty?