Lovato's 2009 IM Hawaii Nutritional Report

2009 was a tough year for me on the Ironman course, but I did do something right on the day: I nailed my nutrition! How can I tell that I nailed it, if I did not manage to push myself to the competitive limits? Well, that is a tough question, but with the experience I have racing the Ironman distance, I know when I succeed and when I do not.

For the sake of this blog, and of its brevity, I'll use these criteria: Did I execute the plan and adjust where necessary? And did I have GI Distress? There are many other questions used to assess a nutrition/ hydration plan, but let's stick with those two for now.

Starting the race, the basis of my plan was to capitalize on what I learned in my last Ironman (2008 IM Hawaii). I got very dehydrated last year, and I had to make a slow-down stop in a porto-potty on the marathon. My goal this year was to eliminate both of those performance inhibitors.

First, a summary of my intake from pre-race to the finish line:

At 3:45AM, after a 10-min jog:
340 calories of Blueberry Monkey Brains (oatmeal)
2 Pieces of Spelt Toast with Justin's Maple Almond Butter + Agave Nectar (500cal)
1 Small Banana (80cal)
12 ounces of H2O
18 ounces of Kona Coffee (delicious)

From 5:00AM to 6:15:
sips of EFS Lemon Lime (approximately 120 calories)

At 6:15, just prior to jumping in Kailua Bay for a warm-up swim
100 calories of EFS Liquid Shot

Total pre-race calories (in 2hrs 30min): 1140

Starting the bike, I followed the plan of consuming 20 ounces of water within the first 30 min of riding.

At 30min of ride time, I filled the jetstream with 24 oz of EFS (mixed at 240cal). I sipped this for the next 30-45min. I alternated between 18 oz of water and 24 oz of EFS for each of the next four hours (approximately 40-42 oz per hour of fluid).

At most aid stations, I grabbed two water bottles: one to fill the jetstream, and another to sip from and to pour the remainder on my head. This worked brilliantly, as I never overheated on the bike, something that was a huge problem in 08. (The vented road helmet was also very smart!)

I also had a 20oz bottle on my down tube. Within that bottle I had 10oz of water combined with 2.5 Flasks worth of EFS Liquid Shot (1000 calories total). I sipped this every 30minutes (approximately 80-110 calories per sip).

For a solid break, I had 6 Snicker mini-bites (40 calories each), one every 45 minutes or so. They satisfied me. I use these in training to supplement the liquid and shot intake, and I find the solid food is a nice added boost.

The total calories consumed on my bike ride was about 2240. My goal was to consume 2150, but I also planned to be off the bike a bit sooner! I always carry extra fuel, to accommodate for slower ride time, and/ or tough conditions (in each case, the caloric expenditure is up).

To gauge hydration, I shall note that I urinated two times on the bike (I know, gross). I also analyzed the concentration of the urine, but rather than give details, let's just say I drank enough.

Starting the run, I carried one 24 oz bottle of water and one flask of EFS Liquid Shot. I drank the entire bottle by the time I reached the first aid station (just past mile 1). I began sipping 100 calories of Shot every three miles. I drank approximately 6oz of water at each aid station. My plan was to consume another flask of Liquid Shot staring at mile 18 (special needs). I was going to bridge the gap from mile 12 to mile 18 by using on-course gels (two). Instead, my race changed directions.

By mile 10, I decided to walk, as my competitive race was coming to a close. (For full details of why, click here.)

From that point on, I switched to my survival mode of intake: walk, sip water, sip coke, eat pretzels, eat oranges, eat bananas, walk, sip water, walk.

As I mentioned above, my plan was well executed (I did not get dehydrated or bonk on the bike or run) from mile zero of the bike to mile 10 of the run. Up to that point, I managed to make adjustments where necessary (accommodating for more time on the bike), and I did not suffer any GI distress (no porto stops).

Although I was very disappointed in my performance in the race, I was pleased to have set up and followed a sound nutritional plan. I will use this in my next Ironman, and I'll put it to the competitive test!