Final triathalon prep - HELP!!!

[.V.]

I've been doing a timed carb diet with higher fat for sustained energy recently for my cut and to support my triathalon training. So far it's going better than I'd hoped. I'll not be to the ability of a real Ironman competitor or an olympic athlete, but I'm doing pretty well for me.

Now I've got 6 days until my sprint challenge triathalon - it will be a little over 2 hours, possibly 3 hours of intense physical activity. I'd like to perform at my best. I need to figure out how to eat for it - I have no idea.

I know that some bodybuilders "carb up" the day before a competition to "fill up" the muscles. I know that some powerlifters, eat big carbs all day the day of a comptetion.

I know I DON'T want to go into my event glycogen depleted.

It is scheduled to be 2 days after my last workout (weight training), 4 days after my last conditioning workout, 3 days after my last cardio/triathalon workout. 2 days after my "carb up" day.

I'm taking the day before completely off to be fully rested - I'll be working the recovery boat the day of the Ironman one day before my event. Otherwise, I'm not doing anything that day. How should I eat the day before and the day of my event?

It starts at 08:00. Should I eat normally and add some oatmeal and a few sweet potatoes to my food the day before? Does protein/fat/+oatmeal the morning of sound right? What about a dextrose shake immediately before? Or would the insulin response burn all my energy out partly through the event? During the event nothing but water is allowed by USTA rules...all drinks will be provided only by event staff - anything else results in disqualification...no gatoraid, no poweraid, no dextrose koolaid.

How hard should I push in training 3 days out - do a full workout with swimming, biking, running - or just work on my weakness which is now swimming? The swim is only 1K. Maybe I should swim the 1K a couple of times that day? then rest for the next couple of days?

One other thing I really haven't thought of. Just strip off the wetsuit put on the shoes and take off on the bike wearing the wet swim trunks or take the extra few minutes to change completely into dry clothes for more comfort - say running shorts for the bike ride...I don't wear bike shorts. Around here that's a good way to get beaten up - even for me a decent martial artist who's also usually well armed.

[fitricise]

you'll definitely want to carb load if you want to do your best. what i havent been able to figure out if the day before competition is best, or if you should start days prior. will look into it later

Andy, I've never entered the event you are about to compete in, but I've entered countless fun runs, ranging from 5k to 30k.

Training - all the hard work is done, believe it or not. Just stay active. I don't believe you should spend any significant time in the anaerobic zone, but do spend some time keeping your heart elevated. Any easy 2-3 mile run comes to mind with maybe 4-6 sprints of 20-30 meters. Definitely nothing the day before but there would be nothing wrong with a 1-2 mile pleasant walk.

Eating - eat as you normally do. If you start playing around with a different eating scheme, it might backfire on you. I've learned that lesson a time or two. In general, I do eat well the day before with a good balance between carbs, protein and fat. On the morning of my fun runs I generally will drink a protein/carb recovery drink (310 cals, 43 grams of carbs and 32 grams of protein) about 3 hours before the event, then 2 slices of whole wheat bread toasted about 2 hours before the event. Just make sure whatever you eat is something your body is accustomed to. You don't want to be feeling like you have to go to the bathroom around the start of the event. You don't want the squirts or gas to keep you company during the event.

Sleep - this is probably the most important but it is sometimes hard to do as the excitement of the event plays with your mind.

Mindset - play games with your mind. Offer up your performance for someone, maybe a solider who lost his limbs in the war, for someone you know who cannot do what you can do, in thanksgiving to God for the talents He has given you, etc., etc. During the thick of the event when you are hurting (and you will), just remember how terrible it felt when you were doing a hard-core burpee workout and suddenly your pain won't feel that bad.

Pacing - this takes skill. Go out too strong and you'll pay for it later. Exercise restraint initially and save something for the end. This is a fine line to walk. Easier to say than do. And make sure that you have a good warm-up and you've elevated your HR so that when the event starts, you're not taking your HR from 60 bpm to 160 bpm in the first 60 seconds. I like to have my HR at least at 130 bpm before the event begins.

You'll do fine. You've trained hard.

[MostMuscle]

I would back off on the training intensity the last week before your race. Very little improvement can be made during this time. In fact, it could worsen your performance more than enhance it. Plus, you run the risk on a freak injury. I suggest keep it light, work on technique, go through your transitions, keep loose and fresh.

Carb deplete 2 days and load big of 3 days.

[.V.]

I suppose the regularly scheduled back/bis/hams day 2 days before the event would probably be a bad idea then? I wonder if I should just skip it, or use the same weights/reps as last week for a static workout but not shoot for any new gains.

Bad idea in my opinion. Use that time to stretch and engage in visualization/deep breathing/walking. That's what I would do. You'll have lots of time after to work those muscles.

[etothepii]

I don't know anything about anything in terms of advice ... but good luck to you!!!!!

[SNPiccolo5]

Although it's a much different type of event, I run a mile more quickly when I've had 3 days rest than when I've only had 2.

About the diet- it is a tricky situation because you know right now you're accustomed to fat for energy- I'm not sure if a carb up would be the best thing or not. What does you knowledge about ketogenic diets tell you? Pierini's advice sounds really good.

Good luck on the event! I'm excited to hear how it goes!

-Tim

[fitricise]

Originally Posted by SNPiccolo5

Although it's a much different type of event, I run a mile more quickly when I've had 3 days rest than when I've only had 2.

About the diet- it is a tricky situation because you know right now you're accustomed to fat for energy- I'm not sure if a carb up would be the best thing or not. What does you knowledge about ketogenic diets tell you? Pierini's advice sounds really good.

Good luck on the event! I'm excited to hear how it goes!

-Tim

um, he's gonna use mostly glucose for energy, you can't make the body adapt that much

[SNPiccolo5]

Originally Posted by fitricise

um, he's gonna use mostly glucose for energy, you can't make the body adapt that much

The body functions by breaking down fat, protein, and carbs into glucose, and then using that for energy. From my understanding, a ketogenic diet systematically enables the body to more efficiently use fat for energy. Somewhere in the process, of course, it is converted to glucose. It doesn't work for everyone, though. For welch, though, it works very well.

-Tim

[.V.]

Well, I am having a couple of carb up days a week with other days being almost no carb (except green veggies) other than immediate postworkout to slow the fat loss down somewhat. I think I'll make tomorrow and wednesday my lower carb/lower calorie days then increase them a bit thursday/friday/saturday - just not enough to cause GI distress. I'll keep the fat up enough to help prevent distress too.

Wed - swim/bike transition. Thursday - bike/run transition. Friday swim/bike transition...not too much of either on any of those days. Saturday - work the boat and rest. Sunday - GIVE 'EM HELL.

Seems like a good plan anyway.

[fitricise]

Originally Posted by SNPiccolo5

The body functions by breaking down fat, protein, and carbs into glucose, and then using that for energy. From my understanding, a ketogenic diet systematically enables the body to more efficiently use fat for energy. Somewhere in the process, of course, it is converted to glucose. It doesn't work for everyone, though. For welch, though, it works very well.

-Tim

it costs the body energy to convert fat or protein to glucose

http://web.indstate.edu/thcme/mwking...neogenesis.gif

in a 2 hour intense competition, you'd want glucose readily available as much as possible

[DBZ Status]

well im sure u know whats good to eat before if that was me...i would start the night before eating a ****load of oatmeal and sweet potatoes every 3-4 hours up to about 3 hours before the start of the race, then nothing but liquids so you dont get cramps. I would eat lots of bananas or something with potassium and have gatorade with me as soon as i get off the swimming to the biking and drink plenty of fluids all the way up to the competition u want to be completely hydrated well good luck hope u do well!

[DBZ Status]

oh and make sure u stretch after hehe

[CF-OC_gal]

Andy, I have no experience or references to offer but I want to wish you the best on this. You are going to do great! :

Actually I do have a reference for you: Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook. I there she gives you some strategies for pre-during and post competition nutrition.