Mini-Triathlon question - fueling while doing?

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Tweaking_Time
Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I signed up for my first mini-tri. It is a 1/2 mile lake swim (no wet suit) followed by 15 miles of cycling followed by a 5k. It is in July so I have a ton of time to train and I am training seriously.

I think I will do OK. My goal is sub-2 hours. But I am curious if I should work some energy snacks/drinks into the cycling portion or if it is even necessary to be concerned for a 2-hour(ish) event.

P.S. I found out it is much easier to work out now that I have a goal set a few months from now.

Replies

  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    Have you done a mini-tri on your own? Did you get hungry or lose energy?
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
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    As I mentioned above - this is my first mini-tri.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I would probably not fuel for a sub-2 hour event (unless past experience or training runs led me to believe it would be a good idea).

    Since you have until July to figure out, you can always use some of your longer training sessions to figure this out.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    Tweaking_Time wrote: »
    As I mentioned above - this is my first mini-tri.

    No, I mean all three events in one day before the actual event.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    You should be okay without fuel, especially if you train fasted. Maybe just a little gatorade or a banana on the bike.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I would say that if you're looking at longer than 90 minutes, you should be taking in some nutrition during the race...probably a gel or having some Gatorade or something on your bike should be fine.

    That said, as your training progresses, you can test the waters a bit to see if it will be necessary. Most sprint tri guys I know do take in nutrition during the race namely because they're wanting to be fast and to maintain that energy throughout.

    If you do eat during the race, make sure at some point you're eating the same thing on training bouts...nothing worse than something new and unfamiliar on race day.
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
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    Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »
    Tweaking_Time wrote: »
    As I mentioned above - this is my first mini-tri.

    No, I mean all three events in one day before the actual event.

    Ohhh - No. Not yet. maybe a few weeks from now.
  • gobonas99
    gobonas99 Posts: 1,049 Member
    edited February 2017
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    I have done sprint tris for nearly 10 years now. Even at my most beginner, I didn't fuel with more than liquid nutrition on the bike. The year I did my 70.3 races, I actually wound up OVER fueling for my sprint - I was so used to fueling for 70.3 that I "forgot" I didn't need nearly as much for the shorter distances. Oops. Wound up with massive stomach cramps on the run. Boo.

    My "go-to" liquid nutrition is Hammer Heed. For sprints, it goes in my bike water bottle - just water from the aid stations on the run. For Olympics, I have Heed on the bike and maybe a Boom Gel or two...or maybe some Clif Shot Blocks, and I also have a 12 oz handheld water bottle with Heed that I carry on the run (supplement with water at the aid stations if it's hot). My "breakfast" before sprints is a bananas....two bananas before an oly. But then, I train fasted the majority of the time, so my body is used to that. :)

    But you have plenty of time to try different things and see what works for you. I learned very quickly that I cannot have anything more than liquid nutrition when I run (makes me want to vomit), and that I while I can eat solid food on the bike, I have to stop at least 20 minutes before I hit T2 (so no issues on the run).
  • Fit_in_Folsom
    Fit_in_Folsom Posts: 220 Member
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    gobonas99 wrote: »
    I have done sprint tris for nearly 10 years now. Even at my most beginner, I didn't fuel with more than liquid nutrition on the bike. The year I did my 70.3 races, I actually wound up OVER fueling for my sprint - I was so used to fueling for 70.3 that I "forgot" I didn't need nearly as much for the shorter distances. Oops. Wound up with massive stomach cramps on the run. Boo.

    My "go-to" liquid nutrition is Hammer Heed. For sprints, it goes in my bike water bottle - just water from the aid stations on the run. For Olympics, I have Heed on the bike and maybe a Boom Gel or two...or maybe some Clif Shot Blocks, and I also have a 12 oz handheld water bottle with Heed that I carry on the run (supplement with water at the aid stations if it's hot). My "breakfast" before sprints is a bananas....two bananas before an oly. But then, I train fasted the majority of the time, so my body is used to that. :)

    But you have plenty of time to try different things and see what works for you. I learned very quickly that I cannot have anything more than liquid nutrition when I run (makes me want to vomit), and that I while I can eat solid food on the bike, I have to stop at least 20 minutes before I hit T2 (so no issues on the run).

    +1 on Hammer products and great advice above. Heed is great for drinks. You can make a nice gel out of Hammer perpechum. Cliff shots or honey stingers and also good. My rule is to start to fuel about 45 mins into a longer event, every 30-45 mins, but...this really a sprint Tri. One big thing that is key, and others have mentioned, make sure you train and consume these products before the race. Everyone's stomach is different. I can't drink many of the sports drinks (I like Accclerade and Heed). I have friends that will cramp with a powerbar. So, go lite...and make sure you have consumed what you will use. I personally would take down a shot of gel about 45 mins in, and that would be it...Also, make sure you read up on nutrition prior to the event. On a 2 hour event, I would likely have some steel cut oats about 1 hour before and a shot of perpechum or some Gel 15 mins before the race start.
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
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    Thank you all for your replies...I have plenty to look into now.

    Swimming training starts tonight - so DOMs start tomorrow haha.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
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    You should be fine without anything but water, but I have in the past eaten about half a clif bar at the start of the bike and the other half at the end.

    Just make sure to clean up your trash ;)
  • bshedwick
    bshedwick Posts: 659 Member
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    I'm doing my first triathlon on Saturday. I've felt like i needed a bit of fuel during training, but only like a small apple sauce packet or something.

    My advice would be to try out some options during your training.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    for a sprint (which is what you described) - I wouldn't fuel during - I'd have a solid breakfast (something that you know works with your gut - I do oatmeal/coffee), maybe a gel (or something carb-y right before and that's it - I may take a swing of Gatorade (or similar in T2 but that just depends on how I feel on race day)

  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    scorpio516 wrote: »
    You should be fine without anything but water, but I have in the past eaten about half a clif bar at the start of the bike and the other half at the end.

    Just make sure to clean up your trash ;)

    trash is a DQ'able offense if the official catches you :)
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    scorpio516 wrote: »
    You should be fine without anything but water, but I have in the past eaten about half a clif bar at the start of the bike and the other half at the end.

    Just make sure to clean up your trash ;)

    trash is a DQ'able offense if the official catches you :)

    I always use the cavers creed for most any activity..."Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints."
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Tweaking_Time wrote: »
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    scorpio516 wrote: »
    You should be fine without anything but water, but I have in the past eaten about half a clif bar at the start of the bike and the other half at the end.

    Just make sure to clean up your trash ;)

    trash is a DQ'able offense if the official catches you :)

    I always use the cavers creed for most any activity..."Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints."

    if only more triathletes actually adhered to that...most longer races there are designated trash areas where you can throw gu packs; banana skins etc...but inevitably, people miss them and then 2-3 miles down the road, you'll see them

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