Feeding Frenzy

Lately I've been feeling like I'm either taking the Pepsi challenge or being the head taste tester at strange food fair. Less than five months out from my 70.3 (eeps, don't keep reminding me of the fact that my longest bike so far has only been 35 miles) I'm experimenting with all kinds of foods, gels, bars, etc. so that I know what sits best with me before, during and post workout to prevent bonking, upchuking, and passing out at the post race dinner. I'm sure I have driven various manufacturers mad as I order products from every possible source (what would we do without our internet?).

I'm not nearly done yet, as I have a goal to finalize my nutrition before Valentine's Day, thinking wisely that anything leftover might be crammed into a heart shaped box and served to the Patient Spouse (look, dear! Powerbars, Hammer Gels and --the piece d' resistance--a lint covered gummy bear!). Just kidding on that, of course. I think.

I have come to some interim conculsions, however, with regard to the Big Three: Pre Race (training) intake, during Race (training) intake, and Post Race (training) intake. One is that too much wine and homemade chili the night before a long run falls under the category of Slightly Bad Idea. Otherwise, here's what I've come up with so far:

Pre Race (training):

Oatmeal. I've read about the benefits of long cooking (steel cut) oatmeal from so many sources you would think that the nation's oat growners have some kind of cut they give to triathletes. I've been cooking myself oatmeal the last 3 weeks on weekends before I head out for my long run or brick. The benefits of oatmeal is that it is low glycemic and therefore lasts a long time in your system and also doesn't tie up your blood stream into your gut by requiring long and difficult digestion. It's also a great blend of carbs and protein (and as a side benefit, a good fiber source, although that is also one of the detriments to it).

I do notice when I cook and eat oatmeal that I am not generally craving "something else" about an hour into the run or bike; but that I can go up to about 90 minutes before my system demands a refueling. I also haven't thrown it up (always a good sign) or been forced to find a fast bush.

However, the detriments are first, it takes a freaking long time to cook steel cut oatmeal (30-45 minutes) and you really don't want to cook it the night before and try to rejuvenate it the next day (you could, however, use it as a handy glue around the house if you do that). Second, you need to wait about an hour or two after ingestion before your gut says it's okay to get out there (I've tried running 30 minutes post oatmeal ingestion. It's a recipe for a lot of feeling uck and run-burping, which would entertain your four year old but not so much yourself). So if you want to get up at 4:30 a.m., cook some oatmeal, eat it at 5:30 a.m., and go back to bed until 7 a.m. and then start your run at 7:30 a.m. you are gonna benefit like mad. Most of us don't have this luxury. However, oatmeal is on the list for possible race day breakfast, as you are always up and at em three to four hours before you start anyway. Just not for training.

Smoothies. I think smoothies and other stuff you put in a blender are awesome. I just don't like them first thing in the morning. First the blender makes a heckuva racket, which my just awakened ears find annoying, and then you are generally out of something that is supposed to go into the mix. Finally, even with the pre mixed powders, which still to me taste like Carnation Instant Breakfast from college, the smoothies just don't seem to stay with me on a hard workout. I find myself longing for something solid an hour later. Same thing with sports drinks. Although I use them on any work out longer than an hour during the workout, alone, they aren't enough to kick start me out of the gate.

Bars and gels. For early morning workouts, these guys are too full of dextrose and sugars for me. I need a bit more, what, "real food" in my system. They get me going but seem to peter out quickly and also can leave me with a headache. However, for late day workouts, these guys seem to do the trick better than anything else. I've fooled around with several bars, and for me, the lower protein Luna bars work best (around 8 g protein max) for a pre workout snack. On the way to a swim, bike or run from work, I'll down one of these babies 30 minutes before I start and I can go up to 90 minutes without needing to eat anything else, so long as I am sipping a sports drink during the workout. The Powerbars are also good, but they tend to have too high a protein content for me pre workout and I like them better post workout. I have just ordered Hammer bars for a test drive and I'll let you know. PS Yes I know Luna bars are geared toward women. Patient Spouse likes them, and trust me, he is all man.

My favorite. My favorite pre workout booster, whether morning or night, is a half bagel with chunky peanut butter. For some reason, that combo sits easily on my stomach and give me plenty of oomph. The bagel is whole wheat or cinammon, nothing with raisins or blueberries or vodka in it. It's not quite the exact carb/protein mix that the experts say is ideal, but it works for me.

2. During the Race (workout)

Once again, this is a work in progress still, but I have found several things I like and don't like during a long (over an hour) workout.

For workouts over an hour, I always sip a sports drink. I have tried four different kinds so far, and am still experimenting. So far, not to be outdone by the fact they sell it at Walmart, Gatorade still wins my vote. Not the reduced sugar kind, but the full monte. There are still several others I am going to try out and I may end up changing my mind, because sometimes Gatorade is well, too thick and sticky for me and I cut it 1/3 with VitaRain (Costco's cheap sugar free version of VitaWater). If my workout is between 60-90 minutes, usually a pre race snack and sports drink is all I need. Over 90 minutes and I'm looking for something else.

I've tried gels and bars during a long workout. Bars are just not something I can handle, even broken up in small pieces that stick the inside of my fuel belt when I've been sweating and have to be pried out. They just take too much energy to chew and swallow. I love them, but not in the middle of a run or bike. Gels are much easier to ingest, although just as messy and I always end up having to wash out my fuel belt because like a good citizen, I stick the empty gel packet back into my belt. I plan to stick with gels, but not by themselves, on my 70.3. So far I've found Hammer gels (cherry) and Accelgels (chocolate) to be my favorite; they don't seem to upset my system and they get the job done. I'm going to test a few more, however, just in case there is something that will make me go YEE HAH. You do have to drink a ton of water when you ingest a gel; and sometimes that is inconvenient on a run if you have just passed a water station so you have to plan it well.

My latest invention is a hard boiled egg (on the bike, not the run). I am borderline low blood sugar and thus my need for regular intake of protein is a bit higher than the average bear. Protein takes longer to digest than carbs, so the articles all warn you about taking in too much on a race as your body will shunt more blood from your feet, arms and heart to your gut to digest it. However, I can't do with pure sugars and carbs for a 7-8 hour race so I have to ingest some protein or I will get the funny shakes. Eggs have always sat well on my stomach and a hard boiled egg (cut in two, and salted and wrapped in saran wrap) comes in a pretty convenient size--much easier than carrying a peanut butter sandwich or a turkey leg, for example. I've tried it and it works fine, the added salt helps too, you just have to drink a lot of water while you eat it. And of course, it helps to keep it well wrapped because the smell of a hot cooked egg can't be something you would want to experience if you are feeling naseous.

Also, I've found that taking in some candy during the bike/run helps keep the energy level flowing. Gummy bears are a bit chewy, but I've hit on leftover Halloween candy corn. It's small and it's pure sugar (I need to look up what kind, dextrose is allegedly the fastest digesting and the best during a hard workout). And if you think generic and Brach's candy corn are the same, boy are you in for a surprise.

3. Post race (workout). Like you, I'm going to fall all over whatever the race folks set out at the finish line and find it to be just fine (so far I've been offered gels, pizza, Chick Fil A sandwiches, fruit, hot pancakes, donuts, cookies, candy, pretzels and --strangest of all--some caesar salad--this was at a 10K). However, post workout, I find a banana and maybe a bar work great for me for recovery--and the higher protein bars come into play post workout, as protein is needed then. Remember, you are supposed to ingest your recovery within 30 minutes of your workout ending for maximum effect. I've also done the peanut butter/bagel post recovery, but face it, nothing, and I mean nothing, beats a hamburger and a shake after a 13 mile run. It's not quite the mix of carbs/protein the experts say is perfect, but let's look at it this way: you earned it.

Everyone and everybody is different in how they react to food and fuel. Experimentation is fun, although sooner or later I've got to narrow down my choices to the race day group, and pack it into my fuel belt and bento box. A shame a turkey leg won't fit.