help fix my stomach problems! - Triathlon Week

Star · 05-01-2006, 07:57 AM

in my last three races, i've had issues with stomach problems on the run. during IM in July, i really kept track of my heart rate on the bike (low 150's), but still had serious stomach issues after mile 13 of the run. in the 1/2 IM in Oct. i did well thorugh the swim and had a quicker bike time than the previous year, but blew it on the run. i just finished an olympic distance and had (what for me are) great times on the swim and bike, but again had stomach issues on the run.

the only difference i have figured out are these two things:
1. on race day i eat oatmeal with a little peanut butter at least 2 hours before the race (i eat the same before my long rides), but never eat that much on a training morning before swimming or running...usually just have a hammergel or a 1/2 banana. otherwise, my race day nutrition is exactly what i use during training.
2. my heart rate during training ranges between 140-165 on the bike and run, and during races its been between 165-180!

i am assuming that the high heart rate during races is the issue. my body (and mind) can definitely do these longer distances (which i feel better at) but how do i get my stomach to play along :huh:

hmullett · 05-01-2006, 01:53 PM

I've read not to take in fiber on race day, that that can mess with your system. Maybe rethink the oatmeal? Try a bagel or english muffin and peanut butter. Maybe the lactic acid build up is wrecking havoc? What sports drinks are you using and have you looked into runners creatine? That helps with lactic acidosis. Maybe sodium levels are too low and you need salt pills. I would definitely try some different things. It's no fun to have a tummy ache during a race!!!

Good luck!

sfricks · 05-01-2006, 03:02 PM

What was your IM nutrition plan? Also, what is your energy intake per hour? The very first thing that comes to mind is over-fueling. A 150lb athlete can only metabolize 200-250 calories/hr. If you're taking in more than that or not spreading your intake out over the period (IE 100 calories every 25 minutes), your system will revolt on you. How about intake in proximity to T2?

Personally, I do no tolerate hammer gel at all. It kills me. I can only take in GU.

So... As Heather suggests, absolutely no fiber on race day. My favorite: Cream Of Wheat. Real easy on the stomach and easy to digest. Salt & sugar it to achieve your caloric & sodium intake requirements. Next... Never, never, never do or eat anything on race day you have not trained with. If you don't eat bananas before you train, do not eat bananas before you race. Finally, watch the fluid intake on the bike within 15 minutes of T2. Don't start the run with the big belly slosh going on. That will queze you out fast too. Good luck!

Star · 05-02-2006, 06:19 AM

i'll give up oatmeal on race day, try a liquid diet (minus the gatorade) on the bike and use only gel and water on the run....along with some salt if necessary. i'd rather feel a little hungry than like my stomach's going to explode!

i am 5'5" and weigh 135....and around 19-20 percent body fat at this point in the season. what are your suggestions for calorie and carb intake for me?

what do you think about the heart rate? i'm a little worried that it gets so high in races. there's obviously no way i can hold a 170-180 heart rate for 6-14 hours! so, 1. what can i do in training, and 2. how can i keep it controlled on race day?

sfricks · 05-02-2006, 07:44 AM

Great questions Star. Here's the scoop...

For you body weight, I'd recommend about 200 calories per hour. There are a lot of ways to take that in, including fluid only options. The easy way to accomplish proper intake on the bike is to buy a cheap watch with a count down timer that repeats. Attach it to the bike with velcro. The Timex Ironman series works fine. I set mine to count down from 20 minutes to -0-. At -0- I take in 100 calories. The watch automatically resets to 20 and so on.

Race Distances:

For Sprint distance races, take one GU 15 minutes before the swim. Drink you favorite energy drink on the bike and take water at the run aid stations. No need for additional energy intake if you've properly carbo loaded the day(s) before.

For Olympic/International distance races... If you'll finish in 2.5-3 hours, your energy intake can be minimal - again if you've carbo loaded properly. 1 GU with 6-8 oz water before the swim, then a couple of GU shots on the bike or try my favorite, grape gatorade with CarboPro. Gatorade and water on the run.

OK... A word about CarboPro. CarboPro is colorless, odorless, tasteless and adds calories to any beverage. This works well so long as you don't over-do it. For example: 20oz of GA Endurance has 200 calories, your approximate intake needs for 1 hour. Add 2 scoops of CP and you'll bang your bottle up to 440 calories or enough for 2 hours. Here's the catch... If GA is your hydration plan, you'll need more fluid than 10oz per hour (200 calories). Get it? In that case you'd need a water bottle too.

70.3 & 140.6 races... Here's where you actually need a nutrition plan and it becomes critical to practice with it. I go so far as to plan on bike aid station location, time, speed over terrain and distance between stations. I'm doing a 70.3 next week and can tell you what I'll consume between stations 4 & 5. That may be extreme but I've had the good fortune to avoid GI problems during my races with this practice. There is ALWAYS the possibility of mishaps such as missed or dropped bottles therefore adaptation is paramount so don't lock yourself in too hard and always carry a few more calories than you need. I also love to treat myself to a Rice Krispy Treat on the bike. It's 140 calories of pure joy and is easy to store unwrap and eat.

Heart Rate: on any race lasting less than 2.5-3 hours (here's that proper carbo load disclaimer again!) your body will be able to get most of it's energy from muscle glycogen. Therefore you will do these races at an anaerobic level or HR zone (generally over 80% of your max HR). My last Oly. was done at 92% avg for example. On 70.3 (Half Iron) and greater races your body has to rely on fat for energy. If you run the anaerobic range in a longer race you're going to bonk. Bonking is where you're body runs out of fuel and basically shuts down. To avoid this it's critical to keep your heart rate in the sub-80% MHR range where it gets its energy primarrily from fat. MHR is calculated by subtracting your age from 220. I'm 44. My calculated MHR is 176. My max aerobic HR is 141 beats per minute. So... no matter my pace, I'm looking to keep my heart rate under 141 beats per minute on longer races. This is the simple explanation. Perhaps others may elaborate on calculated vs. tested MHR.

One last word on nutrition. Ican't remember if I addressed this but water only for the forst 10 minutes of the bike. Get your legs, get your HR under control and let your stomach settle. Then and only then begin taking in your nutrition.

sfricks · 05-02-2006, 07:49 AM

PS... You asked about training... Race like you train and train like you plan to race. For 70.3+ do a sufficient number of HR zone workouts while fueling. This teaches your body to handle what you're putting in and at what aerobic levels. Naturally, you body want's to burn glycogen which is stored in the muscle, is easier to metabolize and does not require oxygen to burn. Fat is what you prefer your body to burn (don't we all). The fat burn zone is typically at HR zones between 70-80% of MHR. Good Luck!