I know everyone is different but what recommendations do you have for electrolytes and energy for races such as tri's? I recently started training and would like to play around with a few before the races start so I know what works. For energy I seem to handle most gels pretty well.

Gu chomps are easier on my stomach than the regular gu.

If any gels are bad you could try real food. I like rice "cakes" made w sushi rice and fruit

Hammer heed or perpeteum

Peanut butter toast + banana before, water only.

Gu gels during + water + limited Gatorade.


Some kind of heavy protein + banana + water + copious amounts of beer after.

I can't do shot blocks or jelly beans or anything like that, makes me insta-nauseous.

Warning on Perpeturm from a race report on here. DO NOT mix it the day before

I actually went to a gastro for a year or more trying to figure out my stomach which was ultimately labeled IBS. The thing that really turned it around was running. Once I got into distance running and back into excercising 5+ days a week I hardly worry about my stomach at all anymore!

So far I have toast and a banana before things, then just water and Gu (Tri-Berry plavor) during the race. During the marathon I took a banana from people handing them out around mile 18 and took one water and one gatorade at each station in the later miles and did great.

I am training for my first tri though and am glad you posted this because was curious about trying some of the long bike ride type mixtures like Perpeteum and Heed.

Beer. But honestly I've had good luck with the powerbar gels.

What distance are you training for? There are huge differences in needs for a sprint/olympic vs. a half or full ironman.

For a sprint or olympic, I will only use gatorade/powerade/whatever sports drink I have and water. No need for solid food IMO.

For half/full ironman, I will use a combination of gels/sports drink/water/bonk breaker bars on the bike, and gels/sports drink/water/coke on the run. I try to aim for 400 cals/hr on the bike, and usually by the run I just eat or drink whatever I feel like. I tend to grab at least something at each aid station.

I like GU (gels and electrolyte). On really hot days I like Cytomax but it is too sweet so I dilute it.

Skratch labs excercise hydration mix. stuff is awesome, especially for sensitive stomachs.

http://www.energylabnutrition.com/ is a local (The Woodlands) company.. they don't have gels yet i don't believe, but their salt pills are popular here locally. i personally haven't raced on them yet but plan to work them into the rotation this season.

cjo03, I got a couple of Energy Lab samples from my LBS, just the salt tabs and drink mix. I took a salt tab before my boot camp last week just to see what happened, and as expected my skin was salty afterward. I mixed up a bottle of "execute" for spin class and my gut was rumbling afterward, however it wasn't neccessarily uncomfortable. I'm looking forward to trying them again on a longer training ride/run to better judge their effects on my body.

Do you have any experience with their products? Their marketing is so over-the-top that I can't help but be skeptical.

Im trying infinite for the bike portion of my IM, its suppose to be stomach friendly.

their marketing is a bit LOUD.. I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD TALK ABOUT THEIR PRODUCT IN ALL CAPS..

and i kinda ignored the OP's real question because i have no idea how this stuff is for sensitive stomachs.. personally haven't used any of their products but i have some with the intent of using it as soon as i start training again :/

maybe whoop03 will chime in.. i know he uses it.

I am training for a half this year and will be doing the full at IMTX next year. Figured I could play around with stuff this year so I do not have an experience like some on here have had.

I would have never thought people would drink coke on the run but seems most people do.

PUTU, you should definitely experiment during your training, you want to have a proven and successful nutrition plan when race day comes.

I've never done coke(!) on the run, but I've only done HIMs before. Usually the coke is flat and warm, which basically makes it a source of sugar and caffeine for a quick boost. Again, experiment with this before race day.

i would have never thought i would drink warm salted chicken broth during a 140.6 mile race with temps in the 80s but about mile 135 it was beautiful!

Chicken broth = amazing during the last half of the IM marathon.

Don't drink too much of it though, because the warmth speeds up some digestion and you might have to make a pit stop. Don't ask how I know.

I was wondering if they offered chicken broth at imtx!

Probably best advice is to experiment in training. I had a sensitive stomach also, with h/o ulcers, but managed to find stuff that works. I used those Stinger waffles (yes, still has Lance Armstrong picture on it) and gels. Coke for me. No broth. Everyone is different and you just have to experiment...