IRONMAN: Final Week, Expert Advice!

Here at LB Physiotherapy on Chorley New Road, Bolton, we see many athletes who are training for IRONMAN. From Professionals competing at the highest level to 1st timers we’ve seen it all.

With the race a week away, all the hard work is done or nearly done for all of you, here are a few thoughts we wanted to share with you from one of our clients who has completed 20 IRONMAN races. The tips will help you be at your best on the day and give you a useful guide for the build-up to the race.

Fluids:

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Sunday before the race

At the end of today cut tea and coffee out of your diet till race morning. If you are a ten a day chap this will prove really hard so you should limit it to one in the morning and one in the evening. This will give you a real hit on race morning and you’ll be raring to go. 

Monday to Thursday

Simply drink really well watered down orange juice or water, your preference. Your training sessions are really light with a few small hits so there should be no need to drop a load of nutrition during them. You don’t need to be popping fluids like they’re going out of fashion, BE NORMAL!!!!

Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Friday begin to add race day nutrition to your fluids again no need to go mad. Approx a third of the recommended dosage. Saturday this goes to two thirds of the recommended dosage and obviously the 750ml prior to race start on Sunday is a full hit. 

Salts Friday, Saturday

I will take 3 x salt sticks on both Friday and Saturday. Breakfast dinner and tea keeps it nice and simple.  

Food: 



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Monday to Friday

Keep things really simple and boring in this area!

Monday and Tuesday eat normally but avoid anything spicy. Wednesday to race day get rid of fibrous foods sticking to refined carbs such as white pasta or rice, white bread, potatoes and nuts, fish, or chicken for the protein.  

Saturday evening meal

Aim to eat before 6pm, again keep it simple but fun. “I’m off to pizza express for a chicken pizza and a bottle of Peroni to take the edge off.” Again simple food with a few carbs and a bit of protein. Remember to avoid red meat, this won’t digest well and will cause you problems on race day. 

One last thing on eating on race week. Don’t go mad with massive portions carb loading etc. Remember you aren’t burning half as many calories as on a normal week!!

Race morning

·      Aim to be eating your race day breakfast between 3 and 4am.

·      Get to the race early rather than on the last minute

·      Aim to finish your fluids at least 20 mins before the start of the race.

·      BE CALM!!!

Race Nutrition:

Little and often wins all the way here

Bike; eat or drink nothing for 20 mins, let everything settle down inside. Then aim to eat and drink every 20 minutes. Don’t guzzle and overdrink, all you will do is simply pee all the good stuff out.

Run; Settle into your pace don’t go off too hard. 1 x gel plus a salt stick every 30 mins works for me with coke to wash it all down. If I feel bloated, salt and a sip of water eventually sorts me out missing just 1 gel.

Race tips:

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  • Don’t put any CO2’s spares bottles etc until race morning

  • Deflate some pressure from your tyres if it’s a hot day remember track pump on the morning to re-inflate, do not trust there will be loads in transition.

  • If you have bottles on the rear of your seat take some elastic bands to secure them to the bike so they don’t bounce out if they do STOP AND RETRIEVE!!

  • Spare kit eg goggles tubes are a must on the morning just in case.

  • Toilet roll

  • Cheap flip flops to walk to swim in and throw away

  • 2 pairs of socks one for the bike and clean dry ones for the run

  • Don’t be tempted to change anything or try something new on race day

  • Ride to your abilities this is a technical bike course (you don’t want to meet the paramedics)

  • Do not over-tighten trainers. Feet will swell up

  • Run within yourself early in the marathon. You will want to go quicker than you can at first

  • Get all the aid you need at the aid stations.

  • If you cramp or get bloated on the run then slow down a little and refer to your nutrition plan, get the salts in with a sip of water for a couple of stations

Finally:

That’s it, You’re all set. We’ll leave you with 2 little gems

‘Swim sensible, bike strong, run tough’ Stephen Bayliss!

If you think you are biking too hard then you probably are, if you think you are biking OK then you are probably biking too hard, if you think you are biking too slow then you have got it right!!!

Think of your numbers, just because you have done all the training hit all the numbers and tapered well doesn’t mean you can exceed all those numbers on race day. STICK TO YOUR PLAN!! 

Have a great day you’ve earned it,

LB Physiotherapy

LB Physiotherapy is located at 13 Chorley New Road, Bolton and was founded by friends, David and Stephen. We are a Greater Manchester physio clinic that specialises in injury prevention for athletes, sports injuries and of course any aches and pains related to triathlon. Obviously, we hope that your race will be injury free but should you need any physio advice or treatment, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01204 800727.

Stephen Lane