Steelhead 70.3 - Nutrition Plan

This weekend I'll be embarking on my first Half-Ironman of the season, Steelhead 70.3. This race is located in Benton Harbor, MI and includes a 1.2 mile swim in Lake Michigan, a 56 mile bike ride through rolling hills and a 13.1 mile flat ran. Today I begin to prepare nutritionally for the race. Yesterday the weather channel was predicting 90s for highs, now somewhere around 81. So, who knows what the temp will be by Saturday.

I will start hydrating myself for the race with a 12 oz glass of water every 1-2 hours. For lunch I'll include some protein and carbs. Tonight will be my carb loading session that is relatively low in fat (grease) - whole grain noodles in a veggie meat sauce with a piece of whole grain toast. Throughout today I'll also continue my normal intake of 2 yogurts and string cheese.

Tomorrow will begin with a bowl of cereal and a piece of fruit, a mid-morning yogurt, chicken breast and broccoli for lunch, yogurt and string cheese for mid-afternoon snack, and a light pasta feed held up at the race site for dinner - kind of an oxymoron, I know.

Saturday morning I'll have my usual PB and J on white bread and a yogurt while sipping on a Gatorade before the race.

Now for the race - after the swim I'll wait 20 minutes before I intake anything - a lot of times you can have some gastrointestinal issues if you ingest anything after being horizontal for a while. After the 20 minutes I'll intake 8-10 ounces of water every 15 minutes and 3 gulps of Perpetuem every half hour (Perpetuem is a caloric rich drink) to take in more calories of carbs, a little protein and small amount of fat. The bike is where I'll be taking most of my calories and hydration.

When I get to the run I'll take water every aid station, and if it is really hot I'll take some (Endurolytes) salt pills. I will only drink Gatorade for a 'change of pace' from water, not as a replacement. Depending on my energy level I will have gels with me to take. If you take gels make sure to wash them down with water.

With the above nutrition plan I'm confident I will have a successful race and will meet my goals. It is always important to train with your nutrition plan ahead of time to make sure you don't encounter any unforeseen issues and adjust accordingly before the race.