Ironman Mont-Tremblant Nutrition and Predicted Times

A much needed vacation with an Ironman thrown in...

The above picture is Mont-Tremblant, where we will be staying for 7 glorious nights and racing on Sunday the 19th. This is the inaugural year for Ironman Mont-Tremblant, which is located about 90 minutes North of Montreal and is one of the premier Ski Resorts in North America.

I get asked quite often about nutrition for Ironman and racing in general. If you have been a follower of this blog you know that I have been a guinea pig for just about every darn nutritional product in the market. Some work, some do not. Over the years I have found that First Endurance products work the best due to the higher amounts of both calories and electrolytes available in the Liquid Shots and EFS Drink. 

Notice I didn't say they, "works the best FOR ME"? First Endurance products are made specifically for Endurance Athletes and are tailored to our nutritional needs. Other products have been designed to provide calories or electrolytes and then as the endurance athlete segment of the market has grown so has the marketing efforts of these other products. Yes, I am looking at you Hammer and GU Energy!

And when I use the term "Best" it does not mean "awesome" or "epic" or even "#awesomeblossom". It means that it keeps you from bonking on raceday and is both field tested and clinically proven to get you across the finish line. 

**Stepping down from soapbox**

Okay here is the nutrition breakdown:

Breakfast: Two bagels with nutella, 2 cups of black coffe, and a 24 ounce bottle of Grape EFS Drink (200calories). This will happen around 430am.

PreRace: Some water and a swig of Liquid Shots (100cals). Also, 3 PreRace Caps - this is a kick to the ass caffeine boost.

Swim: A bunch of lake water due to poor swim mechanics (calories vary depending on number of minnows ingested).

Bike: This is the leg of the race that is most important for nutrition. Under-nourishment will lead to a bonk and a death march of a marathon. Over-nourishment will lead to a bloated belly and a death march of a marathon. Got to get this part right folks!

I will be carrying only two-24oz bottles, one in a torpedo mount and the other on the downtube. To start the downtube bottle will have 300cals of EFS Drink and the torpedo will have 200cals of EFS Drink. I will drink the torpedo bottle of EFS Drink within the first 10mins on the bike. This will help replenish the calories lost during the swim. After that bottle is gone it will be tossed and water will be grabbed at the bottle hand-ups. 

This is my eating plan over the course of the bike ride:

Every :20mins on each hour - Big Swig of EFS Drink from Downtube bottle - Total 300 cals.

Every :40mins on each hour - Big Swig of Mocha Liquid Shots - 2 flasks (400cals ea) @ 800cals.

Every :60mins on each hour - Entire Honey Stinger Waffle - 5 Waffles (160cals ea) @ 800cals.

* My Garmin 310 is set to beep every 20mins to remind me to eat.

** Water is used to wash down the above food - which will be carried on the torpedo mount.

Additional Calories, if needed (will be based on heat/temp and level of exertion used climbing) - PowerBar Perform (on course drink) @ 200cals per bottle. Will carry on down tube once EFS Drink is gone. 

If you add up all the calories on the bike my base calories will be 1900 or 316/hr. When adding in the Perform and initial EFS Drink the total is 2500cals or 416/hr.  During training I have needed over 400cals per hour but the majority of my training has been on 100* days and my sweat rate will be much less in the 50-60* day in Quebec. This means I am expecting to be closer to the 316 number than the 416 number, but am still prepared if more is needed (ie: if it is freezing and I am shivering on the bike - this burns some cals).

Run: I will live off the course for the run. No water belts or hand helds. At each station I will take a swig of Perform and grab a Honey Stinger (on course gel) every half our or so. Once I hit the wall around mile 17-18 I will look for the elixir of life known as flat coca-cola and chase it with the oh-so-glorious chicken broth. With as much heat training as I have been doing my body is not going to know how to react to the cooler weather so decisions will have to be made on course, which is awesome since a buffet is offered ever 1600 or so meters during an Ironman marathon.

Time Goals 

Swim: My swim training has been rather erratic over the course of my 24-week plan. Between the flu, lightening storms shutting down the pool, work, the joy of sleeping past 4am, heat exhaustion, and my overall general apathy towards swimming - I'd rate my swim fitness as average. But it is a wetsuit swim ...

Predicted time - 1:15 to 1:20 (If I can hang on Kevin's feet for the first 1000m then sub-1:10).

T1 - 5:00 (This is a guess, I have no idea how long a run it is from the water to the tent?)

Bike: This course is a two-loop monster. I am expecting to blow up around mile 80 or so as we hit the big climbs for the second time. Here is the profile:

Yes, you're reading it right, it says 12%

The good news is I have been riding a TON of hills on my Computrainer, at Cold Springs, and even in Austin. But I have never been on a course like this before. I hope the fitness I have built holds up but the truth of the matter is I just do not know? My Tri Bike is equipped with a 50/34 Compact Crank and an 11-28 Cassette that will help save the legs as I can spin up the hills. The real time gains are going to be made on the downhills and I hope I have the guts to stay aero and bomb these suckers. Ever since my crash last February I have been a little gun shy bombing hills.

Predicted Time - 5:45 to 6:00

T2 - 5:00

Run: The course is a 2-loop out and back that appears to take you past some beautiful scenery with tons of cheering spectators. I ran a 3:06 stand-alone marathon a mere 5 months ago. The last 3 months have been spent running in the oppressive Houston humidity and because of this I have been having trouble gauging my run fitness as they all feel extremely labored. I've done some shorter runs indoors on the treadmill and have felt extremely strong but then the next run is outside and it feels like I am running with a hippo sitting on my chest. 

Best guess - really beats the shit out of me??? The answer probably depends on how badly I crush myself on the bike.

Predicted Time - 4:00 

Overall Time - 11:30-11:45

Stalking Information:

Ironmanlive.com (click Ironman Mont-Tremblant link)

My Individual Tracking Link

Jeffrey Irvin - #507

Twitter: @JeffIrvin

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff