Swim, Bike, Run, Eat...Take 1

June 12th marked the first race of the year for me - Elkhart Lake Olympic Distance Triathlon. I'm only doing three triathlons this season, but I will be progressing from a manageable Olympic distance to a not-so-bad Ironman 70.3 in Racine to the "why am I doing this again?" Ironman Wisconsin on Sept 12th. To share my nutrition tips and race testimonials, please enjoy my photo gallery!

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Destination: Elkhart Lake
Enjoy the afternoon with friends before a race. Remain calm, stay cool and don't exert yourself.
Check out the swim course...imagine yourself swimming from buoy to buoy. Try not to get too nervous.
We enjoyed a lovely Italian meal of foods we are accustomed to at the Paddock Club. This family-owned establishment offered the carbohydrates and comfort foods we needed before a race. (Our cute server was the owners' daughter.)
Even though carb loading is really a 7-day process of tapering your training while increasing your carbs (about 7-10 grams per kg of body weight), you will still benefit from topping off those glycogen stores the eve before.
Cliche, but really, I could eat pasta and tomatoes at every meal. Always choose a meal that you are used to eating; nothing new for races.
On the day of the race, make sure you have breakfast and suit up early. I always wake up at least 2 hours before the race start (if I'm close to the course) and eat a bagel with cream cheese or peanut butter on toast with a banana. If it's a long day, I'll do buckwheat pancakes and fruit - I call them magic pancakes.
Caffeine is a robust substance, so a little goes a long way. For exercise, it has been shown to improve mental acuity and stimulate the central nervous system. Earlier research suggested that it will help you use fatty acids as fuel, but that doesn't seem to be its winning attribute - keeping you alert is.
I planned and practiced my nutrition. I started with a PowerBar Gel before the swim, had gel blasts in transition and chomped on blasts during the bike. Before I ran, I squeezed another gel into my mouth. During the bike, I drank 24 oz. of water.
The course had fluid every 1.5 miles. I had about 4-6 oz. of sports drink or water at each stop.
Yay! I finished!
Yay! Dawn achieved 2nd place in her age group!
To support muscle repair and replenish glycogen stores, it's best to eat within 30-60 minutes after a workout or race.
This is me, very tired, ready to take a nap. After strenuous activity, I need sleep. The research isn't clear, but it's suspected that after intense exertion, our bodies release cytokines that make us tired. Scientists are not sure if that's causing the fatigue, but whatever the case, I'm shattered and need to doze off.
Go team USA...and I'm out.
Kitsch and creative.
Congratulate yourself with a splurge.
Beet salad, yum.
Split by 4 racers, not a bad idea at all.
That's the right amount of exertion.
Fashion forward?
A weekend well-done! Stay tuned for the next one...July 18th in Racine!