Ironman Calories In and Calories Out
The longer you participate in an endurance race, the more fueling and hydration become important. Therefore, the Ironman can be viewed as an eating contest. During my 12:54:12 Ironman, my 130 pound frame burned approximately 8000 calories. My body mostly burned fat for energy during the bike, but the body needs glycogen to burn fat. The body stores approximately 2000 calories in the muscles and liver as glycogen, so I knew that I needed to eat throughout the race in order to maintain a consistent pace all day and not bonk.
So, what did I eat?
2:00 AM
- 1 Vanilla Ensure Plus
- 1 Vanilla Boost
- 1 banana
- 1/2 plain bagel
- 3 Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch Clif Bars
- 2 bananas
- 12 Gu (various flavors)
- 3 bottles of Gatorade Endurance
- 3 bottles of water
- 8 Endurolyte tablets
- 9 Gu (various flavors)
- 1 orange
- 1/2 banana
- 8 Endurolyte tablets
- 8 oz. Chicken broth
- 1/2 bottle of Gatorade Endurance
- 1 or 2 bottles of water
- 1/2 slice pepperoni pizza
- 1/2 orange
- 1 serving Endurox Drink (Fruit Punch)
All of that food over the course of the day totaled approximately 4800 calories. I was a little hungry before the race and several times during the race; however, I would rather be hungry and in control of what goes into my stomach than to feel bloated or have stomach cramps.
A few days after the Ironman I weighed myself on a clinical scale (the one with the weights on it that does not lie), and I weighed 127 pounds.
posted by Sue Hackett @ 2:18 PM
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