Since I'll be doing longer distance races, proper nutrition during a race is going to be extremely important. I will also post information on race nutrition that works for me. Since everybody is different, this may or may not work for you, but it may be a good place to share information and compare notes.
Hammer Nutrition
It's time I started researching race nutrition. I've been using Gatorade, but as my distances get longer, I'm experience some GI issues. Typically it's right after I finish my training. I think that once I put all three sports together for my 70.3, those GI issues will reveal themselves during the run. I've been looking at Hammer Nutrition & 1st Endurance.
I picked up a couple individual packets of Hammer Nutrition's Perpetuem & Sustained Energy. I tried them both on my 48 mile bike ride. I felt pretty good and experienced no GI issues. They have a milk-like texture and taste. I preferred Perpetuem's Orange-Vanilla flavor to Sustained Energy's Unflavored. Because Hammer Nutrition's products contain no artificial preservatives, it's recommended to drink 3-5 hours after mixing the solution. Chilling or freezing will help prolong the life. Because of the lack of artificial preservatives, the solution will sour, just like milk. You also have to mix the solution based on body weight. The guideline is to consume one bottle per every hour. However over a long distance race, you can add more mix to the solution to consume one bottle every 3 hours. It'll be thicker, but you drink water from another bottle for hydration and the Perpetuem bottle will provide the nutrition for the longer course. I'll have to try that out at some point.
Both products are almost identical, except for a couple ingredients. Here's the info from the website.
- Sustained Energy is neutrally (a.k.a. “plain”) flavored. Perpetuem is available in three options: an orange–vanilla "Dreamsicle" flavor, a caffeinated caffe latte flavor (12.5 mg of caffeine per scoop), and in an unflavored/plain version.
- Perpetuem contains lyso–lecithin fat, whereas Sustained Energy does not.
- Perpetuem contains tribasic sodium phosphate, which is a tremendous lactic acid buffer. Sustained Energy does not contain this nutrient.
- Both fuels contain l–carnosine (an antioxidant that also buffers lactic acid), l–carnitine (to promote fatty acid utilization), and chromium polynicotinate (to stabilize blood sugar levels).
Bottom line: With Sustained Energy and Perpetuem, you have two great long distance fuel choices. When exercise goes beyond about two hours, you can use either product as your primary or sole fuel, in any combination with each other or any other Hammer Nutrition fuel.
That said, we have noted that Sustained Energy may be the ideal fuel choice when endurance exercise intensity is at a higher level (approximately 70–85% MHR), whereas Perpetuem may be a more attractive choice the longer the athlete goes and when exercise intensity is at a more aerobic pace (under 70% MHR). Additionally, over the years we have noted that Sustained Energy may be the ideal choice for very lean athletes (the “high metabolizer/hyper–metabolic” types), while Perpetuem—with its added healthy fat component—may be the ideal choice for athletes with a naturally higher body fat percentage. The rationale for this suggestion is that athletes with a higher body fat percentage have a greater volume of calories available from body fat stores, which the lyso–lecithin component of Perpetuem may effectively assist in accessing for use as energy.
Again though, because the applications for Sustained Energy and Perpetuem are identical, either fuel can be used as the primary–to–sole fuel during prolonged bouts of exercise. Test each product in your long–duration workouts, under a variety of conditions, to find which product works best for you!
Based on last weeks performance and 48 mile ride, I like the Hammer Nutrition product. I'll stick with Perpetuem with the various selection of flavors . I've got another long ride this weekend (60 miles) and will use the last of the individual packets and see how I feel after the ride. Then I'll give 1st Endurance a try.
