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Ironman Race Strategy

Introduction

Ironman racing is unique among the triathlon disciplines in that it not only requires exceptional fitness, but also a sound nutritional strategy and disciplined pace control throughout.

Over this distance, the winner is often not the fastest swimmer, cyclist and runner, but the most disciplined. Ironman is a race of attrition, in which your discipline and patience will be seen to pay off toward the end of the marathon.

Assuming you already have a sound nutrition plan, here’s how you pace the race…

Ironman Race Fuelling Strategy

Introduction

Having observed numerous Iron distance races and having done 6 of them myself, I find it hard to believe that most professional athletes are relying on feed stations for their nutrition. After all, one bad bottle can wreck your day. I know this from bitter personal experience!

I asked myself whether I wanted to rely for my race day performance on a bottle mixed by a 12-year-old volunteer who doesn’t know that the drinks are meant to be mixed to a certain (& quite specific) concentration. What’s more, I tend to mix my drinks a little differently from the manufacturers’ recommendation anyway.

Add to that that it’s possible that your choice of gel, bar etc won’t be available at the race. Have you ever tried to get hold of the obscure German energy bar that will be available in your race? And what if you don’t like it or it disagrees with you?

I believe it’s essential that you have a strategy that controls the things you can control… and your nutrition is one of those things.

What follows is what I came up with...

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