Race Week Help for Ironman

Make sure you are loaded up two nights before the race. This is MUCH better then eating big the night before. And eat as much as you can. Every calorie counts!
The day before the race is what I call a ‘normal’ eating day. You shouldn’t be hungry and you should stop eating solid foods around 6 or 7 PM. After that sip an energy drink or have a snack. (apple, orange etc)
Morning of the race make sure you get some food in your stomach. Get up early and have a good sized meal if that is what you do on your normal training days. This may be a carbo drink, some fruit, an energy bar, or something else. Make sure the tank is full when you leave for the race.
Keep sipping a drink of some sort up to one hour before the race. Preferably something not sugary. It could be a carbo shake or maybe a smoothie. Personally, I don’t usually drink the same thing that I will be drinking on the bike – I’ll be drinking that one for 5 ½ hours, and that is more then enough for me.
From an hour out drink only water up to the start of the race.
Once you exit the swim and hit the bike, grab some water and just rinse your mouth out and get the lake or ocean taste out of your mouth.
Once you settle into the bike ride, maybe 15 minutes into it, start your nutrition plan. From this point on your goal is to be eating or drinking something every 15 minutes during the race. Start with some fluid, and then when your stomach is ready, eat a Powerbar or gel, - Personal Note: Typically my goal is to eat 5 gels during the race and go through 2 bottles that I carry that have over 1,000 calories each in them. This is something I have raced with and trained with before.
THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE:

NEVER EVER TRY SOMETHING NEW ON RACE DAY
THAT YOU HAVEN’T DONE IN TRAINING!

In your special needs bag some people put in a little ‘treat’ as a reward – I think this is fine to do. Usually I put in an extra water bottle of my drink or more gel, just in case it falls off the bike, or I drop it or whatever. Keep eating during the ride, it will help pass the time.
Second half of the bike is where I drink more calories. I tend to be eating solid food by mile 60 or so. Everyone is different, this is just my plan.
Watch out for foods or drinks that spoil. One sip of some nasty drink that spoils in the heat will ruin your stomach for hours.
Make sure you are stocked up on calories when you start the run. The run is not the place to be ‘making p calories’.
Carry a Fuel Belt or water bottle carrier or whatever you have trained with. Treat this run just like a training day.
Get something to drink at every aid station, Water, Gatorade, Coke, or whatever. If you use Coke, do NOT stop using it. Use it at every mile. You can crash severely coming down from a Coke buzz.
If you use a gel or gu during a run, then take one every 20 minutes or three miles. You really need those calories!
Lastly, be consistent in your race, as you are in your training – do not try anything new on race day!

Michael Ricci is a USAT certified coach. He can be reached for personal coaching at mike@d3multisport.com.