| COMPETIONS IN COLD WEATHER
by Luis Alvarez
Winner at Ironman Honolulu -world Record Holder - Only man to complete every Ironman race venue in the world
I have been lucky, that is healthy, with enough dispensable time and resources to participate in 37 IRONMAN competitions around the world, experiencing different land, terrain and climate conditions. One of the worst experiences occurred last month in Japan as I was not properly prepared for the weather.
When you hear that a competition will be held on a beach during May, June or July, immediately you assume summer time. Certainly, one can safely assume that you will enjoy a warm and pleasant climate, in fact, often you worry about the suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Well, it doesn’t matter what you assume the weather forecast to be or even if it is Hawaii, ALWAYS PUT IN YOUR TRANSITION BAG ARM WARMERS AND A LIGHT JACKET, and remember not only take them but wear them…
The day I arrived to the beautiful island of Japan I had a couple of days for sightseeing, it was very hot and humid. So much to my amazement the day of the competition the forecast turned out to be rainy with a descent in temperature throughout the day. I can remember thinking to myself, “how low can it be”. Huge mistake, I almost got hypothermia.
The big problem is not only the air temperature, there are other factors that are related to this sensation of cold, such as, humidity, speed and terrain. After the swim you can have a certain degree of hypothermia, and one knows that the morning is always cooler, combined with the speed and mountain descents. This can cause an unpleasant experience that can even get you into the hospital. A pair of sleeves, long gloves and something to cover your head can make a huge difference.
Other important topics are hydration and energy consumption. In cold conditions we sweat less, therefore, we drink less. Usually 65 to 90 per cent of calories are ingested with Gatorade or any isotonic energy drink; so the less liquid we ingest, the more calories from solid foods we have to intake; like Powerbars, figs, peanut butter sandwiches, cookies etc… try to stay away from gels or Coke. The latter should be ingested during the marathon when you need quick absorption. If you drink too much in the early stage of an IM, your body can likely become nauseated from these sugary flavors. In IMs I have gotten a greater benefit from Master Amino Acid Pattern (MAP), which is an excellent way to effectively obtain quality energy, without any flavor, plus the added benefit that it does not make your stomach upset. During the bike I have MAP with Gatorade and during the run I prefer it with water, as my stomach is too sensitive.
Not just race, enjoy...
Other articles from Luis: Nutrition Tips for an Ironman - The heart rate monitor as a daily tool - Competions in cold weather - How to do 10 IRONMAN in a year without injuries - 250 MILES BIKE RIDE IN EXTREME CONDITIONS
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Through all the training and intense racing, I managed to stay healthy, fit, and strong — all things I can attribute to the MAP and BodyHealth Complete."