Pro IM Tips

Jason Shortis' best IM Tips!
Ironman events are all about knowledge. The more you have, the better decisions you will make on the day.
We have been blessed to receive excellent tips from many places but below are the top tips from 60+ IM pro finisher - Jason Shortis. What ever "Shorto" says is worth listening to. 

NUTRITION

1.       30min before the swim start , take a gel with some water as well as 2 panadol. The Gel lets you top up your energy at the last minute for the swim start and the Panadol settles your stomach and stops stomach pains for the first part of the race.

2.       In the first hour of the bike it is very important that you take in a bottle of electrolyte. This will keep your electrolytes topped up at the early part of the race and will help prevent cramp later on in the race.

3.       Take on coke with water at each odd aid station in the run. The simple sugar will give you a lift and the caffeine will energise you and help increase your ability to focus as you get tired. The sodium in the coke will also help to clear your gut.

4.       Salt tablets are helpful in clearing your stomach and getting your nutrition through. You need 1-2g per hour (1-2 sodium chloride tablets)

5.       The rough rule of thumb for your goal nutrition intake is 1g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight per hour. So if you are 75kg, then your intake goal is roughly 75g of carbohydrate per hour. Also bear in mind that liquid nutrition is easier for your body to absorb than solid food, although mars bars do taste good!

SWIM

1.       Make sure you get into the water 15-20min before the swim start to help you get warmed up for the frenetic pace at the start of the swim. It will also help you to steady your nerves and help you get your bearings and sense of direction set.

2.       If you are worried about getting swum over at the swim start then position yourself to the side of the swim start. This will help keep you out of harm’s way.

3.       A nearly new pair of goggles will still have anti-fogging abilities and will allow you to have good vision throughout the swim. Also a small amount of water in the bottom of your goggles will allow you to ‘dip’ your head and wash out the fog from the inside of your goggles.

4.       If the water is really cold, or you feel the cold, wear an extra swimming cap underneath your race cap. You lose most of your heat through your head and this will help insulate it.

BIKE

1.       Try to keep the bike nice and steady in a straight line. The steadier and smoother the bike, the faster the ride.

2.       Use your gears to stay at your optimum cadence of between 80-90rpm. This will help you to be efficient and fast.

3.       When you start to tire towards the end of the ride, focus on keeping up your cadence rather than forcing a bigger gear. This will help you keep your pace up as well as keeping your efficiency at its optimum.ie going as fast as you can as efficiently as possible.

4.       Most riders experience a flat spot both physically and mentally at 120km in the ride. You can avoid this by taking on a dose of caffeine at about th 100-110km mark. The caffeine will help you stay alert and feel energetic. The easiest way to do this is by taking caffeine tablets (2-3 No Doz).

RUN

1.       Use normal laces instead of elastic laces in your running shoes. Elastic laces will not hold your feet as stable as normal laces and may cause you to have your feet slide forward in the shoes damaging your toenails on hilly run courses. The normal shoe laces will give your feet a better platform for propulsion and help limit loss of toenails and blistering.

2.       During really hot races, make use of the ice at aid stations by putting it down the front of your top and bottoms. This will help keep you cool which will help you to be faster.

3.       When you start to tire on the run, make sure you focus on leg turnover. This will help you to be more efficient and will help you to keep your speed up, maximise your energy and get you home as quickly as possible. A fast cadence equals a fast run.

4.       If you start to cramp in the legs use ice on the muscles that are cramping. e.g. ice down the front of your shorts will help you get rid of cramping in your quads , it may however be a bit unflattering (small) in photos!

The presentation delivered by YOURIRONGUIDE is based on a number of key elements. It asks the athlete questions they need to have clear in their minds. These are the "non-negotiables" in any Ironman journey. Below are thought provoking ideas to base your Ironman journey (including the 16 weeks of training) on.