Confluence Running · Nutrition education
For a 70.3 or another half-distance event, build leg-specific targets and rehearse them in long bricks.
Evidence → explanation → your plan
During prolonged exercise, carbohydrate intake helps maintain blood glucose and carbohydrate use. Gels, chews, maple syrup, and drink mixes are delivery formats. The serving and tolerated intake matter more than the format alone.
Read the evidence ↗Glucose-type carbohydrate and fructose use different intestinal transport pathways. Blends help support higher carbohydrate intakes in prolonged exercise. Higher numbers still need a trained, comfortable gut.
Read the evidence ↗Use your practiced taper meals and breakfast. Lay out bike bottles, gels or food, run supplies, and reserves. Check resupply access and the exact products provided on course.
Use the race-week and breakfast guide to rehearse your meal timing.
Long-course guidance supports practiced carbohydrate intakes in the 60–90 g per hour range. Set bike and run targets individually. Many athletes tolerate more on the bike than while running. Choose your run intake from brick-session evidence and build it before race day.
| Illustrative leg | Practiced target | Planned carbohydrate |
|---|---|---|
| Three-hour bike | 75 g per hour | 225 g |
| Two-hour run | 50 g per hour | 100 g |
Total for these two legs: 325 g. This is not 65 g per hour across your whole event once the swim and transitions are included. Plan those separately. For the bike target, one Tailwind Endurance Fuel stick pack plus one Gel 100 per hour supplies 75 g if the mixed fluid volume suits your needs. For the run target, two Gel 100 sachets per hour supply 50 g.
Substitute another product by its label rather than by packet count. Keep fluid and sodium targets separate from the carbohydrate menu.
Start with tolerated food and drink, then eat regular meals through the day. See recovery nutrition.
Rehearse the entire bike intake followed by race-effort running. Test heat, bottle access, fueling reminders, and a missed-resupply backup.
Tailwind Nutrition | Endurance Fuel | Single Serving PacketCheck the selected flavor, serving size, caffeine, ingredients, and live availability.
Maurten | Gel 100 | Sports NutritionCheck the selected flavor, serving size, caffeine, ingredients, and live availability.
Maurten | Drink Mix 160 | Sports NutritionCheck the selected flavor, serving size, caffeine, ingredients, and live availability.
