Breaking News – Ironman changes to Mortal Hydration on the North American race course

Triathlon Nutrition Academy

We are back!

So much has happened in the sports nutrition space over the last few months and I’m so excited to be in my recording space to get you caught up!

There’s too much to discuss in this one episode so I’ll be hitting you with news for the next few weeks, but today I want to talk about the new hydration sponsor on course for the North American Ironman events: Mortal Hydration.

What is Mortal Hydration?
Ironman announced early this year that they're phasing out Gatorade Endurance and introducing Mortal Hydration for their North American events. This change is not global, so our friends in Australia and the UK can breathe a sigh of relief. But if you’re heading to a North American race, you need to be prepared.

Unlike Gatorade Endurance, which is a carbohydrate-rich sports drink, Mortal Hydration is more of a hydration formula with considerably less carbohydrate content. Here’s a quick comparison:

Gatorade Endurance: 620 mg of sodium and 46 grams of carbohydrate per bottle.

Mortal Hydration: 460 mg of sodium (or 920mg in the salty version) and only 10 grams of carbohydrate per bottle.

Preparing for the Change:
As you can see the two drinks differ significantly. If your fueling strategy relied heavily on Gatorade Endurance for carbs and electrolytes, you'll need to rethink your plan. I know that it can be frustrating, especially if you've been prepping for an Ironman for months or even years, but it’s crucial to stay flexible and give your body what it needs.

You can’t just drink more Mortal Hydration to compensate for the lower carbohydrate content as your sodium intake would get dangerous quickly. Instead, find an alternative source of carbohydrates that can complement the electrolytes from Mortal Hydration. Be prepared to be more self-sufficient, especially on the bike leg, so you don't end up under-fueled

It is also important to consider that while Gatorade Endurance is fairly easy to purchase in person, Mortal Hydration is currently only available for purchase online. This is just another layer of planning you’ll need to consider in your fueling plan.

Listener Question:
At the end of the episode, I address a question from Laurie in Greenville, North Carolina, about managing nutrition with gastroparesis while training for triathlons. Gastroparesis is slow gut mobility and poses unique challenges in ensuring adequate nutrition during endurance events. While I don’t have the details to give Laurie personalised advice, I can suggest a few steps to take:

1. Medical Review: Consult with a sports physician to address the underlying causes and explore potential treatments.
2. Work with a Qualified Sports Dietitian: Customise your nutrition strategy to accommodate your condition and specific needs.
3. Strategic Gut Training: Gradually train your gut to handle the nutrition plan suited for your condition.

Thanks for having me in your ears today. It’s great to be back and I look forward to catching up more in the coming weeks. Until then, stay fueled and stay informed!

LINKS:

Check how well you’re doing when it comes to your nutrition with our 50 step checklist to Triathlon Nutrition Mastery: dietitianapproved.com/checklist

Start working on your nutrition now with my Triathlon Nutrition Kickstart course: dietitianapproved.com/kickstart

It’s for you if you’re a triathlete and you feel like you’ve got your training under control and you’re ready to layer in your nutrition. It's your warmup on the path to becoming a SUPERCHARGED triathlete – woohoo!

Join the waitlist for our next opening of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy www.dietitianapproved.com/academy

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