I think you're right -- this would spell disaster for most AGers (& pros). We don't know how much he consumed on the bike and he has trained his body to burn fat efficiently. It's a great performance. Wouldn't recommend it for an A race for somebody trying it out. Would say to incorporate low carb training/depletion sessions into training & then find a low key race to try it at. I'm not heading in that direction any time soon.

Yes I agree it would spell disaster for most of us. Had a recent really terrible 20 mile training run that I didn't fuel great for and came in a little tired/dehydrated. It wasn't super awesome, we will just say that. I messaged a local former pro friend asking what they used on their long runs and he had something similar like Dan... carry a gel and a little scratch.

I suppose I'm carb dependent, no way could I get through a marathon on a single gel. We're all different and have to figure out what works for us. I know after my disaster 20 mile run all my subsequent long runs turned into training runs as well as figuring out what kind of nutrition I really need/can digest. In terms of gels I'm popping a gel every 3 miles at least.

I think it just proves that the lo-carb thing 'can' be done, and still with an excellent result.

I do think that adapting to it is a lot harder and more time consuming that people might expect, but I've never tried a Plews' style lo-no carb regimen.

It is interesting that it seems there can be quite a lot of variation on carb intake, from extremely high to extremely low, and as long as you've prepared properly with each, you can get remarkable results from each.

I dont' go super long, but I will admit that on the various times I've bonked for real in long training sessions with that energy-sapping lull that is characteristic of it, I bounce back the next time and can do the same session or longer without extra carbs. At least for me, my body seems to adapt every time I bonk. But I absolutely hate bonking in training so I take in carbs on longer sessions 'just in case'.

Wasn't Dan's nutrition strategy one of the reasons why Sam Long separated from Dan after only a few months together? I remember Sam's video when he broke the news he's coaching himself, he seemed really happy to be able to eat normally again.

If he takes more gels and goes faster do you change your view??

Dan is a Rockstar ironman athletes ( always has been) that should be considered a pro with his training volume and history. he has been selling a product for years with x as an idea.

But if he had to race pros with his theory we would say he is doing it wrong. ( ENTER SAM LONG)
but since we are comparing him to the age group level he must be doing something better???

If you have watched Lionel lately do his tests he shows his paces are far superior to Dan's for burning fat. yet he takes more fuel as he isn't pacing for a 8:30 Ironman he is pacing for a 7:30 or else he loses.

That said always do what you think works best for you, the mind is very individual with cause and effect. and guys at the front race for 7-8 hours not 12-14 hours which is a totally different race , pace, and fueling requirements.

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Technique will always last longer then energy production. Improve biomechanics, improve performance.
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I think at the very best case Plews has proved that some people can manage good results with low carb. But since none of the top Ironman athletes do this, and it requires a pretty strict diet with a not-so-pleasant adjustment period, I don’t understand the point. It certainly doesn’t seem to be the case that Sodaro leveled up after working for a year with Dan. I know for myself the benefits would have to be so glaring and clear for me to pursue it that we aren’t remotely close [yet]. The marriage capital it would cost alone would be formidable.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

Dan Plews is not a full time athlete. I don't think any pros work as much as him?

Has Sam Long ever had a really good ironman?

I've seen Hayden Wilde sponsored by s-fuels in the past (not sure if he still is). I'd be interested if he has ever gone low-carb as I understand s-fuels is low carb?

Why one gel? What would one gel do for him that 2 or 0 gels would have done? What else did he have during the marathon?

I don't mean pro because they don't work ??? I was a pro that worked 40-50 hours a week with a wife that worked full time and a child near the end of that. pro qualifications. MEETS THE STANDARD PACES AND ABILITIES.

Pro is the ability to be fast and handle the requirements. Dan has been doing this since he was 9 years old and has a huge volume of training in his body.

read this and save me some time. A Kona title defense is not on the mind of Dan Plews - Slowtwitch.com

you can see he isn't new and has always been very fast ( and does full time volume before big races) and pre super shoes was putting in fast times that were at the pro level, he just choose the age group category.

Sam Long has had several good ironman races. I think personally Sam long treats ironman's as a second thought to 70.3, but also Sam CDL win was solid.

not sure about the other points you mention.

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Technique will always last longer then energy production. Improve biomechanics, improve performance.
http://Www.anthonytoth.ca, triathletetoth@twitter

We don't know, WE HAVE NO INFORMATION !!! maybe he puked it up so stopped taking them. maybe he had one gel and the rest coke and Gatorade , maybe it was a big gel.

maybe he was testing to see what happens ??

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Technique will always last longer then energy production. Improve biomechanics, improve performance.
http://Www.anthonytoth.ca, triathletetoth@twitter

Do we have any idea how Chelsea Sodaro fueled her last race? Poor bike for her, great run.

Is 1 gel during a marathon any more beneficial than the 5 gels I take? He probably would have gone faster if he was carbed up.

1 gel, 10 Gatorades, 12 cokes, and 18 cups of water, but sure, lets focus on the one gel...(-;

I don't but I don't think she had a poor bike, She had her bike. which lead to her great run, trying someone else's bike paces would not have left her with such a good run, maybe what happened in Roth???

Maybe if she did fuel more during the bike she could have more bike power??? We have no idea he have no data or information.

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Technique will always last longer then energy production. Improve biomechanics, improve performance.
http://Www.anthonytoth.ca, triathletetoth@twitter

On his instagram post he said one gel (I think 25g of carbs) and then only liquids available on course. Sometimes that was just water, other times it might be a combination of coke ,Gatorade, and/or water—whatever he could grab. He avoided Red Bull as he doesn’t like it.

he only takes 1 gel because he does a special breathing exercise, takes regularly ice baths and activates his meridians & chakras.

I agree with the red bull. Sounds like everyone else that day overall just a better athlete and faster to the line.

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Technique will always last longer then energy production. Improve biomechanics, improve performance.
http://Www.anthonytoth.ca, triathletetoth@twitter

Same thing he did on the run when he set the Kona AG record several years ago. One gel. You can find his blog on Kona if you scroll through Endure IQ blogs.

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http://www.sfuelsgolonger.com

Dan Plews had the ability to race his own race. Doing things at a steady state is a completely different set of requirements than yo-yo-yoing (pun intended) thru a pro race. For starters, the pro swim start is just something else. Regardless taking one gel if he is drinking coke/gatorade at aid stations sounds reasonable to me.

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Similar to above though one does one gel give him that 0 or 2 don’t though? Was it a 40oz gel? Lol

Clearly it’s self promoting sfuels which I don’t blame him for. I’d say it was stupid but he did the race 2 hours faster than me so what do I know lol.

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My Strava | My Instagram | Summerville, SC | 35-39 AG | 4:41 (70.3), 10:05 (140.6) | 3x70.3, 1x140.6 | Cat 2 Cyclist

But why the one gel? Why not drink more on course Gatorade and/or coke?

Anecdotal evidence incoming but during IMLP last year my stomach started to act up on me during the first few miles of the run. My plan had me taking in a gel every 20-30 min. After 2 gels my stomach couldn’t handle it anymore so I quit them and lo and behold my stomach stabilized and I sped up. I had only water and some pretzels for miles maybe 10-finish.

Now did I eat too much on the bike?
Did I not have enough water and salt to balance the sugar I was intaking on the run?
Did I mess it all up with eating some pretzels and chips at the first aid station?

Lots of questions without answers. The point here is maybe he just couldn’t take any more gels in bc his stomach was going nuts like mine.

I saw a high fat low carb nutritionist after a dismal Kona many years ago and have leant the Dan Plews way ever since. I was already taking Ucan but chatted with the Ucan crew in Kona at a table at Umekes in 2019 and they told me the nutrition plan of Tim O'Donnell (the year he got 2nd), how he mixes a higher GI powder with his Ucan in his bottles and I have adapted it to my IM nutrition ever since. I too had gut issues couldn't stomach another gel and often had to do a porta loo stop on my IM runs. I went to this plan where I probably have four gels on the bike with my three bottles but I now have zero gut issues. I have been fat adapting for many years now and only bring out gels and powdered drink bottles for long runs or bikes a few months out from an IM as I am now in training for IM Busselton.

World-Champion Tim O’Donnell’s Triathlon Nutrition Plan - UCAN

Professional runners drink their calories - no gels. It's hard to know from this how much carbs he really had in the form of liquid. He probably could have performed better if he'd trained his stomach to accept more carbs on raceday. That was one of the breakthroughs in the Breaking 2 / Kipchoge thing, I think - more carbs / hour. But all liquid, no gels.