It's hard for me to believe that in just two days I leave for Hawaii to compete in my 2nd Ironman World Championships. For those of you who do not know me, I have been competing as a pro since 2008. I raced primarily Olympic and Sprint triathlons until doing my first Iron distance race, Challenge Atlantic City in 2014. I ran a 3:08 marathon and won! Since, then I have recorded 5 top-10 Ironman finishes (4th Ironman Chattanooga, 5th Ironman Brazil, 9th Ironman Canada, 8th Ironman Brazil, 2nd Ironman Mt. Tremblant). The biggest thing I have learned over these last two years of long distance racing is that nutrition and hydration can make or break a race. I can analyze each race and pinpoint exactly why I did poorly (too cold to drink and got dehydrated in Canada) or drank enough to feel amazing even on a hot day (Chattanooga). It takes practic and a lot of thought to get everything right, but it is time well spent.
This year I joined a new team, Maverick Multisport, with Infinit as the nutrition sponsor. I was nervous. I had been using the same stuff in all my races and now as part of the team I had to switch. For a professional, that's risky. My income depends on if I get enough hydration and calories! Fortunately, I received a call from Ryan Good from Infinit who said, "I am here to help you. Let's make a formula that works for you." We started by going off my previous sports drink. Then I gradually tweaked it, I made it less sweet and added some electrolytes, until it was perfect for me. It's pretty amazing to be able to custom blend a sports drink. I actually look forward to drinking it, whereas my old sports drink was way too sugary the last thing I wanted to drink at the end of a long ride.
I am also a big fan of the Javi. I mix up a shake (often with water if I'm in a hurry), or blended into a fancy milkshake when I have time (see my insta video!). I usually have some before a workout around lunch time - sometimes there's no time for regular food lunch in Ironman training! It fills me up and gets me through the next session or until I can eat a proper meal. I love the seasonal flavors and am so excited for pumpkin spice for the fall. Maybe there will be peppermint mocha for the winter?? Hint, hint.
I am so grateful for the support Infinit has provided to me this year. I am heading to Kona and invite you to join my adventures on Infinit's instagram
