Calminian

So I completed my first tri today. It was an olympic distance. I felt very strong on the swim/bike portion and expected to feel the same on the run. But during the transition, I grabbed a gel that contained caffein and downed it. I start the run and suddenly I'm feeling very weak like I just hit a wall. My cardio was zapped and as time went on it got worse. This was a surprise, because running training has been going well for me. I finished without stopping, but ran way slower than normal.

I'm curious if any of you use caffeinated gels or drinks during your events and what affects they have on you. My suspicion is they work for some people, and not for others.

bikinpolitico

Caffein has been shown to in several studies to greatly extend the point to muscle failure, so I think it was probably something else, most likely going too fast on the bike.

Calminian

I've heard the same, but I have a feeling this is not necessarily universal. I've heard some doctors talk about caffein stressing the adrenals. That's interesting for me, because I've had nutritional doctors say I have weak adrenals. They prefer things ginseng and other herbs.

For me to go from strong to weak that quickly just doesn't make sense.

bikinpolitico

Only one way to find out: try it in training. Now you've learned one of the most important lessons in triathlon. Don't do anything you have not done several times successfully in training. This is especially true with nutrition and hydration, but also applies to equipment and clothing.

Calminian

Yep, I was kicking myself over that very issue. Still had a blast, but would have felt better had I had a stronger run like I know I'm capable of.

Rahzel

I think it was more likely a lack of proper nutrition than the small amount of caffeine in the gel. Most gels have 25mg of caffeine max, which is similar to the amount of caffeine in 12oz of Coke--not enough to cause massive problems in just about any athlete. Try caffeine gels in training, and see how that goes.

Aside: during races under 3 hours, I take 200mg caffeine right before the race start, and it works very well for me. Of course, 3 hours after the race I pay for it in the form of a MEGA crash!

Rogue Leader

I do the same except mid event I have a gel (like when I get on my bike). If the event ends at like 10 am, and Im home by 11-ish and put my stuff away/clean I'm dead by 12....

BrokeCyclist

dude - first - well done on completing your first tri (and an OD too )

but seriously - this is what happens when you start doing tri's
legs go "bye-bye" because you just got off the bike (and probably hammered - passing people who swam faster than you ?) and then unlike normal people who cycle - you get off ... and you try RUNNING

welcome to triathlon



btw - caffeine improves performance

Calminian

Finally!

Understood, but that's the thing. My legs were fine. This was all cardio which I felt right in my chest immediately after taking the caffeinated gel. I also understand that caffeine helps most athletes. I'm not disputing that. But my suspicion is that a minority of people who have adrenal issues (which I've been told I have) do not respond well to it.

Remember everyone is different and and react to foods differently. When I drink coffee, occasionally, late in the day I tend to have trouble sleeping. I have a friends who can drink it all day and night and sleep fine. I have one that drinks it every night and sleeps fine. Go figure.

Bottom line is, I'll take the advice of one poster and experiment in training (after a nice week of rest ). I'll keep it scientific.

trisaiah

Whether the fatigue was aerobic or muscular in nature is immaterial. 99% of first-time triathletes feel something pretty similar to what you're talking about after getting off the bike in their first race, even if they have done extensive brick training. It's just the way the race affects you.

Look I'm not saying it's impossible, but the odds that the feeling that you "hit a wall" after the bike on your first olympic tri is related to 30 mg of caffeine or whatever is highly, highly, highly unlikely. I think you'd find it much more worthwhile to examine the physiological differences between your racing and training, and to identify the nature of your aerobic limiter rather than trying to figure out which gel is at fault.

That said, if you're really worried, you're right about the bottom line: never try anything in a race that you haven't done a hundred times in training.

Rogue Leader

To respond more to the original post... You won't crash so immediately off of caffeine. I have to agree with others here in saying you probably had a combination of hammering it too hard on the bike, possible improper pre-event nutrition, and maybe not enough brick workouts.

On the topic of caffeine though, I drink a cup of tea in the morning and thats the extent of my caffeine for the day most times. I sometimes have had bad reactions to too much, such as anxiety attacks, so unless I know I'm going to be doing something crazy physical (such as mid-tri) i stay away from too much of it.

prawza

caffeine takes around an hour to set in, so unless you had that gel pre-race, it was probably a mix of you getting tired + an added dose of placebo.

durty

Gatorade paid for studies in my public health (exercise devision) that showed no negative (short term obvi.) correlations between caffeine and heart performance.

However, in the long term if you rely on caffeine to help you in all your workouts I worry about your blood vessel health, as caffeine can lead to hardening of arteries.

So I'd say if you only used it for competition there's probably no major negative damage, but I wouldn't make it part of my daily workout routine.
-durty

Calminian

Thanks. No, for me I don't use it for workouts, nor will I for races in the future. I was trying to explain in this thread that I have a special sensitivity to caffeine that most don't have. I have weak adrenals, which get beat up by caffeine (so I'm finding out as I research). I'm trying to cut down on it in my daily life as well.

I don't dispute any of the studies that show a positive benefit for athletes. In fact that's why I was tempted to try it in the first place. But after crashing (energy-wise) in my race and seeing the effects in subsequent workouts, I've learned it's not for me.

Regarding hardening of the arteries, I've not heard that. But my nutritionist has told me that frequent use of caffeine can burn out our adrenal glands. I'm pretty sure that's what I have going on. To avoid this, I think moderation is the key, though everyone is different and I know some coffee maniacs that seem to thrive on the stuff.