This pro's energy gel mistake

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Tuesday, 27 July 2010 13:22

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Don't spike yourself before your race

by Hugh Pines

South African triathlete Claude Eksteen committed a cardinal triathlon sin at the London round of the ITU triathlon WCS in July 2010. But hey, life is all about learning from our mistakes. 

"What can I say, I made a crucial error. On the first lap of the swim I was quite comfortable and was sitting well up in the front group which was perfect. After diving back into the water for the second lap I started to get heavy and irregular heart palpitations in my chest. My body suddenly started to get really stiff and I started to feel like a brick.

I honestly thought I wouldn't make it to the end of the swim. It was the strangest feeling as I went from feeling great to feeling terrible in a matter of minutes. I naturally dropped back but still came out at the tail end of the front pack. But I was pretty much walking to my bike in transition. I ended up stopping not much later on the bike. I have never in my life experienced anything like that.

After I stopped it took round 5-10min for my HR to come down.

I spoke to some of the coaches afterwards and it seems that I made a crucial error. For some reason I took a gel 30 minutes before the race start (which I have never done before!!). Apparently this is the absolute worst thing I could have done as it dropped my blood sugar levels down like a brick, hence what happened to me! Once that happened there was no recovering from it. I am so irritated as I was swimming comfortably in the front pack with the big swimmers and I know my form is really good at the moment..

I honestly did not know a gel could do that to you. I guess one never stops learning but I have to stop making these costly mistakes."