Ironman Race Day Nutrition: Gluten and Dairy Free

I'm probably not the only athlete who responded with a resounding "Huh?" to Ironman's news that they were going with "Bonk Breaker" bars for their race day nutrition at Ironman races this year. I mean, everyone's heard of Powerbars, but Bonk Breakers, what are those? Imagine my little Paleo-ized heart a-flutter when I visit their site and find out that they are gluten and dairy free! Since I haven't eaten gluten in so long and since the last time I did, it did not play nice with my intestinal tract, I was worried about either having problems with the on-course nutrition, or having to pack all of my own along, looking like some overstuffed dromedary with nutrition hanging out of every available pocket.

Even better, unlike many popular bars, they are also free of hydrolized soy protein, or soy protein isolates. As someone with half a thyroid gland, I avoid soy like the plague and thus there's a lot of bars I won't touch including the aforementioned Powerbars.

Now, I am going to hustle my self down to REI tomorrow, apparently the only place in town that carries these things, and buy a few to try, maybe the Fig, Almond Butter and Honey, and Espresso Chip varieties. For those who are strict Paleo, they won't cut the mustard. They contain oats and other ingredients like rice syrup. But as I've noted before, I'm having to be a bit less strict with my in-training nutrition and there's no way I'm doing a totally Paleo thing in the Ironman. I think that would spell Gastric Distress for sure. When going the distance, there's something to be said for highly refined sugars and easily digestible ingredients.