Many professional triathletes spend their entire career chasing the ultimate prize, an Ironman win. Yet many fall short of the sport’s ultimate prize, but not for a lack of trying, as it is one of the toughest events both physically and mentally. Thanks to hard work, perseverance, and endless preparation, XRCEL ambassador Laurel Wassner is a pro triathlete who will one day walk away from triathlon having stood on the top of the podium after her win at Ironman Taiwan. After battling and surviving cancer earlier in her career, Laurel is not only an Ironman Champion, but the first cancer survivor to win an Ironman event. We caught up with Wassner to find out why she decided to race halfway across the globe, how her race day unfolded, and how she’s recovering from one of the toughest Ironmans on the race calendar.

XRCEL: What made you decide to race Ironman Taiwan, knowing it’s a very difficult race as far as the conditions and terrain? 

Laurel Wassner: I decided to race Ironman Taiwan for a few reasons.  First of all, it fit into my schedule and gave me the entire summer to prepare for the race.  My season got a late start after I raced Israman, a full-distance triathlon, in January and then I took my off-season break.  I knew that I wouldn’t be in peak Ironman form until later in the year, so I decided to target a race in October.  I chose Ironman Taiwan knowing that it is a very hot place and that the conditions would dictate the day, but I know that I tend to race better in hotter climates. Finally, I wanted to have the experience of racing in Asia.

XRCEL: You raced and won Israman, which boasts one of the toughest bike courses in the world, as well as other races with tough bike courses, like Ironman Mont-Tremblant and Wildflower. What has drawn you to races with immensely difficult bike courses?

LW: As a smaller rider, standing at 5’3″ and weighing 110 pounds, I need to choose races that have some hills in order to maximize my strengths and power to weight ratio.  I am a natural climber, but in the past two years I have worked very hard on my time trialing and ability to hold my power steady while in the aero position for hours.

XRCEL: When training for Ironman Taiwan, how did you prepare knowing the challenging course and conditions you would be up against?

LW: Knowing that Ironman Taiwan was more of a battle with the conditions rather than a “fast” Ironman, I focused on getting strong and resilient instead of superfast.  I still did speed work and raced several Olympic Distance races, but the focus was more on making sure I was a strong runner, meaning I could keep pushing throughout the race. I added in a lot of uphill runs, even pushing a 30-pound nephew in a stroller, almost every day for a month.

XRCEL: What is your typical nutrition plan during a full-distance triathlon race?

LW: My nutrition plan consists of 1 bottle of XRCEL before the start of the race to make sure I am fully-fueled and ready to go. Once on the bike, I take 1 XRCEL every 45-50 minutes on the bike, as well as a bottle of sports drink every hour.  On the run, I start with 1 bottle of XRCEL at the beginning and take two more bottles throughout the race.  I also added salt tablets due to the intense heat and humidity.

XRCEL: During Ironman Taiwan, what adjustments did you have to make in your nutrition due to race day issues out of your control?

LW: I pre-hydrated in the days leading up to the race with extra electrolytes as well as extra salt tablets. On the run, I had to take in a lot more fluids that I ever have because of the intense heat and humidity. 

XRCEL: You came out of the water 4 seconds ahead of 2nd place and then put the hammer down on the bike. What was your actual race strategy once you got on the bike?

LW: My strategy for this race was just to race my own race and not worry about anyone else. I knew my biggest challenge was going to be getting through it in such extreme conditions.  I rode the first hour a bit hard, but I didn’t feel out of control, so I kept my pace and power going.  I rode with Charlotte Morel of France for an hour, and put in an effort to get across a windy bridge and get a gap on her.  After the bridge, I was by myself, just sticking to my plan and trying to cool off with water at the aid stations.  XRCEL definitely kept me going strong throughout the heat and the very hilly bike course. I got hot and uncomfortable, but I never felt low on energy.  It was one of those days I never really got tired.

XRCEL: At what point did you realize you had created a 10-minute lead as you started the run and how did that affect your race strategy?

LW: I was still in earshot of the announcer and I heard him announcing 2nd place coming into T2 and saw that I had 10 minutes on her. At that point, I was entering the toughest part of the run and it was a struggle to keep going.  I actually thought I’d have to drop out as it was that unbearably hot.  However, after running four miles, I got some ice and that helped me out. It was at that point I realized that I could keep going, as long as I stayed cool.

XRCEL: Even though you won by a 46-minute margin, were there parts of the day where the race got tough to manage?

LW: I may have won by 46 minutes, but it was a very, very tough run. It was the kind of run where, even with a 30-minute lead, I didn’t know if I could keep going.  I eventually had to stop looking at my pace because it was so slow. I actually ran well at different points of the race, but I walked and stopped at every single aid station.

XRCEL: After battling and beating cancer, what did it feel like to win an Ironman race?

LW: It was overwhelming emotionally because it was my first win at an official Ironman branded race and in extremely tough conditions.  It actually fits really well with my life story.  As I was running down the finisher’s chute, I was pretending that I was high-fiving my family.

XRCEL: What did it feel like to win by such an epic margin at the pro level?

LW: During the race, I still felt like I was going to get caught!  When I saw the results, it was then that I realized I finished sixth overall, men included. I also saw that I had the fourth fastest marathon time overall and one of the few to go sub four hours. It was then that I realized I had done something pretty special out there. It means a lot to me to show my family and supporters that I was able to execute, not only the proper training leading up to the race, but also on race day.

XRCEL What surprised you the most about your race in Taiwan?

LW: I surprised myself by being able to turn around a poor performance in Malaysia the week prior and put in such a dominating performance in Taiwan. I learned that adjusting to that kind of heat, humidity, and time change is very important, but most importantly, I learned not to give up on myself.  I had people telling me I was so fit and such an amazing athlete and I could win, but I think I was the last person to believe it all!  This race taught me to believe in myself.

XRCEL: After racing a grueling Ironman Taiwan, what role did XRCEL play in your recovery?

LW: I had an XRCEL right after the race to help speed along my recovery. I think that XRCEL helps me feel better since it helps replenish my glycogen stores. It’s also easy to get down after an Ironman, when eating is not always easy. I even put one bottle in the fridge in my hotel so it was nice and cold when I got back.

XRCEL: What is the next race on your calendar?

LW: I’m going back to Asia to race the Bohol 5150 in the Philippines.

XRCEL: After the Philippines will you take a break and what will you do in the off season?

LW: My training will be less structured and I will have more time to dedicate to photography work where I will shoot things such as food, lifestyle, and, for the holiday season, I am focusing on portraits of families for holiday cards.  If you’re in the NY/NJ area, send me an email (wassnertwins@gmail.com).  I’m also going to start coaching triathletes and runners and will be announcing details soon. I am really excited for the opportunity to help others achieve their goals.

Athletes need carbohydrates before, during and after performance for fuel and glycogen replenishment. An athlete’s body looks first to carbohydrates as the primary source of fuel; followed by fats and then protein. Muscles use glucose, glycogen and fatty acids for energy. When muscles are at rest, the predominant form of energy utilized is free fatty acids. With increasing intensity of exercise, the type of energy source utilization changes. At low-intensity sub-maximal exercise, muscles primarily use blood glucose and free fatty acids as energy sources. As the intensity of the exercise increases, more energy is derived from glycogen and glucose, with glycogen becoming the primary energy source.

Until X_RCEL^® was invented, athletes had to use conventional drinks and gels, that rely on multiple types of sugars, to try to increase the amount of carbohydrates their bodies could absorb. This is because the carbohydrate “gateways” become saturated and any additional available carbohydrate that might get through the “gateways” passes by, and the potential to be absorbed is drastically reduced.

X_RCEL^® overcomes these limitations with its extended release micro-gel technology. X_RCEL^®’s patented pH and temperature responsive micro gel formulation is designed specifically to aid in increasing the amount of carbohydrate being absorbed. The glucose loaded micro-gels in X_RCEL^® are specially formulated to stay near the “gateways” in your small intestine. Staying close to the “gateways” for an extended amount of time allows the gateways to take in more carbohydrate, helping to increase the amount of carbohydrate absorbed per calorie consumed (when compared to conventional sports drinks and carbohydrate supplements). This is what makes X_RCEL^® different than any other product on the market. The increased circulating levels of glucose are thereby more readily converted to ATP thus providing increased muscle output capacity and improved brain function (concentration & focus in this setting). The remainder, stored as glycogen, is reserved for future use.

A better skilled team or athlete can often times lose to a less talented competitor simply because they didn’t have the energy to keep up. At X_RCEL^® we can’t take credit for the skills, but we can significantly help improve the fueling.

Pre-Race Week

The Race Ready Tune Up

By now, you are probably coming off a couple of big weeks of training and can feel the exhaustion in your body. However, this is normal as you have begun your taper and all of that fitness will settle into your muscle fibers as you prepare for your race. About five days out, the pros suggest cutting your workout volume 50 percent from the week before. This allows your body to stay lose and stay in race mode. This is also the day that you want to work on getting quality sleep. It is possible you might be nervous or excited the night or two before the race, so it’s imperative that you work on getting your needed rest now.

About four days out, make sure you are not doing any intense workouts. At this point, you have maxed out your highest fitness potential with all of the training time you have put into your body. Professional triathlete Patrick Evoe suggests a couple of easy runs or bikes where you pick up the pace for short intervals of 15-20 seconds, just to keep the engine in your body turning over. If possible, look to get a pre-race massage to flush out lactic acid. Evoe recommends light foam rolling if you cannot get a massage.

Nutritional Tips

Proper race day hydration and fueling will have a big impact on your performance. Proper hydration starts well before the gun goes off. At least 2 hours before the race you will want to consume, depending on your body weight, approximately 12-20 oz. of water to ensure your fluid levels are topped off. Much like hydration, race day fueling strategy begins well before the start of the event.

More than anything, stick to the foods and supplements that you have been eating as you have trained in the prior months. Race day fueling is about effective carbohydrate / glycogen management. The objective being to ensure your endogenous (liver and muscle) glycogen reserves are topped off and you have a well thought-out routine for keeping your exogenous (immediately available and absorbable) fuel routinely topped off. Effectively managing what and when you take in nutrition during the race will impact the rate you are using your glycogen and therefore your performance potential. Many pros and coaches recommend sticking to a larger breakfast, well in advance of the event, including carbohydrates such as oatmeal, toast, or pancakes accompanied by some low-fat and low-fiber foods. This will help with topping off the endogenous reserves. Too much fiber can cause irritable bowel issues so stay away from foods like fiber-filled cereals, fruit, and vegetables, such as broccoli. The night before the race, some coaches suggested to eat about half of your normal portions of carbs, around 60-80 grams and pairing it with a serving of protein like chicken or fish.

There are numerous options for carbohydrate supplementation race day fueling. Many of which that can definitely cause GI distress, something you do not need. Be sure to train with your carbohydrate supplement to understand how it works for you and your body in a variety of conditions. A supplement like XRCEL®, which comes in an array of delicious flavors and a bottle sporting 4.75 fluid ounces, will fuel you with a valuable dose of glucose, preparing your body for high performance come race day. XRCEL is an effective and super efficient carbohydrate choice for athletes thanks to the glucose-loaded extended-release micro-gels that help the carbohydrates rapidly absorb in the small intestine and provide a extended source of energy. XRCEL is any athlete’s efficient choice for keeping their engine fueled on race day.

Stay Focused

In order to stay focused leading up to race day, pay attention to details such as making sure that your wetsuit, bike, and running shoes are all properly functioning. Get any equipment fixed or replace it if it’s not race-ready. It’s also important to have done some workouts in the clothes you will wear on race day in order to avoid discomfort or chaffing. Evoe suggests that “when it comes to your race plan, make sure you stick to your plan.” Finally, take a moment to visualize yourself having a great race!

Post-Race Recovery

Listen to Your Body

It is crucial that you put just as much effort into your physical, nutritional, and mental recovery as you did during the race. It is essential to keep your body moving. Sitting or lying down immediately after you cross the finish line is probably what your body is yearning for, but it’s the worst thing for your muscles. At the very least, stop and take a minute to try to stretch out any of those radiating muscles so that your blood continues to evenly flow through your system and you can allow your heartrate to slowly come down. No matter how old or young your muscles are, it’s important to spend a good 15-20 minutes stretching out.

Another important tip, post-race, is to lay down where you can put your legs up, like on a wall or chair, and let the lactic acid stream out of your muscles. You probably won’t be ready for a post-race massage for 3-4 days, but this will help with easing the soreness of your muscles. “Ice baths are actually great for all of those torn muscle fibers in your body. I am usually less stiff the days following a half-triathlon distance if I have taken an ice bath,” Evoe added.

Taking the day or two after your race completely off is a common recovery tool. “Listen to your body and use the next week as a recovery week, only doing light swimming and biking and avoiding the pounding that comes with running,” said Evoe.

Refueling Your Engine

To help with tissue damage and inflammation, it is crucial to get antioxidants in your body and help with oxidation. Colorful berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, are high in antioxidants and will feed your muscles the relief it needs. Most importantly, do not forget to replace the glycogen stores you just burned during your race. Replenishment of energy providing nutrients after exercise is critical to your body’s recovery process. Glucose containing carbohydrates are optimal sources for energy replacement due to the fact that it is directly converted to energy, whereas fructose, other sugars, fats, and proteins require additional processing.

Be Mindful

Whether you are a pro or an age-grouper, you deserve at least a week of restoration. Look to mix up your light recovery workouts by choosing your favorite, easy training sessions and do not workout intensely for a couple of weeks. “As the mind might tell you to get back to training, you need to remember that if you do not recover, you will not be racing anytime soon,” Evoe reminds us.

Part of being a strong competitor includes being able to train hard. Training hard means being able to recover quickly and being ready for your next session.

To recover you know you need to address muscle protein breakdown from your hard sessions as well as recovering your glycogen reserves to fuel your future workouts.

Here is a simple and nutritious XRCEL Smoothie recipe for you to try.

This Berry Blast recipe is packed with anti-oxidants, protein, vitamins, minerals, and glycogen boosting glucose to help you get ready for your next session.

XRCEL  Berry  Blast

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Frozen Mixed Berries (Blue Berries, Blackberries, Raspberries), We used Whole Foods Anti-Oxidant Berry Blend
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice, we used Dole 100% pineapple juice
• 1 scoop Whey Isolate Protein Powder, Whole Foods 365 Whey Protein
• 4.75 oz. X_RCEL^® Athlete Fuel Blackberry

Add frozen berries and pineapple juice to a blender. Blend for 10 seconds to mix. Add protein powder and blend for an additional 10 seconds. Add XRCEL Athlete Fuel Blackberry and blend for 5 seconds.

Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.

Nutritional Information: