Ironman UK makes its return to Bolton and Lancashire

The nation’s largest long course triathlon event, Ironman UK, makes its return to Bolton and Lancashire on July 17th.

With this in mind, Lancashire-based cycling specialist Ribble Cycles have partnered with OTE Sport nutritionist Annie Simpson, to aide athletes when it comes to fuelling for race day.

The Ironman marks the first in a series of nutrition guides Ribble Cycles will be launching in partnership with professional nutritionists. Tackling a variety of competition types from triathlon to track cycling. Ribble hopes to inspire aspiring athletes across the country to follow in the footsteps of the professionals when it comes to preparing for a race.

For those planning to take on a triathlon, such as the Bolton Ironman this year, Annie Simpson explains why getting nutrition right can make all the difference to your progress and performance: “An Ironman is one of the most demanding endurance events out there, pushing the body to its absolute limits over three different disciplines.”

“An Ironman isn’t just something you roll up to with no preparation, in fact it takes months of training and planning to get it right and nutrition is one of the areas that requires the most planning.”

Covering 140 miles, athletes taking part in the Bolton Ironman will make their way across a course including a 2.4-mile swim at Pennington Flash in Leigh, followed by a 112-mile, two-loop journey from Pennington Flash and onto the breath-taking Lancashire countryside.The race concludes with a 26.2 mile marathon starting at the Macron Stadium before finishing in Le Mans Crescent in the shadow of the Albert Hall.

The total calories consumed during an Ironman sits in the region of 6000-8000kcal. Athletes therefore need to consume 60-90g of carbohydrates per hour to avoid calorie deficit – equating to 700g for a 10 hour Ironman.

Matthew Lawson, Chief Digital Officer at Ribble Cycles, said: “Having established ourselves as a bike brand way back in 1897, Ribble has been pleased to see the introduction and subsequent growing popularity of triathlon. As company we were quick to embrace it fully, offering a comprehensive range of triathlon and time trial bikes.

“If you’re in training for a triathlon, or planning to take on the Bolton Ironman eventually yourself, following our nutritional advice is the first step in preparing your mind and body for the challenge ahead.”

More info can be found here.