Simon Bairu-..Not Enough Carbs=DNF!

He had trained for two years to arrive at this moment, stacking 120-mile week atop 120-mile week. And yet Bairu’s race was ending in a crushing disappointment, he would conclude later, because he hadn’t gulped down enough carbohydrate-laden sports gel. While he observed some of his competitors eating a packet of energy-laden gel every two miles, he said he took one packet all day. Still, Mile 21 passed, and then Mile 22, and he convinced himself that if he pushed on to the next water station, where he could swallow some more carbs, he’d be fine. -thestar.com

Bairu, in case you never heard of him, is a very good runner. As a Wisconsin Badger, Simon won 2 NCAA cross country national titles- no easy task, so we know he has ability. But for him, it's back to the marathon drawing board.

Are you kidding? How can a world class runner BE SO DUMB! Marthoning 101 calls for carbohydrate intake during the race. This is either a major coaching blunder or just plain ignorance.

To give their muscles a decent boost during the final, carbo-depleted miles of the race, marathoners need to take in more than 30 grams of carbs per hour DURING the race - peak performance online

I don't know if Simon was taking in a carbohydrate drink, but there are no excuses. This kind of crash should not happen to a runner with world class ability.

My rule? 200 calories per hour- 2 gels or one every 30 minutes.

Even Lance Armstrong knows better.
Nutrition, of course, is important. Armstrong says friends found it amusing that he gobbled something like 13 gels during his first marathon. It’s a lot, true, but I don’t scoff at anyone who turns in a sub-3-hour marathon. Now he says he’s backed off to eating roughly a gel every half hour during a marathon.-austin360.com

Lance Vows to do Ironman Hawaii!

"I will be in Kona (the Ironman start and finish town) 15 months after the final Tour (de France) ... if it's 2010, then it will be Kona 2011," Armstrong told AAP. -smh.com.au




Lance will be riding for new sponsor Radioshack in 2010 (livestrong.com)

note: After Lance retired from cycling, he ran the New York Marathon twice, including a 2:46:43 in 2007. He can also swim- he finished 4th in the Texas high school state swimming championships in the 1,500 meter freestyle.

This is Not the Same Lance!

Follow Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France

Get an inside look at Lance's comeback Tour at livestrong.com

I'm amazed that an athlete such as Lance, who has a legitimate chance to win his 8th, would be tweeting regular updates, e.t.c. as he attempts to win his 8th, but I guess he does not feel it's a distraction.