I suggest you read some of the comments from athletes that have used the latest new electrolyte hydration powder drink mix called LowOz. Go to website www.xxtrafitness.com (use 11564702 to order online)
Some more comments are also found on this site under the heading "new gatorade endurance".
The study results from the NTC in Clermont, Flda. are soon to be published that show LowOz superior to all the major sports hydration drinks on the market.
Best Regards,
Personal health coach
Ann

I'm also a "sprint" tri-girl...not a newbie, but I used to have the same thing happen to me. What has helped me ALOT is eating 2 servings of yogurt the morning of the race (along with a bagel, toast or whatever ). It seems to coat my stomach and helps it not feel as acidic at the end of the race. If it's offered at the finish, I'll have another one with the banana. Hope it works for you and good luck,
Lady T of Minnesota

Hi Melissa,
I have been a triathlete, road and mountain bike racer, adventure racer...you name it for over 20 years. I have seen and tried everything on the market. Sports drinks are personal preference. Ask your friends and people you train with what they do. The best thing you can do is experiment. Try a diluted (just add more water to it)version of something you like the taste of. You are probably just sensitive to the concentration. You may also have a problem with Fructose. Most sports drinks have Fructose corn syrup as the carbohydrate. I know people who have used Hammer Gel mixed with water to create their own sports drink. It is 100% Maltodextrin...a good complex carb. I have only used Hammer Gel as an energy gel and it works for me. The only problem is there are no electrolytes in it so you have to supplement with their e-caps or something like it.
Basically experiment with things that taste good. If you don't like how it tastes you aren't going to drink it and that is the same as nothing.
Water is fine if you are going less than 2 hours on the bike. With running I wouldn't go much more than an hour without a sports drink.
Oh and for the person who said that sports drinks repair your muscles...that a bunch of ****! Your body repairs your muscles with protein and carbohydrates are stored there also. A sports drink is merely a way of refueling yourself during or after a workout.
Sorry this is so long...

See you in the Tri-nches,
Craig

Melissa,

A sprint triathlon is still a supreme effort to ask of your body and thereby you need to fuel your body for it. I have done a few sprints myself and for me IT works best to drink some diluted gatorade after the swim, some kind of gel or shot blocks with water on the bike and at T2 I grab a water bottle to haul with me as I start the run for a minute or so and then I toss it. I've read some of your other posts and from your times it looks like you could even do some kind of a gel (always with something to wash it down) before the race and another one during the run if you can tolerate them. I run alot and on my long runs It's unbelievable to me how much better I feel with the gels. As with anything else you need to find out what works for you and train with them before your races. For me, the amount of supplements I use depends on how I feel and how they work for me. I tend to burn calories quickly so I use gels about every 35-40 minutes while racing and while training I may even eat something during a long run (Salted nut rolls, fruit roll-ups...) And I always eat right before I workout in the morning otherwise I start to burn muscle instead of fat and I feel like I'm starving to death. Anyway I hope you can find a solution that works for you. (Oh, I like the lemon lime gatorade powder and I dilute it as much as possible.)
Good Luck

Sports drinks are among the "hidden calorie" foods, so you're wise to drink water instead.

Sorry, but sprint triathlons aren't all that hard; water works just fine for the short time you're out there, depending on the weather and water temp.

I can't imagine eating a salted nut roll while doing a tri. That is truly a recipe for disaster for so many reasons.

Your metabolism prefers to use a combination of glycogen (stored carbs) and fatty acids all day long, whether you exercise or watch tv. Muscle is not used for energy to any appreciable amount, so don't worry about that.

'water is better'

artificial colors and flavors. yuck. most "sports drinks" are corn juice in disguise.

Water is a sports drink!