“The Kona Diaries”: Day 1 – How To Pack A Bike, Healthy Travel Foods, And What To Bring To An Ironman.

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Welcome to Day 1 of the Kona Diaries, in which you're going to get a stark, honest and open look into the life of one of America's top fitness experts – and find out what I personally do to design my daily routine for optimum health, get my body into the best shape ever, and prepare my mind to enter the pain cave.

These articles will be designed to give you pure gold content when it comes to learning how to hack your life for optimum performance and health.

Here's how it works:

For the next 7 days, I'll be bringing you special videos and reports as I head to and arrive in Kona, Hawaii for the Ironman World Championships – the “Super Bowl” of triathlon. You'll see how I pack foods and supplements, personal care products and other needs for healthy travel, get grocery shopping tips, see the inside scoop on my recovery secrets, learn about preparing your body for an important event like Ironman, and for those of you who are curious about Kona, find out what actually happens on the Big Island in the days leading up to the race.

To start things off, in the video below, you'll find out…

…what healthy travel foods you can bring along with you…

…essential gear for travel to a triathlon…

…tools you can use to “hack the heat” during a hot race…

…nutrition supplements I personally travel with…

…and some other handy, healthy travel tips.

Video 1: In Which You Learn How To Take Apart A Bike For Travel

Video 2: In Which You Find Out About Essential Tools You Can Use To “Hack The Heat” During Hot Exercise Sessions

Video 3: In Which You See Which Nutritional Supplements To Bring Along For Healthy Travel

Video 4: In Which You See Which Healthy Travel Food to Pack

Video 5: In Which You See Exactly How To Pack For A Big Event Like Ironman Triathlon

Resources mentioned in these videos (many of these folks with support my racing efforts if you give them business, so this is a win-win)

Ruster Sports Hen House bike case (FREE shipping on US orders with code “Ben13”)

Gray Storm Triathlon Bicycle and Helmet

BlueSeventy Swimskin

-Living Fuel SuperGreens, LivingProtein and Cocochia Snack Mix

GU Brew and nuun electrolyte tablets

Energy28 or Enerprime

Caprobiotics, CapraColostrum and Capraflex

Tian Chi chinese herbs (this is link to interview with formulator Roger Drummer)

Master Amino Pattern (MAP)

Hammer Nutrition Hammer Bars, REM Caps and Race Caps – 15% discount with referral code 80244

Millennium Sports Enzymes and Cordygen

Ancient Clay Topical Magnesium Oil

Oil of Oregano

Scape Sunscreen (this is a link to an interview with the scientist who invented it)

TriSlide body lubrication

MuscleTrac body massage stick

Compex electrostimulation device and here is link to interview about electrostimulation

Zoot cooling sleeves and hat

Arctic Heat cooling vest

BEX Cool Palms

If you have questions about any of this stuff, how I'll use it leading up to or during Ironman Hawaii, or certain topics you'd like to see covered in videos or posts over the next week, simply leave your comments below. 

Coming tomorrow: Healthy Airplane Travel Tools & The Last 4 Weeks of Quality-Over-Quantity Training Before An Ironman Triathlon 

Ask Ben a Podcast Question

17 thoughts on ““The Kona Diaries”: Day 1 – How To Pack A Bike, Healthy Travel Foods, And What To Bring To An Ironman.

  1. kona bikes says:

    Hi there colleagues, pleasant article and pleasant arguments commented here, I am actually enjoying by these.

  2. Christopher says:

    Hi Ben, I tried the Ben13 discount code for the Hen House bag and it does not work for free shipping. Is there another one available by any chance.

    Thanks!

    1. Tell them this a thttps://rustersports.gostorego.com/contacts/?SID= and they should be able to update code!

  3. takara kabuto says:

    I simply couldn’t go away your web site before suggesting that I extremely loved the standard info a person supply for your visitors? Is gonna be again steadily to investigate cross-check new posts

  4. Jeff Roegge says:

    Thanks Ben. Are you wearing your swim skin because it will not be wetsuit legal for qualifying for Kona or do you wear your swimskin over your tri suit yet still under your wetsuit? Also, do you wear a full sleeve or sleeveless wetsuit when a race is wetsuit legal?

  5. Rick says:

    Ben, is that an Adamo saddle you're using? If so, is it the time trial or the road model. Thanks. p.s. great job at Kona!

    1. Ism adamo roadSent with two thumbs from my iPhone

  6. brian says:

    Ben, are you taking electrolytes on this race? I thought you said that you wouldn't? Good luck this weekend! I've been following you for a few years now and you are an inspiration!

  7. Jordi says:

    Thanks a lot Ben. There aren't many books with this kind of info, seems mostly just based on experience so very useful for triathletes out there.
    Btw, this may seem obvious but did you deflate your tires for the plane? And I guess you will buy CO2 in Kona?
    Also the bike bag looks soft shell, any risk there? I'm preparing to carry my bike by plane for first time in a couple of months, so really appreciate these videos! Have fun in Kona, maybe I'll see you there next year

    1. I had my tires inflated to 80PSI, which is enough to ride to a shop and get them filled up when I get here (and also buy CO2 cartridges).

      See the link in the post above for the RusterSports bike case I use. Never had an issue with it!

  8. jeff Hoening says:

    By the way , I really like the clean new look of your website. Top notch.

  9. jeff Hoening says:

    Awesome content, Ben. Thanks for opening your suitcase for us. Tons of tips here for us all. Would be cool to see your hotel room counter top with all your stuff laid out, and a video of your breakfast, lunch, dinner and any snacks a couple days before the race – a day in the gastrointestinal life of top Kona athlete. Looking forward to your daily Kona Diaries entry. Have a great race!

  10. Bill says:

    Ben this is great.. Can't wait for the new posts & have fun in Kona, I know you'll do well!

    Video #2 "Hack the Heat" & capra-colostrum. Is this something you take on a daily basis before the race, or during the race?

    1. In the study, they only used colostrum directly before event. But I am going to use on Thursday, Friday, and then Saturday morning before race.

  11. BrockSky says:

    Very cool, Ben! These videos are very helpful, interesting and educational… though, I have to admit, they make me happy that I am primarily a runner – packing for a marathon is infinitely simpler!

  12. Ron says:

    Thanks for sharing. "All" very nicely layed out and presented. The packing of the items is always my issue. I put most into my bike case, but they never arrives in a nice order when I've travel commerical. Plus, I end up being a clothes horse, taking extra tri suit, jackets, several hats, sunglasses, etc…ends up being a big suit case, rather heavy. I always feel like I need to be prepaed for anything, which might araise. It would be nice know how you decide on things like this- do you research it, do you go by experience or feedback from others or our you more like "gyspy" and hope someone will have extra's to share at a race! Would appreciate to know, since I plan on doing my first international races this year and next…

    Also, the "bike repair kit" you briefly mention, that you put on the bike during a race, could you name that again, not familar with it?

    What, no waxing!?! (chicken) ;)

    1. Great questions.

      For clothing, I am a notorious *underpacker*. I hate to haul heavy things around at or to the airport (aside from bike/wheels), so I typically pack very few clothes, and end up "taking showers" with my clothes to wash them, then simply hanging them dry or stomping on them in a towel. When you're at a triathlon walking around in spandex, nobody cares too much about a wrinkle here or spot there.

      So for example to this race (be here 8 days) I took:

      Tri-Suit
      1 Cycling Suit
      1 Speedo
      2 t-shirts
      2 shorts
      1 pants
      1 long sleeve shirt
      1 sunglasses
      2 hats
      1 pair of running shoes and 1 pair of casual shoes

      This all fits very easily rolled up into a bag.

      The tire repair stuff I have is called "PittStop". It is hit or miss as to when it works, but can save you time for a tire change.

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