• This was Dougal’s 10th time competing in the Coast to Coast New Zealand race in what was the event’s 40th anniversary. On paper, he had another great performance, coming away with the silver medal, but in reality it was far from smooth sailing (though kayaking would be more appropriate...) as he broke his ankle and ruptured ligaments with well over half of the race to go
• If you’re unfamiliar with the Coast to Coast event, it’s a multisport endurance race which uses three different disciplines to cover a total of 250.2 kilometers. The race starts with running 2.2km to ease competitors in (though Dougal set off at 3min/km pace), followed by cycling 55km, running 33km, cycling another 115km, jumping in a kayak and paddling 30km (shortened this year from 80km due to the river flooding), and then finally cycling 15km to cross the finish line. It’s definitely a unique event!
• In his post-race recap, Dougal wrote that this year’s race will “surely go down as one of the most memorable in my experience with the event”. With the challenge of putting the event on during the pandemic and then the drama that ensued during the race, it was a testing event all-round. Despite everything, Dougal, ever the pro, showcased his experience and determination to finish the event on the podium and still execute an incredibly effective fueling and hydration strategy

Hydration

• Dougal preloaded ahead of his race with 500ml (~16oz) PH 1500 alongside his carb-rich breakfast and pre-race coffee. This is textbook in terms of the recommendations and will have helped him to start the race well-fueled and well-hydrated
• A big proportion of Dougal’s carbs came from energy drinks, predominantly PF 30 Energy Drink Mix (~4.5L in total) as well as Coca Cola (~1L) which is also very high in sugar (~10% carbohydrate solution). Using your fluids to meet your carb needs as well as hydration needs often results in consuming greater average intakes. This was certainly the case for Dougal who drank an average fluid intake of ~625ml/hr (~21oz/hr), despite the conditions not being as warm as he anticipated (~16℃/61℉)
• Dougal would usually describe himself as a “high sweater” but with the day being cool he estimated that his sweat rate in this race was moderate. Taking into account the environmental conditions as well as total sweat losses, we would conclude that Dougal’s average fluid intake was sufficient
• He also did a great job at being consistent with his sodium intake, using 12 x PH Electrolyte Capsules and a substantial amount of PF 30 Drink Mix which contains 1,000mg/L of sodium per serving (when mixed correctly). In total, the relative sodium concentration of his intake was ~1,525mg/L, a target we’ve encouraged Dougal (as a usually heavy sweater) to strive for
• Dougal reported cramping badly in his left adductor ~3 hours into the long run leg, which resulted in him having to stop and stretch it out. An athlete experiencing cramping in an endurance race can be an indicator that they didn’t quite get their hydration strategy right as one of the main theories of the causes of muscle cramp is dehydration/sodium depletion. However, Dougal’s fluid and sodium replacement was good and we would recommend that he changes very little. Dougal commented that he believed his cramp could be attributed to the neuromuscular theory of cramp and commented that it was likely “due to the muscle being overloaded by a broken right ankle”
• Overall, Dougal rated his hydration strategy an 8 out of 10, saying the conditions didn’t challenge him too much and that he even managed to pee at the finish line which indicates that he wasn’t too dehydrated

Fueling

Conclusions

• When asked about his level of satisfaction with the race outcome, Dougal rated it an 8. In his post-race report he concluded that “I cannot honestly say that I am happy with the outcome, but I’m OK with that too. It’s not the first time I’ve fallen short of my expectations and certainly won’t be the last”
• Dougal’s goal for the race was of course the gold medal. Ever the gracious competitor Dougal admitted that he would have “loved to have won, but was truly outclassed”
• Given he sustained a serious injury mid-race, Dougal did remarkably well to stay focused and meet his carb, sodium and fluid needs, as well as consuming a sensible caffeine dose which was well distributed across the race
• If Dougal is ever to return to the Coast to Coast he would benefit from giving himself more real food options on the long bike leg to help stave off feelings of hunger. That said, he executed an impressive fueling and hydration strategy. Dougal was also happy with what he took, commenting that “I got it pretty close on the nutrition front”