Hayden's headline numbers
Hayden's strategy
Fueling
Carbohydrate is the main fuel you burn when racing. Failing to fuel properly is a leading cause of underperformance in longer races.
Hayden executed his race fueling strategy meticulously, aiming for ~90g of carbs per hour, a level he had effectively trained his gut to tolerate. Having undergone lab testing to fine-tune his intake and practiced it consistently, he was confident that his body could efficiently absorb and utilize this fuel to sustain his performance over the demanding course. His strategy incorporated sixteen PF 30 Gels and eight 500ml bottles of Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix with the plan to consume two PF 30 Gels and 500ml of Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix per hour, ensuring a steady supply of energy without overwhelming his digestive system. Hayden executed this plan to perfection, a key factor in maintaining his pace and avoiding any major energy dips.
Hydration
Taking on board an appropriate amount of fluid and sodium is essential to maintaining blood volume and supporting the cardiovascular effort needed to perform on race day.
Whilst the absolute amount of sodium and fluid consumed per hour is important, it’s critical to consider these in relation to each other. This is known as 'relative sodium concentration' and it’s expressed in milligrams per litre (mg/L). How much sodium you’re taking in per litre of fluid is more important than the absolute amount taken in per hour.
Sweat sodium concentration (mg/L) is largely genetically determined and remains relatively stable. Knowing how salty your sweat is enables you to replace a good proportion of your sweat losses, which can range from 200-2,000mg/L.
Whilst Hayden’s losses are on the moderate side, getting his hydration strategy right is still important if he wants to perform at his best.
Learn moreWith last minute course changes due to snow, the aid station locations and frequency were altered, preventing Hayden’s support crew from meeting him as planned. Given the low temperatures and minimal risk of overheating, he chose to run longer stretches between aid stations without additional bottles. Hayden still averaged ~600ml per hour, going between Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix and plain water while maintaining a relative sodium concentration of ~1000mg/L by using Electrolyte Capsules. With a sweat sodium concentration of 901mg/L, he matched his sweat concentration to replace most of his electrolyte losses, likely contributing to his ability to run ~20 minutes every hour without fluids in the final ~30km after finishing his 500ml flask. For future races, especially in warmer conditions, carrying a spare Soft Flask could help him stay proactively hydrated and listen to his body’s thirst response.
Caffeine
Beyond the Three Levers of Performance (carb, sodium and fluid), caffeine is one of only a few substances that is proven to improve performance for most endurance athletes as it can help stave off mental and physical fatigue.
Hayden strategically spaced his caffeine intake throughout the race to maintain a steady supply of its ergogenic effects. His intake fell in line with the scientific recommendations and seemed to work well for him based on subjective feedback, so no adjustments are needed in this area.
How Hayden hit his numbers
Here's everything that Hayden ate and drank on the day...
Hayden's weapons of choice
Final thoughts
Hayden
PF&HHayden's full stats
Data Confidence?
There is good confidence in the accuracy of the data reported. An athlete feels that the numbers closely reflect what they consumed despite a couple of estimations which may carry some degree of error. The majority of what was consumed is recorded to a high level of specificity (most volumes are known through the use of bottles brands quantities flavours). The numbers are very plausible and align with previous data recordings (if an athlete has collected data previously).