Ultra Trail Snowdonia

For a race of this duration, it was important for Sam to listen to his cravings and have some variety in his fueling options to keep his energy levels up by avoiding flavour fatigue. With a high carb intake of ~94g/h, it’s clear Sam did exactly that by alternating between real foods and sports nutrition products. Due to the warmer temperatures, he struggled with his intake towards the end of the race and struggled to keep his carb intake consistent, but managed to hit his overall target nonetheless. Ahead of future races, Sam should look to perform some structured gut training in the heat so he is more able to tolerate fueling in these conditions.

Sam used his tried and tested hydration strategy during this race, relying on PH 1500 and Electrolyte Capsules for sodium. The race conditions were fairly warm, but Sam managed to consume sufficient fluid to suit a race of this duration and intensity. Although he didn’t experience any cramping, the relative sodium concentration of the fluid he consumed was slightly below our recommendations for someone with his sweat losses. In future, Sam could look to increase his sodium intake a little by incorporating additional Electrolyte Capsules to supplement the plain water he takes on, to help increase his blood plasma volume and maintain an ideal hydration status. This would also help support his carb intake, as sodium plays a role in fuel digestion and absorption in the gut.

Sam’s caffeine intake sat within the scientific recommendations to reap the ergogenic benefits associated with the stimulant. He pre-caffeinated in the last 30 minutes before the race with a PF 30 Caffeine Gel knowing this would hit his blood stream as he toed the start line, and subsequently spread the rest of his caffeine intake consistently throughout the race to ensure he stayed alert and focused until the finish.