IRONMAN 70.3® Oceanside

With an early race start, Ashleigh wasn’t able to fully finish her breakfast at 4am, so the recommended pre-race PF 30 Gel about 30 minutes before the swim was even more important to top up her blood glucose levels. During the race, she had a carb-heavy bottle containing five PF 30 Gels mixed with water, and she also drank half of her 750ml bottle with PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix. On the run, she consumed two PF 30 Gels, raising her overall average carb intake by ~13g/h compared to Miami. While still below the recommended 90g/h, this is certainly a positive step forward for a stronger fueling strategy.

Unlike the hot and humid conditions at CLASH Miami, Oceanside presented overcast and mild conditions, likely leading to much lower sweat losses for Ash. Consequently, it was unsurprising that her fluid intake was reduced. Although her average fluid intake appears low overall, she felt it was appropriate given her substantially decreased sweat rate and didn’t have any dehydration symptoms. Her sodium intake was also relatively low, though improved from prior races due to incorporating electrolytes via PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix. In warmer climates, we recommend she increase her sodium intake both pre-race and during the event to replace a greater proportion of her losses. Ash should consider having a Sweat Test as it would be beneficial to help her more accurately tailor her strategy to her individual electrolyte needs.