IRONMAN 70.3® Oceanside

Emma's carbohydrate intake averaged ~101g/h on the bike and tapered to ~46g/h during the run. This drop off from bike to run is common in triathlon case studies we see, particularly when athletes have adequately fuelled on the bike as Emma did this time out. She consumed significantly more carb on the bike than at previous races in 2021, having planned well for the longer duration by taking additional chews with her and then consuming two PF 30 Gels on the run. Fortunately, she experienced no GI issues alongside this higher intake and was able to maintain good energy levels throughout the race.

We’ve been working with Emma for some time now and are aware of her high sweat rate, so consuming over ~800ml/h on the bike is standard practice to offset her significant sweat fluid losses. Given the warm conditions, her fluid intake was appropriately higher than at both Boulder and The Collins Cup. However, the average relative sodium concentration in her drinks (~406mg/L) was notably lower than her sweat sodium concentration of 716mg/L. Moving forward, we’d recommend increasing her sodium intake to better account for these losses, perhaps by using PH 1000 in her bike bottles and Electrolyte Capsules on the run. This would help prevent any potential symptoms of excessive dehydration, especially in warmer and longer races.

In terms of caffeine, Emma opted not to have her usual pre-race coffee, but she did consume caffeine strategically during the race. She had a total caffeine intake of ~210mg which equates to roughly ~3.56mg per kilogram of body weight, a moderate dose of caffeine which falls within the recommended range for endurance performance. With this dose, she would likely reaped at least some of the stimulant’s ergogenic benefits but has room to increase within the range for a possible stronger benefit.