Harry Palmer
Challenge Wales
Harry's headline numbers
Harry'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.
Harry carried four PF 30 Gels decanted into one bottle, and one PF 90 Gel into another bottle, both of which he topped up with some plain water. Through this method, Harry managed to average ~107g/h across the bike leg, but this dropped off considerably on the run, as he only managed to consume part of a PF 90 Gel. Although it’s common to see a slightly lower carb intake on the run compared to the bike due to the mechanics of running, Harry would really benefit from increasing his fueling here to prevent any energy dips toward the later part of a race. It would be good for him to do some gut training to ensure he is able to tolerate a higher intake without experiencing any GI distress, since that was a struggle for him at this race. Fortunately, by easing off his fueling, his stomach discomfort subsided and he was able to finish strong.
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 Harry’s losses are on the moderate side, getting his hydration strategy right is still important if he wants to perform at his best.
Learn moreGiven Harry’s fairly average sweat sodium concentration, as measured by our Sweat Test, and the mild temperatures, his hydration strategy likely replaced most of his losses. On the bike, he carried PH 1500 (Drink Mix) and then picked up cups of plain water on the run to both pour over his head to keep him cool and drink according to thirst. Despite consuming electrolytes during the bike leg, he could have supplemented the plain water he picked up with Electrolyte Capsules to maintain a more consistent relative sodium concentration throughout the race. Especially for races with hotter temperatures, this will be an important part of his strategy to adjust. Fortunately, his preloading strategy put him in good stead to run well and not suffer any detrimental effects of dehydration.
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.
Harry didn’t consume any caffeine before or during the race, as he has been trying to identify possible causes of GI discomfort. It may or may not be related to caffeine, but eliminating the variables is helpful to get to the root of the issue. In future races, if he feels ready to do so, he can re-introduce caffeine slowly, such as through PF 30 Caffeine Gels, and ideally enhance his alertness and help sustain his energy levels all the way to the end.
How Harry hit his numbers
Here's everything that Harry ate and drank on the day...
Harry's weapons of choice
Final thoughts
PF&HHarry'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).