Jeanni Metzler
IRONMAN 70.3® Maine
Jeanni's headline numbers
Jeanni'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.
By consuming ~74g of carbohydrate per hour on the bike and ~50g/h on the run, Jeanni fell short of the scientific recommendations of 90g/h for a race of this duration and intensity. Fueling with one bottle of PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix, one PF 30 Gel, one PF 30 Caffeine Gel and two on-course gels allowed her to keep moving to the end, but could have played a part in her subjectively low energy levels later on in the day. If she were to include additional PF 30 Gels on both the bike and run, it would allow her to reach the carb quantities necessary to sustain such high race intensities across this duration. We’ve seen her previously achieve higher intakes, which supported her energy and reduced the rate of fatigue to perform at her best across the entire race.
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.
Given Jeanni’s losses are Very High (1,556mg/L), nailing her hydration strategy becomes especially crucial when it’s hot and/or humid.
Learn moreJeanni implemented a more proactive sodium and fluid replacement strategy on the bike compared to IRONMAN 70.3 St George earlier in 2024 to avoid the onset of cramping she experienced in the hot conditions in Utah. More closely matching her sweat sodium concentration and sweat rate with sodium and fluids was a great success for Jeanni here. She only suffered ‘tiny twinges’ of cramp in the early miles of the run which she kept at bay with the use of Electrolyte Capsules. Next time out, she may wish to carry extra Electrolyte Capsules on the bike to continue to match her sweat sodium losses as she picks up plain water from aid stations.
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.
Before the swim started, Jeanni had half a caffeinated energy drink but felt it may have heightened her pre-race nerves and wished she had used the stimulant later on in the race instead. She should continue to test the use of caffeine in her training, and aim to reach the recommended dose whilst racing, for example by incorporating two PF 30 Caffeine Gels on the bike and one at the start of the run.
How Jeanni hit her numbers
Here's everything that Jeanni ate and drank on the day...
Jeanni's weapons of choice
Final thoughts
Jeanni
PF&HJeanni's full stats
Data Confidence?
There is an adequate level of accuracy in the data collected and the numbers reported. The athlete manages to recall what they ate and drank including most specifics (brands flavours quantities plausible estimations of volumes). However there are estimations made within the data which affect the overall confidence level in the data reported.