IRONMAN 70.3® Geelong

Jelle aimed to consume 120g/h of carbs on the bike, which is in line with contemporary research suggesting that fueling at such a high level can maximise exogenous carb oxidation rates. To achieve this, Jelle carried two one litre bottles each with eight scoops of PF Carb Only Drink Mix and water. This ensured he finished the bike leg with good energy levels, as well as provided the foundations for the fastest run split of the day. Although Jelle consumed two PF 30 Gels while running, he had planned to have a third gel at ~55 minutes. Since he felt slightly full already at this point, he decided not to take any risks given he was leading the race and his energy levels were pretty good.

Just like he did at the IRONMAN 70.3® World Championships in 2024, Jelle combined his carb, fluid and sodium intake into two bottles for the bike. To account for his sodium losses, he emptied four Electrolyte Capsules into each bottle alongside the PF Carb Only Drink Mix, creating his own carb and electrolyte blend. He also carried additional water in an aero bottle on his downtube, although the relatively moderate temperature meant that he only consumed ~50ml of fluid from this bottle. On the run, he picked up cups of water and some PH 1000 (Tablets) that were available on-course, but acknowledged that given the option logistically, he would have liked to consume more.

Jelle pre-caffeinated with a cup of coffee at breakfast and a final PF 30 Caffeine Gel in the last few moments before the swim. He didn’t use any additional caffeine during the race, meaning that his overall intake was slightly below the recommendations to reap the ergogenic benefits the stimulant has to offer. This is an area he could work on for future races, trialing caffeine during training to ideally support his strong performances.