IRONMAN® Western Australia

Joel mixed PF 90 Gels with electrolytes and water in his bike bottles, enabling him to pull what we term ‘The Three Levers’ - carbs, electrolytes, and fluid - simultaneously. This strategy helped him consume ~99g of carb per hour on the bike and, though this is above recommendations, it aligns with intake levels seen among other pro athletes who are consistently pushing above 90g/h because of the relationship between higher carb intakes and enhanced performance. His carb intake dropped off from bike to run by 44%, which is greater than the average 25% drop we tend to see in races of a similar duration. This likely contributed to his energy dip in the last 10km. Though this reduction was less severe than previous races like the Alpe d’Huez triathlon, it suggests he is on the right track but has room to improve his carb intake in the final stretch of full-distance races.

After getting out the water, Joel drank a mixture of bottles containing PH 1000 (Drink Mix) and plain water from aid stations. Although he initially planned to consume 800-1000ml/h, cooler temperatures led him to reduce this slightly. Joel also admitted needing to pee multiple times on the bike, indicating he might have still been over-hydrating, this was likely influenced by his low sodium intake. After forgetting his Electrolyte Capsules, he relied on aid stations for both fluid and sodium, and therefore ended up taking on a low relative sodium concentration, especially on the run. Alongside this level of fluid intake, higher sodium consumption would help to increase his fluid retention.

Joel topped up with a PF 30 Caffeine Gel in the final 30 minutes before the swim. This would have enhanced his focus along with many other ergogenic benefits associated with the stimulant. His caffeine intake was significantly above the recommendations but given his subjective feedback during the race, habitual caffeine use and lack of unwanted side effects, it’s clear there were no issues with this intake for him.