Tucson Bicycle Classic Stage 4

By using both the Carb & Electrolyte and Carb Only drink mixes, Anna consumed most of her carbs via fluids in her bottles, alongside one PF 30 Gel, effectively meeting the carbohydrate recommendations for a race of this duration and intensity. While Anna has practiced and refined this strategy to suit her needs, in longer or hotter races where she may need to adapt her intake on-the-fly, separating her fuel from her hydration (decoupling) slightly, could allow for more flexibility in these adjustments. For future events, Anna could practically do this by incorporating a hydration-only bottle (water and electrolytes) to help replace sweat losses without affecting her carbohydrate intake, or carrying some spare energy gels to allow her to increase her intake during more intense efforts, without also drinking more fluid which could make her feel bloated or uncomfortable.

Despite consuming some electrolytes before the race, Anna could benefit further from a stronger electrolyte drink, swapping the PH 500 tab for PH 1500, in order to make her preload more effective. During the race, she followed a well-structured strategy for both her fueling and hydration. Anna even added a couple of PH 500 tablets into the Carb Only Drink Mix in her bidons, which isn’t exactly textbook but is obviously something that worked for her here. Finding creative ways to use our products in the ways they work for you is a great way of going about getting the correct amount of sodium in.