Ant Gritton
Dirty Reiver 200
Hexham11th, M35-39Ant's headline numbers
Ant's strategy
Fueling
T - 1-4hrs: Ate a carb rich meal (Low in fat & fibre)
T - 15mins: Took in a final dose of carb
"I nailed my carb plan. I didn’t manage to eat all the Chews I’d planned, but they were only there in case the race was longer than I hoped. I also had good energy all day until I ran out of ability rather than energy at the end."
Ant has previously demonstrated that he can comfortably tolerate >90g of carbohydrate per hour during middle- and full-distance triathlons as well as running a super fast marathon. Running typically places more stress on the gastrointestinal system compared to cycling, due to greater vertical oscillation and gravitational effects on gut transit time. Given this, it was no surprise to see Ant handle his highest ever intake (~111g/h) on the bike with no signs of GI discomfort. With Unbound Gravel (a 200-*mile* gravel race) within four weeks of this race, Ant’s confidence in his prior gut training should be very high.
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.
Ant1351mg/L
Ant has been Sweat Tested to dial in his hydration plan
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 Ant's losses are High (1,351mg/L), nailing his hydration strategy remains important, even when it's Mild.
Learn moreT - 60mins: Drank ~500ml of strong electrolyte drink
"My plan was to get 2 litres per aid station, but the group raced past aid stations 1 and 3, so I only topped up at number 2 so rationed my allowance. Next time I will carry a larger bladder on my back."
Ant faced a tactical dilemma familiar to many gravel racers: the choice between sticking with the main group of riders, or executing his pre-race hydration strategy. Having knowledge of Ant’s sweat rate in similar conditions to those experienced at this event (~1.1-1.3L, 39-46oz per hour), the fact that he missed two planned aid station stops likely resulted in significant dehydration. At this rate of fluid loss, it is possible that Ant may have finished with his body mass reduced by ~5-6%, which exceeds the 2-4% threshold of dehydration often associated with impaired performance. Going forwards, carrying a larger hydration pack or having an extra bottle cage on his bike may help him maintain tactical flexibility without compromising his fluid needs.
How Ant hit his numbers
Here's everything that Ant ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“I should have gone with the main front group. I might have blown up worse though, but I think next time I would take the risk.”
“Ant crushed his debut ultra gravel race, and demonstrated his well-rehearsed fueling plan once again. Ahead of future races like Unbound Gravel just four weeks after this race, he may want to consider carrying a larger hydration pack and perhaps another bottle cage on his bike, just in case the same tactical decision is made to skip aid stations.”
PF&HAnt's full stats
Data Confidence
We rate each of our case studies from 1-5 based on the level of accuracy, and our confidence in the data.
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.