Ollie Jones
The Border Run
Melbourne1st, M25-29Ollie's headline numbers
Ollie'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 felt fueled and focused throughout the ride. I was worried for a brief period that I didn’t have enough gels with me and felt my energy levels would drop, but I eased off the pedals a little and my body came back around."
Ollie’s intake of just over 100g/h falls in line with the upper range of current endurance fueling guidelines, which show that tolerating *more than* 90g/h is possible. He used a combination of PF 30 Gels, PF 30 Caffeine Gels, PF Carb Only Drink Mix, and some caffeinated energy drinks. By starting the day with sufficient pre-race fueling and then distributing his in-race intake consistently throughout, Ollie maintained high energy availability. He was briefly concerned that he wouldn’t have enough fuel with him to support his high effort level, so he temporarily adjusted his pacing and power output. His body responded well to this, illustrating how both appropriate carb availability and reduction in effort can adequately support recovery *during* exercise and help to improve energy levels. Maintaining such a high carb intake also helps mitigate central fatigue by maintaining blood glucose levels.The strong finish he reported - riding hard to the line - is a classic sign of well-managed energy reserves and efficient substrate utilisation over time.
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.
Ollie880mg/L
Ollie 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.
Whilst Ollie's losses are on the moderate side, getting his hydration strategy right is still important if he wants to perform at his best.
Learn moreT - 60mins: Drank ~500ml of strong electrolyte drink
"This one worked out perfectly! I never got close to cramping or felt excessively thirsty or craved water. I finished with both bottles and my hydro pack empty so I think it was exactly the right amount. "
Ollie’s hydration strategy expertly matched both his sweat rate and sweat sodium losses as previously determined by a Sweat Test. His fluid intake was within the recommended range to replace a good proportion of his sweat loss, and his perceived lack of thirst supports that it was the right strategy for him. Importantly, his electrolyte intake, delivered primarily through PH 1500 (Tablets) was almost spot on his sweat sodium concentration, a near-perfect strategy for reducing the risk of hyponatremia and preventing cramping during prolonged efforts. Ollie reported no symptoms of dehydration or electrolyte imbalance, such as thirst, dizziness, or cramping, indicating that both his blood plasma volume and thermoregulation were likely well-maintained. From a physiological standpoint, this would have helped support sustained cardiac output and muscular performance.
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.
T - 0-4hrs: Had a final hit of caffeine
With a total intake of 432mg of caffeine, Ollie positioned himself within the optimal performance-enhancing range supported by research, which generally falls between 3–6mg/kg. His pre-race coffee helped stimulate central nervous system activity and may have reduced perceived exertion from the start, while strategically timed PF 30 Caffeine Gels during the race likely helped maintain mental sharpness and combat fatigue. Caffeine enhances endurance performance not only through reduced perception of effort, but also by increasing mobilisation of intracellular calcium and stimulating greater motor unit recruitment, which can be crucial in long events like this as both physical and mental fatigue accumulates.
How Ollie hit his numbers
Here's everything that Ollie ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“Looking back, it really couldn’t have gone any better. I executed the plan perfectly and the legs were better than expected. I wouldn't mind more days on the bike like that! ”
“From a sports science perspective, Ollie’s nutrition strategy was near flawless. His high carb intake that he managed to sustain over nearly seven hours is a testament to both gut training and fueling discipline, while his hydration plan reflected an in-depth understanding of his individual needs. As Ollie put it: “it was a really good day to have a good day on the bike.” The data suggest this wasn’t luck, but actually a scientifically sound and well-executed performance strategy. ”
PF&HOllie'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 good confidence in the accuracy of the data reported. An athlete feels that the numbers closely reflect what they consumed despite a couple of estimations which may carry some degree of error. The majority of what was consumed is recorded to a high level of specificity (most volumes are known through the use of bottles brands quantities flavours). The numbers are very plausible and align with previous data recordings (if an athlete has collected data previously).