Ali's headline numbers
Ali's strategy
Fueling
Carbohydrate is the main fuel you burn when racing. Failing to fuel properly is a leading cause of underperformance in longer races.
Due to the lower intensity of a prolonged event like this, Ali was able to rely more on ‘real foods’, like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, compared to what he’d typically use in running events that are higher intensity and shorter duration. He used sports nutrition products, such as PF 30 Chews, to top up his energy ahead of more intense sections of the climb where he knew he needed fast, easily digestible fuel.
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.
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 Ali’s losses are on the moderate side, getting his hydration strategy right is still important if he wants to perform at his best.
Learn moreThroughout the 28 hours of time spent on the mountain - including short breaks for meals and a quick nap - Ali managed to stay well-hydrated by mainly using the PF&H electrolytes available at the on-course aid stations. While we normally see large variations in fluid intakes during events of this length as a result of temperature changes overnight, Ali maintained a consistent intake with a minimum of one cup of either water or electrolytes at each of the four aid stations on the mountain. It’s worth noting that Ali’s fluid intake tends to be on the higher side as he has a very high sweat rate, even when conditions are relatively temperate (0-11°C [32°F-51.8F]), with an average of 5°C (41°F). Having had a Sweat Test ahead of this event, Ali knew that he’s a ‘moderately salty’ sweater, so he used electrolytes and salty foods for his main sources of sodium. The relative sodium concentration of his intake would have replaced a decent proportion of his sweat sodium losses to avoid any cramping or dehydration-related symptoms.
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.
Ali utilised the benefits of caffeine sensibly by drinking a total of ~1.1L (~33oz) of coffee, which equates to just above the general recommendation of ~3-6mg/kg of caffeine for endurance performance. This helped to keep his perceived energy levels relatively high throughout such a long and challenging event. Since Ali has a good tolerance of caffeine, going over the recommended range didn’t present any issues and instead helped him fight his natural circadian rhythm as he was hiking into the night. Ali sensibly took the time to rest during his event, but had he wanted to finish in one go and continue through the night, we’d certainly recommend having an additional caffeine dose later on to increase his alertness, as sleep deprivation would’ve started to become more of a concern.
How Ali hit his numbers
Here's everything that Ali ate and drank on the day...
Ali's weapons of choice
Final thoughts
PF&HAli's full stats
Data Confidence?
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.