Swimrun Lake James

Chipper kept things simple on race morning to avoid GI distress before the early start. He ate a light but carb-rich breakfast ~1 hour 15 minutes out from the race and then topped it off with a PF 30 Gel 15 minutes before the gun. This swimrun consisted of 13 swims and 14 runs, during which Chipper used two PF 30 Gels and a PF 90 Gel to average ~50g/h, below the carbohydrate recommendations for an event of this duration and intensity. Even though fueling can be a logistical challenge in a race like this where athletes change from swimming to running every few kilometres, Chipper should continue to train his gut and practice this strategy to be able to both tolerate more carbs and find easier ways to carry them, such as in his wetsuit pocket or picked up from aid stations to increase his intake towards ~60g/h to help maintain his energy levels until the very end.

In the 90 minutes before the race, Chipper had 500ml of PH 1000. Although this will have aided his hydration going into the event, to maximise the fluid retention benefits of preloading he should switch to the PH 1500. During the race, Chipper primarily relied on plain water from the 6 aid stations. He drank to thirst, slowing down through the aid stations to make sure he could take as much water as he needed. Chipper’s fluid intake will have likely replaced a good proportion of his sweat losses but, as a salty sweater, we would encourage him to include more sodium into his hydration strategy. Electrolyte Capsules may be the best fit for swimruns since these are easy to carry and pair with plain water picked up on course. While Chipper did not experience symptoms of dehydration during this event, increasing his intake will be especially important going into the longer ÖTILLÖ World Championships later this year.

Chipper is a habitual coffee drinker and therefore has a high caffeine tolerance. For events under ~4 hours, the guidelines are to focus on precaffeinating with a dose of 3-6mg/kg. Chipper maintained his morning ritual by having a coffee with breakfast but to get closer to the recommended range in future, he could replace his pre-race PF 30 Gel with a PF 30 Caffeine Gel, to maximise the ergogenic effects he gets from the stimulant.