Chris' headline numbers
Chris' strategy
Fueling
Carbohydrate is the main fuel you burn when racing. Failing to fuel properly is a leading cause of underperformance in longer races.
Given the nature and duration of this event, athletes spend a significant amount of time working at a relatively low intensity. As a result, the primary fuel source during much of the effort comes from fats. The lower intensity and pace allows for the inclusion of more ‘real foods’ throughout the day, with sports nutrition products playing a supporting role and used strategically to top up energy levels when the intensity ramps up. For Chris, this meant consuming two PF 30 Gels during each hike to fuel him for each one- to two-hour ascent. Along the way, he also picked up small snacks from aid stations as needed. On the gondola rides back down the mountain, he took the opportunity to eat more substantial food sources to sustain him across the long day and attenuate flavour fatigue. Still, Chris’ average carb intake during the event fell short of the recommendations, which likely contributed to the drop in energy levels during the later hikes. If he were to take on this unique challenge again, we would suggest increasing his carb intake by doing some gut training, in order to improve his ability to take on more carbs and help maintain stable blood glucose levels right up until the end of the event.
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 Chris’s losses are on the low side, getting his hydration strategy right is still important if he wants to perform at his best.
Learn moreDuring the initial hikes, Chris consumed PH 1000 and water to thirst. But as temperatures increased (towards 27°C/81°F at its peak during the day), he experienced some cramping and subsequently increased his sodium intake by switching to PH 1500 and drinking more frequently. Chris said that there were a few times where he had planned to drink more but since he didn’t feel dehydrated and was peeing relatively frequently towards the second half of the event, he likely wasn’t underdoing his hydration strategy.
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.
Considering Chris’s high caffeine tolerance, he could have utilised the stimulant more to his advantage. He usually has a couple of coffees a day, so aiming for ~6mg/kg for an event of this length would be beneficial to keep the circulating level of caffeine high throughout and increase his perceived energy levels, especially during the night when he was fighting sleep.
How Chris hit his numbers
Here's everything that Chris ate and drank on the day...
Chris' weapons of choice
Final thoughts
PF&HChris' full stats
Data Confidence?
There is low confidence in the accuracy of the numbers reported. The intake reflects a rough guide to what an athlete consumed but quantities volumes or specific brands might be unknown. It is a loose insight into what the athlete did but the room for error is high-to-very high. This level of confidence most likely reflects the nature of the event (for example an ultramarathon 24 hour or multi-stage event).