Arc of Attrition 50

Amanda tried to stick to her plan of ~60g of carbohydrates per hour, consuming 12 PF 30 Gels and 2L of Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix. However, this still put her below the recommended 90g per hour for a race of this effort level and duration. Under ideal circumstances, she would have undergone gut training ahead of time to make sure she could tolerate ~90g/h during the race. That said, this race was far from ideal, as Amanda had been battling a prolonged illness leading up to the event, which likely impacted her energy levels. She also experienced some GI discomfort until mile 39, where she had to stop briefly to let her stomach settle before being able to push through to the finish. This GI discomfort, part of the lingering illness complications, was certainly a contributor to her lower-than-ideal carb intake from the start of the race.

Without a sweat test to guide her, Amanda tried to estimate her fluid and sodium needs, which can be a bit tricky. She decided to replace around the average amount of sodium lost per litre of fluids, alternating between soft flasks of Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix and plain water, while supplementing with Electrolyte Capsules to help fend off any dehydration related symptoms. Given her past issues with stomach distress, she took a more cautious, experimental approach. This strategy ended up working well and suiting her mild losses on the day, as she felt consistently hydrated in the cooler conditions and while running at a lower intensity. For hotter and/or faster events, we’d recommend some further sweat sodium as well as sweat rate testing to determine her total losses and better understand how much fluid and sodium her body requires to perform at her best.

Other than a pre-race coffee and some cola from an aid station, Amanda didn’t consume any additional caffeine. Given the well-documented performance-enhancing effects, she could refine her strategy to include the stimulant while on the move. Taking a PF 30 Caffeine Gel at the start line, followed by one or two more during the race, could help her reach the recommended 3-6 mg/kg dose, potentially boosting her energy levels, masking fatigue and keeping her moving along the course.