Andy's headline numbers
Andy'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.
On his way to setting a new Fastest Known Time (FKT) for the Winter West Highland Way, Andy did well to adjust his intake based on the signs his body was providing. With this approach he achieved very close to his target carb intake even having switched to ‘real foods’ for longer than he’d initially planned. Sodium plays an important role in the uptake of glucose from the gut into the bloodstream, which is likely why Andy managed to alleviate his brief nausea by increasing his consumption of sodium with a carb-rich and very salty noodle pot alongside 500ml of PH 1500 (Tablets). Alongside his PF 30 Gels and chews, Andy also looked forward to eating some chocolate bars along the route which provided him with a decent sugar-hit, as well as a morale boost, which can have a significant impact on performance during these ultra-endurance events.
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.
Andy’s understanding of the body’s constant balancing act of fluid and sodium meant he knew exactly which levers to pull, drawing on sodium’s fluid retaining properties when he found himself peeing too often. The most impressive thing about this situation was that despite significant muscular fatigue and sleep deprivation, Andy was still able to clearly relay this message to his crew who were waiting ahead for him. They subsequently prepared exactly what he needed well ahead of his arrival. In future, Andy will certainly adopt a different plan from the start. Drinking a volume which more closely matches his sweat losses at the time should see him through the entire run, rather than having to resort to making significant changes mid-event.
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.
Andy doesn’t consume much caffeine in his day to day life, so hitting the upper end of the scientifically recommended range would almost certainly have given him the ergogenic benefits available. Andy strategically abstained from caffeine until he needed it most to fight his circadian rhythm at night. He then drank energy drinks to boost his focus just before tackling the most technical parts of the trail overnight. He also got ~100mg of caffeine via two very strong cups of tea, and according to Andy, “a cuppa tea fixes everything”.
How Andy hit his numbers
Here's everything that Andy ate and drank on the day...
Andy's weapons of choice
Final thoughts
Andy'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.