Maverick Jurassic Coast Ultra

Similarly to his previous race strategy, Andy opted not to consume anything in the final 30 minutes before the race start. Whilst some athletes follow the advice of taking in 30g of carbs within this window, it ultimately comes down to personal preference. Andy carried twelve PF 30 Gels, evenly distributing them between two 500ml bottles with a small amount of water mixed in. This fueling strategy once again proved effective, enabling him to sustain an average intake of ~85g of carbohydrate per hour, slightly lower than the ~89g/h he achieved the previous week, but still enough to maintain his energy levels until the very end.

The day started mild but temperatures heated up as the race progressed. Andy averaged ~642ml of fluid per hour but ran low towards the end, feeling particularly dehydrated in the last 45 minutes. This coincided with gut issues and nausea, likely exacerbated by dehydration. Compared to his previous race, Andy took nine Electrolyte Capsules (instead of four), in the hopes it would keep him from experiencing calf and hip adductor cramping, which he had been suffering from. While electrolyte supplementation can help manage cramping short-term, consuming Electrolyte Capsules with minimal water may have intensified his thirst by raising his intake’s relative sodium concentration to ~1,667mg/L - significantly higher than the 1,102mg/L from his previous race and almost double his sweat sodium concentration (859mg/L). Given his reported thirst and sickness, he may have ‘over salted’ and underconsumed fluids relative to his losses.

Andy took one 200mg caffeine tablet before the race and two more during, aligning with the scientifically recommended dosage for performance benefits.