Ultra X Scotland 50k

Caroline’s story is a remarkable one, as this 50k ultra-marathon wasn’t just her first ultra event but a key milestone in her preparation for an upcoming ascent of Mount Everest. As a deaf-blind athlete, Caroline faces a unique set of logistical and physical challenges, including the need for guides on race day, adding a level of coordination that most runners don’t have to consider. Unfortunately, one of her guides picked up an injury during the race and she was forced to ease back, even though she felt physically strong. Since completing the London marathon earlier this year, she’s focused on training her gut and refining a simple, effective fueling plan. She stuck to her planned carb-load in the days leading up to the race, and consumed a PF 30 Caffeine Gel right before the start. On course, she took one PF 30 Chew per hour and supplemented at aid stations with some real foods. While her overall intake was slightly below the recommended hourly carb intake for a race of this duration, her intensity ended up being lower than she’d planned so it’s likely her energy demands were also reduced. For future events, she should continue to practice taking more fuel while on the move to reduce the reliance on aid stations.

Considering the cooler conditions in the Scottish highlands, Caroline likely replaced most of her fluid losses by carrying a 2L (~64oz) hydration pack mixed with PH 1500 (Tablets) and topping up with cups of water at aid stations. Since she hasn’t had a Sweat Test, it’s tricky to know her exact sodium needs, but her relative sodium concentration on race day was on the higher end, and above the average losses (~991mg/L) we see in athletes, so she may have slightly ‘oversalted’ her drinks. She noted not having to pee at all until near the end, when she suddenly had to go several times in a row, also suggesting there’s room to adjust her fluid and sodium intake. Going forward, it’d be helpful for Caroline to gather some sweat rate data and fine tune her sodium needs with a Sweat Test.

Alongside her morning coffee, Caroline used a caffeinated gel as her final top-up for both carbs and caffeine before hitting the start line. Considering the duration of the event, she’d likely benefit from another dose or two of the stimulant, eliciting its ergogenic benefits to mask fatigue and increase alertness. Practically, she could swap a couple of her PF 30 Chews for PF 30 Caffeine Gels and reach the recommended range of milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight.