Eli Hemming
OCC by UTMB
Chamonix1st, MPROEli's headline numbers
Eli's strategy
Fueling
T - 1-4hrs: Ate a carb rich meal (Low in fat & fibre)
T - 15mins: Took in a final dose of carb
"I felt great for most of the race up to the last check-point at La Flégère, but the heat really impacted my energy after that."
With no external assistance allowed at checkpoints, Eli chose to carry all of his fuel right from the start of the race. He practised his plan ahead of the race, training his gut to tolerate the recommended ~90g/h of carbs and was able to mostly stick to this on race day. He used a combination of PF 300 Flow Gel and PF 30 Gels successfully without any GI issues. He even noted after the race how comfortable the products felt on his stomach and since he was used to them in training (gut training, he was determined to stick to them for the race rather than picking up additional or different products from the on-course aid stations.
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.
Eli560mg/L
Eli has been Sweat Tested to dial in his hydration plan
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 Eli's losses are on the low side, getting his hydration strategy right is still crucial when it's hot and/or humid as his higher sweat rate in these conditions can result in significant net losses over the duration of a race.
Learn moreDrinking a strong electrolyte drink before the race could have helped Eli start optimally hydrated
"I felt like I was drinking quite a bit, probably the most I'd drank in a race before. I could probably have drank even more given how much I was sweating."
Eli started with one flask of PH 1000 which he aimed to consume before the first checkpoint at ~7.6 km, before refilling his soft flask and adding another PH 1000 (Drink Mix) sachet, as he continued to do at each of the next four check-points. This ensured he was consuming his goal fluid intake of ~700 ml/h, replacing most of his estimated sweat losses. In addition to the electrolytes he consumed in his soft flasks, Eli also had two Electrolyte Capsules to pair with the plain water he consumed and make sure his relative sodium concentration stayed on track with his plan. Eli mentioned that he experienced some cramping towards the last check-point, but thought this was more related to heat and potentially some overexertion on the last climb than his hydration strategy. Still, picking up some additional fluid at aid stations may help to overcome some of the heat stress that he experienced, and having a couple of additional Electrolyte Capsules to increase his overall sodium intake could be useful to attempt to mitigate against this cramping in future races.
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.
T - 0-4hrs: Had a final hit of caffeine
Eli is familiar with and comfortable using caffeine in his racing to support his performance. He pre-caffeinated with a PF 30 Caffeine Gel just before heading to the start line, and took two further Caffeine Gels during the race to maintain a consistent circulating concentration of the stimulant in his bloodstream. His overall intake fell within the guidelines to reap the ergogenic benefits and likely supported his energy levels during such a demanding race.
How Eli hit his numbers
Here's everything that Eli ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“I'm really happy with my fuel and hydration plan for the race and stoked to take the win!”
“After discussing his race nutrition strategy with the PF&H Sports Science Team, Eli followed the plan to perfection. He did well to push through some difficult patches where he experienced some heat stress, and stuck it out to the finish line to take the win at OCC. Considering he easily tolerated ~87g/h, he could look to increase this carb intake slightly to support his performance in future races, as well as carry a couple of spare Electrolyte Capsules to help mitigate against cramping.”
PF&HEli's full stats
Data Confidence
We rate each of our case studies from 1-5 based on the level of accuracy, and our confidence in the data.
There is good confidence in the accuracy of the data reported. An athlete feels that the numbers closely reflect what they consumed despite a couple of estimations which may carry some degree of error. The majority of what was consumed is recorded to a high level of specificity (most volumes are known through the use of bottles brands quantities flavours). The numbers are very plausible and align with previous data recordings (if an athlete has collected data previously).