Eric LiPuma
Quebec Mega Trail 50km
Quebec1stEric's headline numbers
Eric'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 really good for most of the race. During one of the big climbs I slowed down a little but after that I got back into it."
With the help of his extensive gut training, Eric once again consumed over 90 grams of carb per hour in the form of two bottles of PF Carb Only Drink Mix, two PF 90 Gels and one PF 30 Caffeine Gel. After successfully hitting this intake during recent 100km races, it is no surprise Eric was able to accomplish this yet again whilst experiencing no GI discomfort across a demanding 52km (~32miles) race with 2300m elevation.
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.
Eric1044mg/L
Eric 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 Eric's losses are on the moderate side, getting his hydration strategy right is still important if he wants to perform at his best.
Learn moreDrinking a strong electrolyte drink before the race could have helped Eric start optimally hydrated
"I drank about half a litre per hour except for the last hour where I had maybe a quarter of a litre because I didn’t want to get caught by the athlete in second place! It was very humid and rained for most of the day, and even though it wasn’t overly hot, I think drinking more fluid could have helped."
Eric ‘decoupled’ his hydration strategy from his fueling which allowed him to reduce his fluid intake to suit the milder environmental conditions without impacting his carbohydrate consumption. His average of just under 500ml per hour was likely sufficient to replace his lower than usual sweat losses. Unfortunately, Eric’s sodium intake wasn’t as optimal. He only brought eight Electrolyte Capsules with him and managed to drop two of these in the rain. Within the last 10km (6.2miles) of the race, Eric began to experience twinges of cramp, probably a result of taking in less sodium than his losses. In an attempt to avoid these twinges next time, Eric should take two Electrolyte Capsules per 500ml of water to consume a relative sodium concentration (1000mg/L) more similar to his losses, as well as use PH 1500 instead of PH 1000 to preload with a stronger concentration.
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.
Consuming caffeine in the hours before the start may have increased perceived energy levels
Eric fell short of the caffeine recommendations for endurance performance by having only one PF 30 Caffeine Gel during the race. Depending on his personal tolerance, the small dose may have still helped boost his perceived energy levels, but he should definitely look to increase this caffeine intake both before and during the run to maximise the potential ergogenic effects. Considering he noticed an energy lull on one of the big climbs, it may be useful to strategically place a caffeine dose ahead of challenging climbs.
How Eric hit his numbers
Here's everything that Eric ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“I accomplished both goals of winning and setting the course record on one of the most challenging and diverse 50km courses I’ve ever run, but I would’ve liked to have won by more than 20 seconds! I certainly was not pushing my limit the last 10km or so because I didn’t know how close the second-place runner was. I had a good amount of energy left in the tank that I could have used.”
“Eric had a great performance in Canada to smash the course record. To achieve this he implemented a simple, yet effective fuel and hydration strategy to hit commendable intake numbers. When looking to further refine his strategy next time out, Eric should consume a sodium concentration closer to that of his sweat losses and take in a higher caffeine dose to meet the scientific guidelines.”
PF&HEric'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 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.