Düsseldorf Marathon

In her two previous marathon attempts, Fine had only taken on a couple of gels during the whole race. This time, with the help of our Sports Science Team, Fine built a more structured, science-backed strategy that she practised in training and executed on race day. By taking a 30g carb dose in the form of a PF 30 Gel every 30 minutes, she met the 60g/h recommendation for a marathon of this duration. Rather than only consuming fuel at various distance markers during the race, the 30-minute intervals provided Fine a consistent stream of carb, keeping her energy levels up throughout. Looking ahead to future races, Fine may benefit from optimising her pre-race fueling, including her carb load in the days before and breakfast on race morning, to meet the scientific guidelines and support an even stronger performance.

After experimenting with different methods and timings of her hydration and fueling in training, Fine settled on using a hydration vest to carry two 350ml soft flasks of plain water. At halfway, she refilled both flasks at an aid station, allowing her to stay self-sufficient while keeping the weight manageable across the 42.2km. Drawing on experience from past marathons, triathlons, and practise during training sessions, she showed good awareness of her sweat losses and how much dehydration she can tolerate, striking a smart balance between carrying enough and avoiding over- or under-drinking. She also used a structured but simple plan for her sodium intake, taking one Electrolyte Capsule every 45 minutes. Combined with her fluid intake, she consumed a relative sodium concentration close to 900mg/L, which proactively met her needs, supported fluid retention and helped her avoid cramping.

Fine began race day with a cup of coffee and then took one PF 30 Caffeine Gel 30 minutes into the marathon. This gave her a total caffeine intake of ~100mg (1.6mg/kg), which is lower than the recommended 3–6mg/kg range for endurance performance. While her use of caffeine was conservative, it was well timed to help maintain alertness throughout the middle of the race. With no negative side effects, Fine may consider experimenting with a higher intake in future races to see if she can maximise the ergogenic benefits of the stimulant, especially in longer events.