Ultra Loop Track Edition

Our Athlete Support Specialist, James ‘Ricky’ Hatton used a fueling strategy that he’s fine-tuned to his needs and used at some of his previous races. He set off a little faster than anticipated but with his strategy written out for his crew (the PF&H Sport Science Team to follow, he was able to mostly stick to this plan for the first couple of hours. However, due to the increased pace and the humid conditions, Ricky’s fueling tapered off as the race went on and ultimately fell significantly below the recommended carbohydrate intake for a race of this distance and intensity. As a result, his energy levels faded, but fortunately, the team provided a morale boost and pacing support to ensure he reached the six-hour finish point. Ricky can focus a little more on training his gut during higher intensity and warmer sessions so that his carb intake is sufficient to support his performance for the duration of the run no matter the conditions.

Ricky is well-known in the office for his daily energy drink, and this race was no exception. His fluid intake consisted of water, energy drink and PF Carb Only Drink Mix, which he supplemented with PH Electrolyte Capsules. With the sun beating down on the 400m outdoor track, Ricky’s sweat rate was higher than expected, and he struggled to maintain a high enough fluid intake to prevent dehydration. Despite his efforts, his fluid and electrolyte intakes were below the recommended guidelines and as a result, his sweat losses far exceeded his replacements. With accurate pre and post weigh-ins from the Sports Science Team on the ground, Ricky’s measurements revealed he finished 4.7% lighter than he began, so it’s safe to say he was severely dehydrated! A more proactive sodium strategy may have helped in order to more closely match his sweat sodium losses as well as increase his drive to drink in the early stages. He could add some PH 1000 to his PF Carb Only Drink Mix or swap it for some PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix.

Ricky’s caffeine intake was within the scientific recommendations to help him reap the ergogenic benefits of the stimulant, lowering his perception of effort and ideally delaying fatigue. He used PF 30 Caffeine Gels and took sips of energy drink across the race from his Soft Flasks, although he could have benefited from a couple additional PF 30 Caffeine Gels to boost his energy in the latter stages.