Jonny Tye
Jurassic Coast Challenge
Weymouth4th, M30-34Jonny's headline numbers
Jonny's strategy
Fueling
T - 1-4hrs: Ate a carb rich meal (Low in fat & fibre)
T - 15mins: Took in a final dose of carb
"Across the three-day race, I felt my energy levels were good and remained consistent, but I think I would have benefited from completing more training in preparation. My legs felt shot after each day but other than that I felt golden."
Jonny used a variety of carbohydrate forms, including PF 30 Gels, PF 30 Caffeine Gels, PF 90 Gels and PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix. He also included an energy bar in his strategy on day two for a change in texture. Overall, Jonny managed to consume an impressive ~1700g of carb over the ~17 hours he was on the move, and this consistent fueling contributed to his well-perceived energy levels. Great job, Jonny!
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.
Jonny1300mg/L
Jonny 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.
Given Jonny's losses are High (1,300mg/L), nailing his hydration strategy remains important, even when it's Cold.
Learn moreT - 60mins: Drank ~500ml of strong electrolyte drink
"Overall, I felt that my hydration strategy was good. On day one there was a point in the middle when I went 40 mins without fluids and had to shotgun a soft flask at my next refill. However, after this, I made sure my support team was aware and they jumped in with drinks more frequently. As soon as I increased my fluids I felt better again."
Jonny recognises the importance of hydration during exercise, and this was no exception. He was able to consume ~4.5L of fluid per day, totaling just under ~14L of fluid across the three-day race. Although the nature of the race meant that Jonny wasn't able to carry enough fluid for the entire duration, he was fortunate to have a crew topping him up regularly at points along the course. Additionally, he successfully pre-loaded each day before the start to make sure he maintained his fluid balance and was ready for the huge task at hand the next day.
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
Despite Jonny’s caffeine rating being amber, the duration of this event lends itself to a higher-than-normal total caffeine intake; however, his daily caffeine consumption sat comfortably within the recommendations at ~5.2mg/kg to induce the ergogenic benefits associated with caffeine during endurance exercise. This likely contributed to Jonny’s high perceived energy levels and supported his performance across the race, particularly as he accumulated fatigue.
How Jonny hit his numbers
Here's everything that Jonny ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“It would’ve been a 10 out of 10 if my left hip flexor didn't feel broken due to a slip in the mud on the last day and if there was an actual spa and not just a Spa shop… but that's a story for another day. Regardless, both the hip and Kevin the Cankle are now on the mend and that was truly epic!”
“Considering Jonny’s rather prolonged taper and busy schedule ahead of the race, he did a standup job not only completing such an enduring ultra, but also managing to finish fourth overall (ahead of both Brad and Dave… bragging rights I’d say, even if it was only by a few seconds). The PF&H team had a great time supporting the guys across the weekend and welcoming them at the finish, ready for sweaty (and salty) hugs!”
PF&HJonny'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 a high level of confidence in the accuracy in the data. The numbers presented are believed to be a very close reflection of reality. There may still be one or two estimations made in the data (an inescapable part of field data) but there is reason to believe that these are accurate and that possible error has been kept to a minimum. It is data that has been collected and recalled as accurately as is possible given the uncontrolled settings/circumstances.