Ram Party Ultra

Even though Lauren consumed ~385g of carbohydrate across 5 hours of racing, this averages out to be below the recommended 90g/h. Increasing this intake, even just by 10g/h, could be helpful for Lauren’s energy levels and further reduce the risk of bonking. The altitude and intensity may have suppressed her appetite slightly, so having a structured plan will be imperative in order to make sure she can stick to consistent fueling at similar races. During this race, her carb sources came from a mix of products she’d trained with, including some gels and drink mixes. The variety likely helped avoid flavour fatigue through different textures and flavours, another key factor she can take into her next race.

Lauren knew from her Sweat Test that her sweat sodium concentration was moderate, and although race conditions were dry, the elevation and gusty winds increased her risk of fluid losses. She adapted by appropriately preloading with a high concentration of sodium before the race and using a strategic electrolyte plan during the event, relying on a combination of drink mix and electrolyte capsules. Although her sodium intake was sufficient to compensate for her sweat losses, her fluid intake was on the low side and she recognised this post-race, noting she should’ve refilled with fluids more throughout. This combined with missing a planned refill of her bottle meant that the relative concentration of sodium of the fluid she *did* consume was higher than planned. Thankfully, she was able to use some cooling strategies at an aid station to keep her core body temperature in check and prevent any further negative impacts of dehydration.