Javelina Jundred

Of Lauren’s races that we’ve analysed, this was the second 100-mile event that she’s completed with the support of our Sport Science Team. The convenient race layout of five ~20 mile loops in Arizona meant Lauren was able to stay more on top of her fueling than she was at Western States 100 and was able to increase her carbohydrate intake slightly from ~67g/h to ~74g/h. Despite only just meeting the recommendations, Lauren managed her energy levels far better by sticking to a consistent fueling strategy, and she only suffered a slight dip in energy on Loop 3. She reached for a combination of sports nutrition products including Gels, Drink Mixes and some soft drinks to combat both flavour fatigue and manage her stomach comfort.

Cooling strategies: Lauren doesn’t feel as if higher temperatures negatively affect her performance. A smaller body size, similar to Lauren’s will usually have a larger surface-area-to-mass ratio, which aids in heat dissipation by allowing more efficient release of heat through the skin surface. Additionally, being an elite-level ultra runner, the relatively higher (compared to the average person) volume of muscle mass versus fat mass that Lauren exhibits helps her retain less heat, as body fat would otherwise act as an insulator. Surprisingly, Lauren felt the effect of heat more so in this race than she expected, but proactively exercised some key cooling strategies to keep her core body temperature in check, and prevent the onset of heat exhaustion. She did this by regularly replenishing her ice bandanas and holding ice in her mouth where possible, which increased her body’s ability to transfer heat internally, thus helping her to manage her core temperature and reduce her perception of heat.

Sodium: With a sweat sodium concentration slightly above the average determined by our testing, Lauren’s intake during the Javelina Jundred fell short of her body’s individual needs. Post-race she recalled experiencing some bloating, dizziness and discomfort during the third lap, likely a result of the lack of sodium she took on, which made it more difficult for her body to absorb the fluid she was consuming. It was here that she reached for her Electrolyte Capsules from her pack and grabbed a couple more from the on course aid station to rapidly increase her sodium intake. Fortunately, this resolved her issues and she found herself feeling strong again for the final two laps. In future, using a stronger electrolyte concentration in her flasks and pack, either by over-concentrating her drink mix or using PH 1500 should help her better navigate these issues.

Similar to her previous 100 mile race at WSER where she was also exercising for over 15 hours, Lauren’s caffeine intake was significantly above the recommendations. Given her subjective feedback during the race, knowledge of its benefits and lack of unwanted side effects, it’s clear there were no issues with this intake for her.