Louise Small
Rotterdam Marathon
RotterdamIndividualLouise's headline numbers
Louise's strategy
Fueling
A carb rich meal (low in fat & fibre) ~1-4 hours before would help Louise start optimally fueled
T - 15mins: Took in a final dose of carb
"I was really pleased that my energy levels were high throughout the whole race and I didn't experience any dips or issues with it!"
Louise successfully carb-loaded ahead of the race by increasing the proportion of carb-rich foods in the days prior to ensure her glycogen stores were saturated. During the race, Louise took on fuel by consuming PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix and two PF 30 Gels plus some flat cola to round it off. Despite averaging ~65g of carb per hour (below the Fuel & Hydration Planner's general recommendations), this was the highest carb intake Louise has ever fueled with during a marathon and helped maintain her perceived energy levels. This will have improved her ability to process and digest both glucose and fructose in the gut so that when racing hard, she is comfortably able to tolerate the additional carb in her stomach.
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.
T - 60mins: Drank ~500ml of strong electrolyte drink
"I was happy with my hydration strategy but getting a slightly better idea of what I’m losing in future will be a good idea!"
Louise decided to create her own electrolyte mix (consisting of some salt mixed with squash) which she drank on the morning of the race.This became her preferred strategy after having stomach problems when using some effervescent electrolyte products previously. After experiencing some issues with her stomach when previously using effervescent electrolyte products, Louise knew her own tried and tested method was safest for this race. However, it is important to note that table salt (NaCl) is actually only ~39% sodium so it would not contribute to [preloading]() in the same way a strong electrolyte drink would. Going forward, we would recommend Louise trials something without unnecessary flavourings (which may have caused her prior stomach upset) but with a precise, highly concentrated dose like the PH 1500 (Packets) to ensure she starts optimally hydrated. During the race, Louise maintained her hydration levels by consuming PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix, some cola and a little bit of water, which was sufficient to ensure she replaced a good proportion of her sweat losses and avoided any dehydration related performance issues. Going forward, having a Sweat Test and performing some sweat rate testing would enable Louise to set more specific hydration targets to incorporate into her strategy.
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
After some negative experiences with other caffeine-related products, Louise decided for this race to have a cup of tea and some caffeinated chewing gum before the start. However, consuming caffeine *during* hard efforts is something she plans to experiment with ahead of her next race to reap the performance benefits associated with it and keep her energy levels up.
How Louise hit her numbers
Here's everything that Louise ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“DREAM RACE! I was aiming for 2:33 and felt fantastic the whole way through.”
“Louise approached the 2023 Rotterdam Marathon with the goal of running 2:33, and with the help of the PF&H Sports Science team, she focused on training her gut to tolerate more carb, increasing her energy availability whilst limiting any GI discomfort in the build up to and on the day of the event. On the day, she was extremely satisfied to do this and run her way to a personal best. Going forwards, Louise could experiment with a more structured preloading protocol, continue to top up her carbs just before the race start and incorporate some mid-race caffeine to see if this helps her beat the PB she set in Rotterdam”
PF&HLouise'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 some confidence in the quantities and brands of products consumed but the data may lack specifics (e.g. volumes specific flavours). A high number of estimations have been made and the room for error is moderate-high. There may also be the possibility that some intake has been grossly over- or under-estimated.