South Devon Ultra

Nick told us he struggles to eat a lot before races, so to minimise stomach issues, he opted for a lighter breakfast. As the general recommendation for pre-race fueling is 1-4g of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight in the 1-4 hours before, he may benefit from trying a carb-based energy drink, like the PF Carb Only Drink Mix, to get carbs on board as many athletes with nervous stomachs find it easier to consume fluids than solid foods on racing morning. This could help him better top up his glycogen stores while still avoiding gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort. A practical approach would be to gradually increase his carbohydrate intake before some race simulation sessions in training to train his gut. In contrast to his friend David Beard, who used energy bars to fuel his race, Nick primarily sourced his carbs from energy gels and a small proportion from the PH 1000 (Drink Mix). Moving forward, he could look to increase his carb intake and push towards the higher end of the recommendations for a race of this duration and intensity.

Subjectively, Nick feels he has a moderate sweat rate and given the mild race conditions (8℃ / 46°F), his sweat rate wouldn’t have been especially high, therefore drinking just over 500ml/h was likely a sensible intake to replace a good proportion of his fluid losses. Maintaining good hydration during an endurance event is crucial for aiding thermoregulation and optimising gut absorption, both of which play a key role in minimising GI issues. Once Nick undergoes a Sweat Test to determine his sweat sodium concentration, he can fine-tune his sodium and fluid replacement more precisely for future races.

For a five-hour race, ‘topping up’ his caffeine intake during the run was a smart strategy because the stimulatory effects begin to diminish after approximately four hours. However, individual tolerance, sensitivity, and experience can lead to variations in how long the effects last. Given that Nick weighs ~70kg, his recommended caffeine intake falls between 210-630mg. During the race, he consumed a solid dose of ~283mg (4.04mg/kg), which, combined with his pre-race coffee, would have helped to enhance his alertness and delay the onset of mental, and possibly even physical fatigue.