Ry Webb
Lakes in a Day
Lake District1stRy's headline numbers
Ry's strategy
Fueling
T - 1-4hrs: Ate a carb rich meal (Low in fat & fibre)
Ry would benefit from taking in a final dose of carb <30 minutes before
"My stomach started feeling off around 6.5 hours in and I ended up being sick. Not ideal, but it actually helped settle things, and I was able to get back to fueling gradually and push through to the finish."
Ry opted not to take 30g of carbs in the final 30 minutes before the race, but he started fueling early on, taking his first gel within 15-20 minutes. Relying mainly on an energy drink mix, supplemented with gels and bars, he averaged ~73g of carbs per hour, which is a solid amount for a race of this length, although slightly below the 90g/h recommendation. Around 6.5 hours in, Ry’s stomach began feeling off, and by 7 hours, he vomited ~1L of fluid, likely expelling up to 60g of carbs. This setback cost him 10-15 minutes but didn’t impact his position due to his substantial lead. His quick recovery, lack of total aversion to food and fluids, and ability to resume fueling suggest the sickness may have stemmed from an overload of carb-rich fluid. To prevent this in the future, he could decouple his fuel and hydration, giving him greater control over the three levers and allowing for more precise adjustments based on his needs.
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.
Ry1228mg/L
Ry 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 Ry's losses are High (1,228mg/L), nailing his hydration strategy remains important, even when it's Mild.
Learn moreDrinking a strong electrolyte drink before the race could have helped Ry start optimally hydrated
"I was definitely craving plain water after throwing up."
Ry averaged just under 500ml of fluid per hour, but signs of dehydration emerged as the race progressed. In the first hour and 45 minutes, he consumed ~750ml of fluid. After refilling at a checkpoint, he then stretched 1L across the next four hours, leaving him with minimal fluid intake over a long period of running. By the 4-hour 20-minute mark, he experienced dark urine, a common indicator of dehydration. After vomiting, he felt thirsty at checkpoints and relied heavily on energy drink mix with very little plain water. This imbalance may have contributed to his stomach issues, as an excess of carb-rich fluid can be difficult to digest over prolonged efforts. Ry is a salty sweater with a sweat sodium concentration of 1228mg/L and therefore is someone who needs to be mindful of staying on top of his sodium losses during periods of prolonged sweating, especially if the conditions are warm. Ry over did this aspect of his nutrition, consistently taking salt capsules alongside his fluids. He could have slightly reduced his sodium intake to better align with his lower sweat sodium concentration and low fluid consumption. Moving forward, Ry should focus on reducing his salt capsule intake while increasing his plain water consumption. When thirsty, he should prioritize water over carb-heavy fluids to maintain a better balance and support optimal hydration.
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.
Consuming caffeine in the hours before the start may have increased perceived energy levels
Ry chose to avoid caffeine for this race, with his only intake coming from a small amount of cola. In future races, he could consider incorporating it more strategically to take advantage of its performance-enhancing effects.
How Ry hit his numbers
Here's everything that Ry ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“I’m happy with the win and the time I ran. I felt strong for most of the race, though the sickness was a setback. There’s definitely some fine-tuning to do with my fueling and hydration strategy for next time.”
“Ry delivered an outstanding performance at Lakes in a Day, securing a dominant win by finishing 35 minutes ahead of second place. We’re looking forward to working with him to fine-tune his race nutrition strategy, including an increase in carb and water consumption, as well as gut training to help prevent GI issues and optimize his performance in future races. ”
PF&HRy'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 good confidence in the accuracy of the data reported. An athlete feels that the numbers closely reflect what they consumed despite a couple of estimations which may carry some degree of error. The majority of what was consumed is recorded to a high level of specificity (most volumes are known through the use of bottles brands quantities flavours). The numbers are very plausible and align with previous data recordings (if an athlete has collected data previously).