Ry'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 energy felt lowest during the hottest part of the day which was to be expected as it involved climbing 3800m (12,470ft) twice, but I had no gastrointestinal discomfort at all. In the weeks leading up to the race I had been suffering with a parasite which meant I couldn’t eat any proper meals until Wednesday, with the race on Saturday, so I’m happy with my energy considering this."
Ry averaged ~83g of carb per hour during this race, with a good mixture of satiating ‘real foods’ and highly concentrated and impactful sports fuels. Ry had bagged up enough PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix to mix an impressive ~7.5L (264oz) of it during this run. When looking to carry your own fuel for a long race, something in a powdered format is both the lightest and most compact way to do it - especially when you know there’s plenty of access to plain water on the course.
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 becomes especially crucial when it's hot and/or humid.
Learn moreT - 60mins: Drank ~500ml of strong electrolyte drink
"I did get a slight twinge in my adductors but never full on cramps. I peed maybe four times during the first six hours but then didn’t at all for the last twelve."
Ry mentioned peeing frequently at the start of the race and then conserving more fluid during the final 12 hours. Frequent peeing during the first six hours suggests Ry was slightly overcompensating for his sweat losses during this cooler part of the day, while his fluid intake potentially would’ve needed to increase somewhat during the hotter period later on to match his increased sweat rate.
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
Ry chooses not to use specifically caffeinated products during his events. While he did still gain some of the ergogenic benefits via the 1.5L (48oz) of Cola that he drank, it may be worth considering trialling the use of more potent caffeine sources in his training ahead of his next ultra event, where we would typically see athletes up towards the high end of general recommendations for maximal benefit.
How Ry hit his numbers
Here's everything that Ry ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“While this was my best result in a big race in quite a while, there’s always things to improve upon for next time.”
“Ry did well to execute his fueling and hydration strategy throughout the infamous Leadville Trail 100, at which 56% of the runners did not finish. Going forwards, it’s worth him considering the changing temperatures when designing his hydration strategy, but continuing to nail his fueling as he did here.”
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 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.