Lakeland 100

Sam executed a strong fueling strategy, averaging ~91g of carbohydrate per hour for the 22 hours he was on course, appropriately meeting the current guidelines for an ultra of this intensity and duration. Having experienced some stomach issues during his previous race, Sam refined his approach this time out, relying heavily on PF 90 Gels and PF 30 Chews early on before turning to more real food as the race progressed. Just after the halfway point, Sam felt a noticeable dip in energy and responded by picking up a bowl of beef stew and coffee from an aid station. This gave him a warm, more satisfying meal to break up the flavour fatigue that can build over long hours of fueling primarily from sports nutrition products.

Given the 6pm start time, Sam drank 500ml (~16oz) of PH 1500 in an attempt to start well hydrated. However, the effectiveness of this preload may have been diluted by his relatively high intake of plain water and other low-electrolyte fluids earlier in the day (~2–2.5L). His frequent need to urinate during the race could be explained by this lower sodium intake leading into the event. Sam consumed an average of ~369ml fluid per hour, picking up a fresh 500ml water bottle at aid stations every ~7 miles to enable him to add his own PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix to the fluid. He took in a relative sodium concentration of ~945mg/L to effectively replace his known sodium losses. Alongside this, Sam topped up his sodium intake with Electrolyte Capsules throughout, which he also felt helped him maintain his hydration levels.

Sam’s caffeine strategy was a significant improvement from a previous race where he’d gone slightly overboard. This time his intake totalled ~11mg/kg across the race; though higher than the standard guidelines for exercise (3-6mg/kg), it’s more appropriate for an overnight ultra in order to fight the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Importantly, he timed his caffeine consumption based on perceived energy levels and in an attempt to combat his circadian rhythm. Dosing during the early morning hours helped keep fatigue at bay without causing an energy crash. We'd be keen to hear whether Sam experienced any lingering side effects (like restlessness or poor sleep) post-race, but in terms of timing and impact on performance, his approach this time was spot on.