IRONMAN 70.3® World Championship

Despite his perception, Chadley’s average carb intake of 59g/h was below the scientific recommendations for a race of this distance and duration. There’s clear scientific evidence suggesting a strong relationship between higher carb intakes and enhanced performance and recovery, if it can be achieved whilst avoiding GI issues. So, it’s worth Chadley working on training his gut to tolerate more carbs to see if he can reap the benefits on race day.

Given that Chadley reports being a very salty sweater, his intake of ~373mg of sodium per litre of fluid during this race, was likely insufficient. He may want to consider getting a Sweat Test to help him dial in his numbers, and we’d recommend increasing his sodium intake in future races, especially those in hotter conditions where his sweat losses will be amplified. Given that the stormy conditions meant he wanted to focus on safety and his bike handling, Chadley didn’t finish his bottle of PH 1500 during the bike leg, contributing to the lower than ideal sodium intake. He could also consider using Electrolyte Capsules on the run to supplement the water he picks up to better support his sweat sodium losses and increase his sodium intake, and potentially reduce the likelihood of suffering from cramping in future races, like he did here.