Chadley James' scorecard
IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship
Saturday 18th September, 2021
Within recommended ranges
Just outside recommended ranges
Significantly outside recommended ranges
59g
Carb per hour
186mg
Sodium per hour
498ml
Fluid per hour
373mg/L
Relative sodium concentration
0mg
Total caffeine
How Chadley hit those numbers
500ml x PH 1500 (Tablets)
1 x Oats with granola, honey and banana
1 x Black coffee
1 x PF 30 Energy Gel
*** Tip: For sea swims, put a bottle of water at T1 to rinse your mouth out
300ml x PH 1500 (Tablets)
500ml x PF 30 Energy Drink Mix
5 x PF 30 Energy Gel
500ml x Plain water
250ml x Additional fluid in mixed drinks
3 x PF 30 Energy Gel
1L x Plain water
How Chadley's hydration and fueling went...
- After straining his hip abductor in the week before the race, Chadley said he was “disappointed he couldn’t go as hard as he would have wanted”. However, he understandably didn’t want to pull out of the World Champs and pushed through, finishing in a time of 5 hours and 7 minutes
Hydration
- The relative sodium concentration of Chadley’s intake on race day was ~373mg/L. We don’t know Chadley’s exact sweat sodium concentration as he is yet to have an Advanced Sweat Test but he has completed an online Sweat Test which indicated that he is a very 'salty sweater'
- Therefore, ~373mg/L is a low concentration for a 'salty sweater' and we would recommend he increases his sodium intake up from the 186mg per hour he managed in this race, especially in hotter conditions. One reason for his low sodium intake was because he didn’t finish his PH 1500 drink as a result of the stormy conditions on the bike leg and he understandably prioritised safety
- However, he didn’t take any sodium during the run and so he could consider using Electrolyte Capsules to take in, alongside the water he picks up at aid stations, to help increase his sodium intake
- Despite the poor weather conditions during the bike leg, Chadley was able to drink ~2.55L (~86oz) in total. He peed twice during the race, once on the bike and once on the run, suggesting he hydrated adequately
- He did experience some cramping early on when exiting the water which led him to stop and stretch but we don’t attribute this to his fueling or hydration status given the timing and his good pre-race practices
Fueling
Quick Carb Calculator Recommendation
30g
carb 30 mins before
60-90g
carb per hour during
- Chadley enjoyed an excellent pre-race breakfast consisting of oats with granola, honey and banana, a black coffee and a PH 1500 tablet in 500ml (16oz) water (textbook per our preloading protocols). He also took a PF 30 gel just prior to the race start; alongside his carb rich breakfast this will have made sure his fuel stores were well topped up before the starting gun went off
- For a race of this duration and intensity, the Quick Carb Calculator recommended that Chadley consume between 60-90g of carb per hour. Chadley consumed ~59g/hr - just below the recommended range but still a decent amount which he believed was “enough”, saying he “felt strong”
- This was made up of a higher ~67g/hr on the bike and ~54g/hr on the run; this slight tapering in consumption is common in races of this length as triathletes often prefer to ‘front load’ their carb intake when it’s easier to get fuel on board during the bike leg
- Having said that, Chadley could consider undergoing some gut training in order to increase his carb intake towards the higher end of the range as evidence suggests this to be beneficial for performance and recovery, as long as this can be achieved without any gastrointestinal issues
- Chadley experienced no GI issues during this race, rating his GI comfort as 10 out of 10, where 10 is no discomfort all day. He also mentioned that his energy levels were ‘pretty good’ at around an 8 or 9 out of 10 (10 being great energy all day)
Conclusions
- Overall, Chadley enjoyed his race at the World Champs despite the slight injury he picked up in the week prior to the race. His pre-race nutrition was excellent, fueling well and preloading to make sure he started the race well hydrated
- His carb intake was decent but could be increased further to push towards the higher end of our recommended range to aid performance, if this can be sustained while avoiding GI issues. Chadley could also look to increase his sodium intake especially when race conditions are hot, especially as evidence would suggest he is likely to be a 'salty sweater'
Key info
Chadley James
Male
Result
Position
130th
Overall Time
5:07:43
Swim Time
0:35:35
Bike Time
2:43:09
Run Time
1:40:28
Event information
Sport
Triathlon
Discipline
Middle distance
Event
IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship
Location
St George, Utah, USA
Date
18th September, 2021
Website
Swim Distance
1.9km / 1.2mi
Bike Distance
90.1km / 56.0mi
Run Distance
21.1km / 13.1mi
Total Distance
113.1km / 70.3mi
Bike Elevation
835m / 2,740ft
Run Elevation
833m / 2,733ft
Total Elevation
1,668m / 5,472ft
Race conditions
Weather Conditions
Hot
Precipitation
Rain
Min Temp
20°C / 68°F
Max Temp
30°C / 86°F
Avg Temp
25°C / 77°F
Humidity
45%
Athlete feedback
Race Satisfaction
10/10
Hydration rating
7/10
Energy levels
8/10
Toilet stops
Yes
Twice, once on the bike and once on the run
GI comfort
10/10
Cramping
Severe cramps that caused me to stop before I could continue
Chadley's Thoughts
Disappointed I couldn’t go as hard as he would have wanted but beautiful location, crowd and volunteers. Nothing to complain about
Chadley's full stats
| Carbohydrate (g) | Sodium (mg) | Fluid (ml) | Caffeine (mg) | Relative sodium concentration (mg/L) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | |||||
| Total intake | 301 | 950 | 2,550 | 0 | 373 |
| Per hour | 59 | 186 | 498 | 0 | |
| Bike and Run | |||||
| Total intake | 271 | 950 | 2,550 | 0 | 373 |
| Per hour | 62 | 217 | 582 | 0 | |
| Bike | |||||
| Total intake | 181 | 950 | 1,550 | 0 | 613 |
| Per hour | 67 | 350 | 571 | 0 | |
| Run | |||||
| Total intake | 90 | 0 | 1,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Per hour | 54 | 0 | 600 | 0 | |
Data Confidence
1
2
3
4
5
There is an adequate level of accuracy in the data collected and the numbers reported. The athlete manages to recall what they ate and drank including most specifics (brands flavours quantities plausible estimations of volumes). However there are estimations made within the data which affect the overall confidence level in the data reported.