Chris Harris
IRONMAN 70.3® Weymouth
Weymouth2nd, M30-34Chris' headline numbers
Chris' strategy
Fueling
T - 1-4hrs: Ate a carb rich meal (Low in fat & fibre)
T - 15mins: Took in a final dose of carb
"I carb-loaded hard the day before as I have found it works well for me. I had no dips in energy during the race, but did take quite a lot on the bike so backed off on the run."
Chris went into race day off a carb load of ~14g/kg, topped up on race morning with half a bowl of rice and honey, half a banana and a PF 30 Gel, then added two PF 30 Caffeine Gels in the half hour before the swim start. Once racing, he averaged ~124g/h of carbohydrate for the day, well past the standard 60-90g/h range and comfortably into high carb intake territory. Almost all of that came on the bike, where he hit ~166g/h from a mix of Caffeine Gel, PF 300 Flow Gel, PH 1000 (Drink Mix) and some Carb Only Drink Mix - a rate right at the top end of what the research on multiple-transportable-carbohydrate sources shows the gut can handle, and he reported no dips in energy at any point. He then backed off sharply on the run, to ~59g/h as he felt he had ample energy. Consuming that much carbohydrate on the bike without any reported ill effects points to some well-established gut training behind the scenes, and easing off for the run was a sensible decision given the higher intensity and increased GI stress when running compared to cycling.
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.
Chris1433mg/L
Chris 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 Chris's losses are Very High (1,433mg/L), nailing his hydration strategy remains important, even when it's Mild.
Learn moreT - 60mins: Drank ~500ml of strong electrolyte drink
"I think I nailed this, as I felt quite cold on the bike but knew I had to drink. I needed to pee as soon as I started the run too, so I think I was well in balance."
With a sweat sodium concentration of 1,433mg/L, Chris sits towards the saltier end of the spectrum, so his sodium strategy has real work to do. His overall relative sodium concentration came out at ~862mg/L, below that 1,433mg/L benchmark, and lowest on the bike at ~833mg/L versus ~938mg/L on the run. Fluid-wise, Chris consumed a moderate volume of PH 1000 and PH 1500 drink mixes, plus plain water from the aid stations on-course, consuming ~680ml/h on average. That was likely a sensible volume for the mild ~16℃ day, even allowing for the humidity. He felt in good balance throughout, needing to pee as soon as the run started, and reported no hydration-related cramping. The clearest gap is the sodium concentration itself, particularly on the bike: nudging that closer to his 1,433mg/L sweat losses, for example with a stronger PH 1500 mix or some added Electrolyte Capsules, would tighten the margin further and matter more on a warmer day.
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
Chris ran a deliberately high caffeine strategy, totalling ~533mg across the race, working out at ~7.30mg/kg which is just above the standard 3-6mg/kg guideline. He front-loaded with a coffee on race morning, followed by two PF 30 Caffeine Gels in the final half hour before the swim. He then kept dosing through the bike and into the run using more caffeine gels. That's a slightly higher dose than we'd typically recommend, but with no reported side effects and a result to match, he's already said he'll use the same approach again. Caffeine tolerance varies a lot between individuals, so Chris honed in his own strategy based on his tolerance.
How Chris hit his numbers
Here's everything that Chris ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“I'm stoked with the result, and to get what I had out of myself. The age group win was a nice bonus, and I think my nutrition strategy is pretty well-refined now, and I'll use the high-caffeine strategy again.”
“Chris's standout was his fuelling: a well-drilled carb strategy that hit very high rates on the bike without a flicker of GI discomfort, and a sensible taper on the run to match the shorter, harder-to-fuel leg. The clearest opportunity for next time is sodium - with sweat losses as high as his, nudging the relative sodium concentration a little closer to that figure, especially on the bike, would add a useful buffer if conditions were warmer. Off the back of a 2nd overall finish and the M30-34 age group win, this is a strategy that's already close to dialled in.”
PF&HChris' 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 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.