• Emma continued her strong run of performances in 2023 by finishing fourth at the PTO European Open, a race that saw all of the top 10 ranked female triathletes in the world go head to head
• The week before the PTO race, Emma dominated the World Duathlon Championships and took her third world title in this discipline. So it was safe to say her confidence was sky high as race day approached
• Unfortunately, mechanics servicing her bike pre-race accidentally ripped the bladder which forms the integrated hydration system on her bike, rendering it useless. Ever the professional, Emma dealt with this the best way she could and adapted her plan to carry her fuel and hydration

Hydration

• Before the race, Emma preloaded like she normally does with a PH 1500 (Tablet) in 500ml (16oz) water. This increased her general cardiovascular function and her capacity to dissipate heat. Emma expected temperatures to be high, so this was essential preparation
• Shortly before the race Emma realised her integrated bike hydration system had a rip in it, and she couldn’t rely on it for her in-race fluids. Instinctively, knowing her numbers like she does, Emma was able to prepare a back up plan before the race started
• This plan involved an aero water bottle (750ml / 24oz) with 60g of carbohydrate drink mix and a PH 1500 (Drink Mix) packet, giving her ~75g of carb and 750mg of sodium
• She then picked up small amounts of water regularly from the on-course aid station, totalling ~600ml (20oz) of plain water throughout the 80km (50 mile) bike ride. This meant Emma’s drinks had an average relative sodium concentration of ~615mg per litre (mg/32oz). This is similar to the concentration of sodium in her sweat (714mg/L), so likely replaced a good proportion of her sweat losses
• On the run, temperatures had risen to ~23℃ (73℉), and Emma felt quite thirsty so relied heavily on picking up cups of water from the on course aid station, which she passed six times throughout the 18km run
• In all, Emma picked up ~360ml of plain water throughout the run, and still felt very dehydrated at the end. She mentioned it took a long time to produce a sample for drug testing after the race, further suggesting how dehydrated she was
• The adversity Emma faced during the race, and her composure to adapt her strategy on the fly is admirable in the heat of racing, where being rational and making accurate decisions is often difficult. Of course, we’d never wish for her integrated hydration to rip in the future, but in case it does, she may want to consider taking an extra bottle on her bike. Having the extra fluid will remove her reliance on the on-course aid stations and keep her fluid intake high to reduce the degree of dehydration

Fueling

Conclusions

• Emma was stoked to finish fourth against some of the fastest triathletes on the planet, especially after overcoming both nutritional and physiological adversity throughout the race
• Having raced several times whilst on her period, Emma recalled the debilitating energy lows and negative mood, which she managed to push through and still perform exceptionally well
• Going forwards, Emma should look to continue increasing her carb intake by training her gut which will help her maintain stable energy levels and help prevent the energy drops