Jason West
CLASH Daytona
Jason's headline numbers
Jason's strategy
Fueling
Carbohydrate is the main fuel you burn when racing. Failing to fuel properly is a leading cause of underperformance in longer races.
With the race logistics of being on the iconic Daytona NASCAR track, Jason switched from his usual PF 30 Gels on the bike to solely using PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix in his hydration system. This ensured he could stay in the aero position for the flat ~80-minute ride, allowing him to maintain his highest speed possible without sacrificing carb intake. Jason consumed all of the fluid in his hydration system, delivering an average hourly intake of 90g/h, exactly what his target was based on the Fuel & Hydration Planner. Heading onto the run in 9th place, Jason knew the pace would be fast so he took a few PF 30 Gels and PF 30 Caffeine Gels to see him run his way onto the podium.
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.
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.
Whilst Jason’s losses are on the low side, getting his hydration strategy right is still crucial when it’s hot and/or humid as his higher sweat rate in these conditions can result in significant net losses over the duration of a race.
Learn moreJason adjusted his preloading routine to suit the later than usual start time by having two 500ml bottles of PH 1500 the day of the race instead of having one the night before. During the race his hydration system had a relative sodium concentration of ~1538mg/L, due to the high volume of PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix he consumed. This is significantly higher than his sweat sodium concentration of just 512mg/L, and although we know it's very difficult to overdose on sodium in this situation, we would still recommend he dials it back a little to be able to consume enough fluid and carb without feeling extra thirsty or bloated from the higher sodium concentration. This high sodium and low fluid intake on the run likely contributed to the thirst he experienced during this part of the race. In future, he could pick up an extra bottle of water on the bike to dilute the sodium concentration and better stay on top of his thirst levels.
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.
With ground to make up on the run, Jason took a PF 30 Gel with him, but didn’t take the caffeinated gel until around four kilometres in. Ideally, he should have taken this sooner as the ergogenic benefits of the stimulant takes ~45 minutes to peak in the bloodstream. By the time he took it, he only had 30 minutes of running left, limiting the stimulant’s potential impact on his performance. A more timely intake next time around could provide him with the necessary boost when he needs it most.
How Jason hit his numbers
Here's everything that Jason ate and drank on the day...
Jason's weapons of choice
Final thoughts
PF&HJason's full stats
Data Confidence?
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.