Jeanni Metzler
IRONMAN 70.3® World Championship
St George, Utah2nd, FPROJeanni's headline numbers
Jeanni's strategy
Fueling
T - 1-4hrs: Ate a carb rich meal (Low in fat & fibre)
T - 15mins: Took in a final dose of carb
"I felt like my energy was good for most of the day, but it started to drop on the second loop of the run so I took one more gel which helped. "
As recommended, Jeanni increased her carb intake from her previous races successfully, and didn’t experience any GI problems. Interestingly, her run intake was higher than her bike intake, which is opposite to the trend we usually see, with athletes finding it more difficult to consume as much when running due to the increased movement in the gut. But, Jeanni demonstrated the same pattern recently at the Collins Cup, so she is accustomed to this intake method and it worked well for her on the day.
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.
Jeanni1556mg/L
Jeanni has been Sweat Tested to dial in her 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 Jeanni's losses are Very High (1,556mg/L), nailing her hydration strategy becomes especially crucial when it's hot and/or humid.
Learn moreT - 60mins: Drank ~500ml of strong electrolyte drink
"I drank as much as I could, even when the conditions were cooler on the run. "
Jeanni’s sodium and fluid intakes would have replaced a sufficient proportion of what she was losing in these cooler conditions. She did experience a few twinges of cramp during the first few miles of the bike, which is why she took an additional Electrolyte Capsule that helped her push through onto the bike. There are multiple theories for why athletes suffer from cramp, with the ‘Dehydration/Electrolyte Theory’ being one of them. Whether this is to blame for the small amounts of cramp Jeanni felt at the start of the bike is difficult to deduce, but she took appropriate action to try and overcome the issue and had positive results.
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.
Consuming caffeine in the hours before the start may have increased perceived energy levels
Jeanni said she felt like she could have used a bit more caffeine at the end, but considering caffeine takes 45-60 minutes to be noticeable, she would’ve had to take it towards the start of the run to reap the benefits. Being more proactive with her use of the stimulant in the future would be advised, such as incorporating an extra PF 30 Caffeine Gel at the start of the run.
How Jeanni hit her numbers
Here's everything that Jeanni ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“I am getting to a point where my nutrition plan is a place of confidence rather than a stressor. ”
Jeanni“Jeanni had a great race at the World Champs, executing a solid hydration and fueling plan which supported her throughout the race. She successfully increased her carb intake from previous races, without suffering any GI issues. Although Jeanni had mild cramps early on, she overcame it and continued to perform well. Adding an extra dose of caffeine on the run would be another tweak for the future to give her an energy boost at the very end.”
PF&HJeanni's 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 good confidence in the accuracy of the data reported. An athlete feels that the numbers closely reflect what they consumed despite a couple of estimations which may carry some degree of error. The majority of what was consumed is recorded to a high level of specificity (most volumes are known through the use of bottles brands quantities flavours). The numbers are very plausible and align with previous data recordings (if an athlete has collected data previously).