IRONMAN® Arizona

For IRONMANⓇ Arizona, Jodie adopted an aggressive fueling strategy designed to maximise carbohydrate availability throughout the race. Her primary carb sources on the bike leg came from two 500ml bottles each containing 90g of Carb Only Drink Mix, and one litre bottle delivering 180g of carbs. To complement this, she consumed one PF 30 Chew per hour over the bike, to give her a solid fuel source in addition to the drink mix. This approach ensured that Jodie maintained an exceptionally high carb intake on the bike, averaging well above 120g per hour. This placed her at the upper end of recommended fueling rates for long-course triathlon and would have supported sustained energy availability, stable blood glucose levels, and delayed fatigue during one of the most demanding phases of the race.

However, this high intake was not maintained once she reached the run leg. Although her plan was to continue consuming PF 30 Gels, she struggled to ingest these after the first 10km and was unable to meet her target intake. From this point onward, she relied primarily on coke from aid stations as her main carb source, providing quick-acting sugar but at a far lower rate of carbohydrate delivery than planned. This reduction in fueling during the run likely reflects Jodie’s background in short-course triathlon, where such high carbohydrate intake is not required and the gastrointestinal strain is significantly lower. Furthermore, as this was her first full-distance IRONMANⓇ, she had limited experience tolerating high carb intakes deep into an endurance event lasting more than 5 hours. As a result, the gap between her planned and actual fueling during the run highlights the unique physiological and practical challenges of long-course racing, especially for athletes transitioning from shorter formats.

During the bike leg, Jodie consumed PH 1000 from her bottles alongside plain water from her aero bottle and aid stations. This combination allowed her to meet both her fluid and sodium needs in the dry Arizona conditions, where the relative sodium concentration of her intake remained closely aligned with her anticipated sweat sodium losses. This balance likely contributed to her strong performance and stability during the early phases of the race.

On the run, Jodie shifted to a simpler hydration approach, relying on water from aid stations paired with Electrolyte Capsules to maintain regular sodium intake. While this strategy provided some ongoing electrolyte replacement, it required consistent consumption, something that became more challenging as the marathon progressed and her overall ability to take on fluids and electrolytes declined alongside her reduced carbohydrate intake. Following the race, Jodie required medical support and was taken to the medical tent with symptoms of dehydration, ultimately receiving an IV. Although her bike hydration strategy closely matched her needs, the large shift in her intake on the run appears to have played a role in her post-race condition.

Jodie’s caffeine strategy involved taking one 200mg caffeine tablet pre-race, followed by two additional tablets during the bike leg. This resulted in a total intake of 600mg of caffeine, which significantly exceeds commonly recommended guidelines for endurance events (typically 3–6 mg/kg). While caffeine can be performance-enhancing when used appropriately, consuming it in such high, concentrated doses increases the likelihood of gastrointestinal distress, particularly during long-duration exercise. It is therefore plausible that Jodie’s above-recommended caffeine intake contributed to the GI issues she experienced on the run, further compounding her challenges with maintaining adequate fueling.