Kellie Branagan
IRONMAN 70.3® Swansea
Swansea7th, F30-34Kellie's headline numbers
Kellie'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 didn't feel really energised at the start, and my energy levels dropped off a lot from bike to run. "
Kellie's race morning began with two pancakes alongside 500ml of PH 1000 and a coffee, which she followed up with PF 60 Chew in the final half hour before the start. Once racing, she averaged ~88g/h, sitting right in the 60-90g/h sweet spot for an event of this length and intensity.This total was built from a front-loaded bike leg at ~118g/h (using a combination of PF 300 Flow Gel and a PF 30 Gel that eased back to ~45g/h on the run as a result of some stomach issues. Given the energy drop-off she describes in the run, it's worth testing a slightly flatter split of carbs across disciplines in training, alongside continued gut training, to see whether it protects both comfort and energy late in the race.
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.
Kellie778mg/L
Kellie 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.
Whilst Kellie's losses are on the low side, getting her hydration strategy right is still crucial when it's hot and/or humid as her higher sweat rate in these conditions can result in significant net losses over the duration of a race.
Learn moreDrinking a strong electrolyte drink before the race could have helped Kellie start optimally hydrated
"I felt well-hydrated on the bike and made sure to get enough fluid over my body as well as to drink. On the run, I felt that the aid stations were too far apart so I kept feeling really thirsty."
Racing in hot conditions, Kellie's hydration on the bike was strong: ~1345ml/h, at a relative sodium concentration of ~897mg/L which is slightly above her measured sweat sodium concentration of 778mg/L, and a proactive strategy built around PH 1500 and some of the on-course PH 1000. Kellie’s fluid intake dropped on the run to just ~336ml/h, likely short of her sweat losses, but practical given aid station layout. In future races, carrying a 500ml soft flask of PH 1000 or PH 1500 onto the run that she could refill rather than relying solely on aid-station cups, would be beneficial so her sodium and fluid intake stays closer to her losses.
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
Kellie's caffeine intake came entirely from a single PF 30 Caffeine Gel on the run. That sits well below the commonly cited 3-6mg/kg range associated with improved perceived effort and endurance performance, so there's headroom to bring a second dose into the strategy on the bike (as she had planned to, and assuming no GI issues) if she wants to lean on caffeine's effects for longer.
How Kellie hit her numbers
Here's everything that Kellie ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“Not the perfect day, but pleased with several aspects of it, especially the swim!”
“Kellie finished 7th in hot, demanding conditions with the help of her fuel and hydration plan. Continuing to dial in her pre-race fueling with a more structured carb-load and having a more equal split of fuel from bike to run will help support her stomach comfort and energy across the race.”
PF&HKellie'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 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.