Lars' headline numbers
Lars' strategy
Fueling
T - 1-4hrs: Ate a carb rich meal (Low in fat & fibre)
T - 15mins: Took in a final dose of carb
"I’m very pleased with the quantity of carbs that I managed to consume. "
Lars surpassed the current recommended carb intake of 90g/h for a race of this duration and intensity, averaging ~116g/h. We are seeing more and more elite athletes consume over 90g/h, as research has found a positive correlation between carbohydrate intake and performance. Consuming this quantity of carbs does have its drawbacks, and Lars’ stomach comfort was far from perfect. It’s worth remembering that he still raced very well, clocking the second fastest amateur time of the day, but with some more gut training, Lars would hopefully suffer less GI issues, allowing his performance to improve further.
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.
Lars655mg/L
Lars has been Sweat Tested to dial in his 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 Lars'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 moreT - 60mins: Drank ~500ml of strong electrolyte drink
"My hydration strategy went well, other than feeling full from drinking whilst running and a bit of bloating post-race. "
Lars executed a largely different hydration strategy to his previous IRONMAN in Kona. After suffering with some vomiting problems on the bike in Hawaii, it was vital that Lars altered not only his fueling strategy but also his hydration because Roth was quite a bit cooler and less humid than Hawaii. Going into the run, Lars felt well hydrated. However, he did over-consume sodium, which likely played a part in the bloating and stomach discomfort that he suffered. In future, picking up more water from the aid stations will help dilute the excessively high relative sodium concentration that he hit in this race.
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
Lars consumed the majority of his caffeine during the run leg. As it takes around 45-60 minutes for caffeine to peak in the bloodstream, he could consider moving more of his doses to earlier in the race, allowing him to reap the stimulant’s performance benefits for longer.
How Lars hit his numbers
Here's everything that Lars ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“I'm really happy with the time and the result, and happy that I got the nutrition so on point, especially after Hawaii. ”
“Lars secured a brilliant first place position in his age group at Challenge Roth. He was particularly happy with his swim and looks forward to carrying this speed in the water to his next race. By continuing to train his gut, as well as reducing the relative sodium concentration he is consuming, Lars would likely suffer less stomach discomfort, allowing him to focus on pushing his performance to the next level. ”
PF&HLars' 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.