1st
Leon Chevalier's scorecard
Triathlon de l’Alpe d’Huez
Thursday 28th July, 2022
Within recommended ranges
Just outside recommended ranges
Significantly outside recommended ranges
113g
Carb per hour
1,080mg
Sodium per hour
1,109ml
Fluid per hour
974mg/L
Relative sodium concentration
316mg
Total caffeine
How Leon hit those numbers
1L x PH 1500 (Tablet)
2 x Slices of bread with peanut butter and jam
1 x Mug of Black Tea
1 x PF 30 Caffeine Gel
*** Try to avoid drinking too much at this point in the race!
3.5L x PH 1500 (Drink Mix)
1 x PF 30 Gel
3 x PF 90 Gel
2 x PF 30 Caffeine Gel
2.7L x Plain water
200ml x Cola
1 x Snickers
3 x PH Electrolyte Capsule
3 x PF 30 Gel
1.35L x Plain water
How Leon's hydration and fueling went...
- After taking the silver medal in last year’s edition of this race, Leon made a triumphant return to the top step of the podium by winning the 2022 Alpe d’Huez Triathlon by an impressive 18 minutes
- When comparing his strategy from the 2021 race to this year's, it's clear to see how Leon has developed his fueling and hydration strategy over the last 12 months, not only to increase his performance potential but also to adapt to different environmental conditions
- Bouncing back from a 9th place at his previous race at IM Vitoria-Gasteiz, Leon was very satisfied with this result, saying it “gives me lots of confidence heading to the IRONMAN World Champs in Kona”
Hydration
- Executing his usual pre-race preloading strategy, Leon added two PH 1500 (Tablets) to 1L (32oz) of water, which he sipped on throughout the morning before the race
- Compared to the cooler temperatures Leon experienced at last year's race (average temperature 20°C / 68°F), the 2022 edition saw much higher temperatures, hitting a balmy 31°C / 87.8°F at times
- Having anticipated this, Leon set out onto the hilly bike course with two 1L (32oz) bottles and one 500ml (16oz) bottle of PH 1500 (Drink Mix). Combined with the ~2.05L (~72oz) of plain water and ~200ml (~7oz) of Coca Cola that he picked up from the aid stations, Leon averaged ~1.28L (~43oz) per hour, with a relative sodium concentration of ~1,088mg per litre on the bike
- Leon’s sweat sodium concentration is 1,331mg/L, and so the relative concentration of sodium in his drinks will have replaced a good amount of the sodium he will have lost through sweating
- As temperatures increased on the run, Leon knew it would be essential to maintain this high fluid and sodium intake to maintain his hydration status and continue racing hard
- It’s safe to say he maintained his fluid intake very well, averaging ~1,080ml/h (33oz/h) on the run by grabbing plain water from aid stations. He also took three Electrolyte Capsules along the way to give him an additional 750mg of sodium
- Compared to last year's race, Leon nearly doubled his total sodium intake from ~526mg/h to ~1,080mg/h. He also increased his fluid intake from ~665ml/h (~22oz/h) to ~1,109ml/h (~33oz/h). This can in part be attributed to the greater temperatures causing Leon’s sweat rate to be higher, whilst also being a testament to his rigorous gut training which has allowed him to tolerate a greater fluid intake during racing
- Leon was clinical about tipping water over his head and body at every aid station on the bike and run to keep himself cool, especially as he headed up the iconic 21 switchbacks of Alpe d’Huez where his speed slowed and the cooling effect of wind was diminished
Fueling
Quick Carb Calculator Recommendation
30g
carb 30 mins before
60-90g
carb per hour during
- Similar to last year, Leon was unable to make his usual pre-race banana bread, so instead took a solid amount of carbs through some bread with nutella, jam and peanut butter
- Then around 15 minutes before the gun went off, he took a PF 30 Caffeine Gel to top off his circulating blood glucose and give an additional caffeine boost to reduce his perceived exertion
- During the bike, Leon created his usual carb/sodium mix by putting a PF 90 Gel and two PH 1500 (Drink Mix) sachets into one of his litre (32oz) bottles. He also mixed a PF 90 Gel and three PH 1500 (Drink Mix) sachets into his other litre (32oz) bottle. Leon’s third 500ml (16oz) bottle had another PF 90 Gel and two PH 1500 (Drink Mix) sachets
- Leon enjoys the satisfaction of a small dose of real food on the bike, so chose to take a Snickers bar at around the halfway point. Because the Snickers was partially melted, he chose to take both of his “spare” PF 30 Caffeine Gels. This would have increased his alertness and helped him stay focused as he headed down some technical descents
- Leon’s total carb intake during the bike leg was ~521g, split into ~135g per hour. This carb intake is very high, and whilst we usually observe a “scientific ceiling” of carb absorption at ~120g/h, Leon has tested this thoroughly in training after seeking advice from the PF&H Sports Science team
- During the run, Leon executed his usual strategy of carrying a PF 90 Gel out of the T2 transition area and sipping from it regularly. This helped him average ~72g of carb per hour during the run, and ~113g/h across the whole race, which is the highest we’ve ever seen him average in a race of this duration and intensity
- Whilst this is a higher quantity than we’d typically recommend, Leon is supporting the ever-evolving scientific theory that athletes can absorb greater amounts of carbs with extensive gut training. Furthermore, Leon rated his GI comfort a solid 10 (out of 10), further suggesting that his extensive gut training is paying off
Conclusions
- This race up the infamous Alpe d’Huez was the perfect confidence boost for Leon as he heads into a block of training geared towards the IM World Championships in Kona this October
- Leon crushed both his fueling and hydration strategy, hitting the highest average carb and fluid intake that we’ve seen him achieve to date with no negative implications on his gut comfort, and was rewarded with an emphatic victory against some stiff opposition
Key info
Leon Chevalier
Male
Sweat sodium concentration
1,331mg/L
Sweat sodium classification
Very High
* determined by a PH Advanced Sweat Test
Result
Position
1st
Overall Time
5:41:13
Swim Time
0:44:55
Bike Time
3:52:49
Run Time
1:15:18
Event information
Sport
Triathlon
Discipline
Middle distance
Event
Triathlon de l’Alpe d’Huez
Location
Alpe d’Huez, France
Date
28th July, 2022
Website
Swim Distance
2.3km / 1.4mi
Bike Distance
118.0km / 73.3mi
Run Distance
20.0km / 12.4mi
Total Distance
142.8km / 88.7mi
Bike Elevation
3,200m / 10,499ft
Run Elevation
340m / 1,115ft
Race conditions
Weather Conditions
Hot
Precipitation
No Rain
Min Temp
23°C / 73°F
Max Temp
31°C / 88°F
Avg Temp
28°C / 82°F
Humidity
69%
Athlete feedback
Race Satisfaction
10/10
Hydration rating
10/10
Energy levels
9/10
Toilet stops
No
GI comfort
10/10
Cramping
No cramping
Leon's full stats
| Carbohydrate (g) | Sodium (mg) | Fluid (ml) | Caffeine (mg) | Relative sodium concentration (mg/L) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | |||||
| Total intake | 641 | 6,136 | 6,300 | 316 | 974 |
| Per hour | 113 | 1,080 | 1,109 | 56 | |
| Bike and Run | |||||
| Total intake | 611 | 6,136 | 6,300 | 216 | 974 |
| Per hour | 119 | 1,199 | 1,231 | 42 | |
| Bike | |||||
| Total intake | 521 | 5,386 | 4,950 | 216 | 1,088 |
| Per hour | 135 | 1,393 | 1,280 | 56 | |
| Run | |||||
| Total intake | 90 | 750 | 1,350 | 0 | 556 |
| Per hour | 72 | 600 | 1,080 | 0 | |
Data Confidence
1
2
3
4
5
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).