Challenge Salinas

Coming off the back of a strong performance at IM 70.3 Indian Wells the weekend before, Marc implemented a very similar fueling strategy to meet his needs at this race in Ecuador. Again, he focused on making sure he was self-sufficient on the bike and stuck with his trusty PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix, Flow Gel and maple syrup as his main sources of carbohydrate, enabling him to hit carb numbers that reached above 90g/h. Marc had his 250ml flask of maple syrup on the run, but decided to pick up an additional gel as he felt he needed an extra push for the last few kms of the race. He felt a dip in energy toward the finish line and also experienced some stomach discomfort, attributing this to not being able to manage the heat effectively.

The conditions in Ecuador were much warmer than those in California in his 70.3 the week before (~13 degrees). As a result, Marc increased his hydration on the bike by taking two extra bottles of PH 1500, one on his bike frame and another in his tri suit. Despite having these additional bottles, Marc still wished he had access to a bit more fluid as he consumed all he had with about 10km still to go on the bike. On the run, Marc relied on his small soft flask and on-course small plastic bags of water he was able to grab from aid stations. Most of these bags were poured overhead in an attempt to cool his body temperature after taking a sip or two. Collecting some sweat rate data to help determine his losses in these kind of hot conditions will help Marc put future hydration strategies together with more proactive fluid replacement to tackle the heat.

Marc’s go-to caffeine strategy for every race starts with a morning coffee. He then takes one PF 30 Caffeine Gel an hour into the bike, followed by another 5 miles into the run. Since his intake is on the lower end of the recommended range for endurance exercise, he could incorporate one more caffeine gel in his strategy, such as right before the swim.