IRONMAN® Frankfurt

Mathias had a tough day out at IRONMAN® Frankfurt after a bike crash disrupted his race. This caused him to lose a bottle that contained a significant amount of PF 300 Flow Gel, so his energy levels on the bike began to plummet. He picked up some energy gels from the on-course aid stations in an attempt to replenish the lost fuel, but still struggled to hit his goal intake of 90 g/h. From his previous case studies, we know that Mathias is comfortable tolerating a higher carb intake of around 90g/h, so it’d be helpful to have a secondary source of carbs in case of future bottle losses to ensure he can still support his energy needs.

Although Mathias drank some electrolytes ahead of the race, pre-loading with PH 1500, instead of with the lower concentration of PH 1000, could help him retain more water and prevent the need to urinate frequently. Despite this need to pee a few times on the bike, Mathias’ fluid intake was slightly lower than the recommendations for a race of this duration and intensity. It’s likely this was due to the high volume of his pre-race drinks and the increased nervous energy he experienced.

Mathias started his race morning with a couple of coffees and a couple of energy drinks to get the stimulant into his bloodstream, and then strategically consumed a few PF 30 Caffeine Gels whilst on the run. By delaying his consumption of caffeine until later on in the race, he ensured he reaped the ergogenic benefits of the stimulant where he knew he’d need it most. This helped to reduce his fatigue slightly and boost his mental energy, contributing to the strong finish he was able to pull off.