• Matthew delicately balances his time in full time education to become a medical doctor, with professional level triathlon training
• After a fantastic performance at IRONMAN Texas 2023, claiming 3rd in his first race as a professional, Matthew was pleased to get a call up for the PTO US Open as a ‘wildcard’
• Utilising an arsenal of sports fueling and hydration products which Matthew has extensively tested in training, he did well to finish 14th out of the 30 athletes who started the race

Hydration

• With an extensive knowledge of human physiology, Matthew understands that there’s a constant balance act in the body between electrolyte and fluid levels in the blood. In the hours ahead of the 4:15pm race-start, he drank several electrolyte drinks, including a PH 500 (Tablet) to induce some degree of hypervolemia (increased blood plasma volume) and start his race optimally hydrated
• During the bike, Matthew decided to mainly drink a highly concentrated electrolyte and carbohydrate mix, which allowed him to spend the most time in an aerodynamic position drinking from a straw, without having to sit up too often
• This resulted in him averaging just over 1.5L (48oz) of fluid per hour on the bike, before heading to the run course where he would rely on aid stations for cups of energy drink and water and drop to an average of ~844ml (30oz) per hour
• We often see athletes ‘frontload’ their hydration during these middle distance races, it’s especially unsurprising on this occasion, where reports from the day suggested that it felt much warmer for the athletes on the ground than the ~22ºC (72ºF) temperature reading suggests
• His fluid intake throughout the race was supplemented with electrolyte capsules to ensure he maintained a relative sodium concentration of ~410mg/L, which closely matched his sweat sodium concentration (655 mg/L) as determined by a Sweat Test

Fueling

Conclusions

• Matthew’s dedication to both medical studies and triathlon training is impressive, and he’s managing the balance well, finishing in the top half of a strong professional field
• His understanding of physiology and meticulous experimentation in training have helped him develop his fuel & hydration strategy to a point where he feels comfortable adapting it for 70.3, full distance and hybrid distances like this race
• This strategy allowed him to replace an adequate proportion of his sweat and sodium losses, avoid any dehydration related issues, and provide his working muscles with enough available energy to perform optimally