Sam Appleton
IRONMAN 70.3® Geelong
Sam's headline numbers
Sam's strategy
Fueling
Carbohydrate is the main fuel you burn when racing. Failing to fuel properly is a leading cause of underperformance in longer races.
Sam started race day with his usual breakfast of a muffin, water and coffee, which is on the lighter side. He’s previously reported struggling to eat more on race morning due to nerves, but it’d be worth practicing an increased intake to optimize energy levels. For an additional boost, he could also take a gel in the last 30 minutes before the race, as he did at several races last year, including the IRONMAN 70.3® World Champs. On the bike, Sam consumed ~82g/h from three PF 30 Gels and three caffeinated gels, but dropped to only ~26g/h on the run from a small volume of some energy drink. This front-loading strategy is commonly seen across our Case Study Database, particularly in middle-distance events. However, Sam should look to increase his carbohydrate intake on the run to decrease this drop off, such as by incorporating a couple of PF 30 Gels, which would help meet the recommended 90g/h on average across the whole race. This would also aid in preventing the energy dip he experienced in the final stages of the run.
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.
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 Sam’s losses are on the low side, getting his hydration strategy right is still important if he wants to perform at his best.
Learn moreSam employed his usual hydration strategy on the bike, carrying a 750ml bottle of PH 1000 and a 450ml bottle of PH 1500, which this time he didn't finish. During the run, he took a mouthful of water and Cola at each of the 10 aid stations. His overall fluid and sodium consumption was consistent with his previous 70.3® races but slightly less than at the World Champs and Oceanside. Despite this, Sam described his sweat rate as fairly moderate in the mild conditions, so his fluid intake appeared to be adequate to maintain hydration over the nearly four hours. As conditions heat up later in the year, finishing his bottles will be vital to fend off any symptoms of dehydration.
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.
As he did at IRONMAN 70.3® Oceanside in 2021, Sam consumed a small amount of coffee before the race and then gradually supplemented his caffeine intake during the bike leg with three caffeinated gels. This approach provided him with an effective in-race caffeine dose, which falls comfortably within the recommended range of 3-6mg/kg. When used strategically, caffeine can serve as an ergogenic aid, enhancing performance by lowering an athlete’s perception of effort.
How Sam hit his numbers
Here's everything that Sam ate and drank on the day...
Sam's weapons of choice
Final thoughts
Sam
PF&HSam's full stats
Data Confidence?
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).