Sam Appleton
IRONMAN 70.3® Oceanside
California3rd, MPROSam's headline numbers
Sam's strategy
Fueling
A carb rich meal (low in fat & fibre) ~1-4 hours before would help Sam start optimally fueled
Sam would benefit from taking in a final dose of carb <30 minutes before
"My energy was solid to help me end the season on the podium."
Sam skipped his usual PF 30 Gel before the swim, as he felt more full than normal on this occasion. Additionally, his overall average carb intake was considerably lower compared to some of his previous races, though this was largely due to dropping both a gel and a bottle at the end of the bike and not having his usual flask containing gels on the run. In future races, having a strategy to prepare for changes in logistics, such as switching to using aid station gels and drinks, will help ensure he meets his energy needs regardless of the circumstances. It would also be helpful for Sam to undergo some structured gut training before his next races to ensure he can comfortably tolerate an increased volume of carbs.
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.
Sam655mg/L
Sam has been Sweat Tested to dial in his hydration plan
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 moreDrinking a strong electrolyte drink before the race could have helped Sam start optimally hydrated
"There is still room for improvement on the hydration side of my plan."
Sam’s fluid intake on the bike was limited to a couple of bottles of PH 1000 and PH 1500 respectively. Unfortunately, dropping a bottle during the race meant that he lost some of his pre-planned intake. Despite this, he still consumed a relatively decent volume of fluid across the race to replace some of his fluid losses considering the milder conditions. By picking up some water and coke at aid stations on the run, Sam was able to top up his fluid intake to stave off too much dehydration, though he could look to increase this slightly in future races by carrying a bottle or picking up cups of water more frequently. Considering Sam’s relatively low sweat sodium concentration, he would have replaced a good proportion of his losses throughout the race, but could implement a preloading routine ahead of time to ensure he starts optimally hydrated.
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.
T - 0-4hrs: Had a final hit of caffeine
Sam consumed three caffeinated energy gels during the race, delivering some of the ergogenic benefits of the stimulant. However, he could look to increase this slightly in the future to maximize the impact of caffeine and help mask fatigue in the latter part of his races.
How Sam hit his numbers
Here's everything that Sam ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“I felt the race went pretty good, but I’m still chasing the perfect race.”
Sam“Sam ended the season on a high with his best ever finish at IRONMAN 70.3® Oceanside, coming in just three minutes behind the leader. Still, his performance was likely impacted by a lower carbohydrate intake compared to previous races, partly due to not consuming a pre-swim gel and dropping additional fuel on the bike. Despite the setbacks, Sam managed to maintain his performance as best as possible to finish strong. ”
PF&HSam's full stats
Data Confidence
We rate each of our case studies from 1-5 based on the level of accuracy, and our confidence in the data.
There is an adequate level of accuracy in the data collected and the numbers reported. The athlete manages to recall what they ate and drank including most specifics (brands flavours quantities plausible estimations of volumes). However there are estimations made within the data which affect the overall confidence level in the data reported.