Tamara Jewett
T100 Las Vegas
Las Vegas8th, FPROTamara's headline numbers
Tamara's strategy
Fueling
T - 1-4hrs: Ate a carb rich meal (Low in fat & fibre)
T - 15mins: Took in a final dose of carb
"My energy was a bit up and down, sometimes very good, but sometimes a little off. Taking the gel earlier in the run than usual really helped my energy levels and I felt significantly better."
Unlike most triathletes we’ve worked with, who reach predominantly for gels, Tamara fuels her races with several PF 30 Chews plus PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix. The scientific literature suggests that the format of carbohydrates *could* influence the digestibility and subsequent level of gastrointestinal comfort experienced but oxidation rates (speed of carbohydrate breakdown) remains similar. Compared to a gel, consuming bars or chews may lead to more GI discomfort during racing since the solidity requires more energy to digest. Given that during *hard* efforts, blood flow is diverted away from the stomach, this digestion becomes even *harder*. Fortunately, Tamara has spent years training her gut to tolerate chews since she prefers to use them in races for their flavour and satiation, and she subsequently experienced no issues.
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.
Tamara901mg/L
Tamara has been Sweat Tested to dial in her 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 Tamara's losses are on the moderate side, getting her hydration strategy right is still crucial when it's hot and/or humid as her higher sweat rate in these conditions can result in significant net losses over the duration of a race.
Learn moreDrinking a strong electrolyte drink before the race could have helped Tamara start optimally hydrated
"I didn’t have any cramps and other than some trouble getting all the fluid out of my front aero bottle, my hydration was good."
Given the hot racing conditions, it’s likely that Tamara’s sweat losses were higher than her previous race in not-so-sunny London. So, she appropriately listened to her body and thirst responses to increase her fluid consumption for this race by ~100ml per hour to ensure she was adequately replenishing her losses. Her sweat sodium concentration is similar to the average we see in our Case Study Database, 991mg/L, so Tamara aimed for our *moderate* strength electrolyte with PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix, delivering a relative sodium concentration of 1000mg/L.
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
Caffeine works mainly by blocking a chemical in the brain called **adenosine** (which normally makes you feel tired), whilst also boosting levels of the ‘feel-good’ chemical, **dopamine**. The combination of these mechanisms increase feelings of alertness and motivation. In most individuals, caffeine also speeds up nerve activity, helping to further increase energy levels. Given that caffeine has similar performance enhancing benefits in men and women, it’s likely Tamara would have benefited from a slightly higher dose 3-6mg/kg of the stimulant than the ~1.96mg/kg she consumed through a single PF 30 Caffeine Gel in the last 30 minutes before the swim.
How Tamara hit her numbers
Here's everything that Tamara ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“I’m pleased with this race, even though my energy levels were a little up and down.”
“Tamara showcased a solid fuel and hydration strategy to support a top-10 finish at the T100 Las Vegas. A slightly higher caffeine intake in her future races would likely help maintain consistently higher energy levels compared to the ups and downs she experienced this time out.”
PF&HTamara'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.