Tamara Jewett
IRONMAN 70.3® European Championships Tallinn
Tallinn5th, 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 levels were okay but not that consistent across the race."
After starting the morning with a carb-rich breakfast and final carb hit prior to the start, Tamara’s in-race fueling strategy was almost a complete replica of her previous race at T100 London. To fuel her efforts across the race, she relied on PF 30 Chews and PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix on the bike and a PF 30 Gel on the run. After consistent gut training and years of racing with sports nutrition products, Tamara rarely suffers any GI discomfort and comfortably tolerates the recommended carb intake of 90g/h.
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 think my hydration was pretty good, but I did have a couple of cramps at the start of the run "
Given the warm conditions experienced on race day, Tamara’s sweat losses may have been slightly higher than she anticipated. Although her fluid intake likely replaced a solid proportion of her sweat fluid losses, the relative sodium concentration she took on board was below the concentration of her sweat. This may have contributed to cramps she experienced at the start of the run. Tamara’s sodium intake was entirely reliant on the PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix she consumed during the bike leg. Given this, she could consume some Electrolyte Capsules on the bike and run to supplement the fluid she picks up at the aid stations and ensure she replaces enough of her sweat sodium losses to avoid the negative effects.
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
As we’ve seen previously, Tamara doesn’t consume any caffeine *during* her races, but always pre-caffeinates with a cup of coffee in the morning and a PF 30 Caffeine Gel in the last 30 minutes before toeing the start line. Although this puts her below the recommendations of 3-6 mg/kg, she would still benefit from the stimulant’s ergogenic benefits. As she expressed some energy dips in the race, it could be beneficial to try using caffeine during some of her key training sessions to see if this better supports her energy levels before implementing more caffeine into her racing strategy.
How Tamara hit her numbers
Here's everything that Tamara ate and drank on the day...
Final thoughts
“It definitely wasn't my best performance and was a really tough day.”
“Tamara finished in good standing, given the higher-than-expected demands of the race. She stuck to a fuel and hydration plan that she knows works well for her. Moving forward, pre-loading with a strong electrolyte drink on the morning of her race, and increasing the relative sodium concentration of her fluids and trailing some caffeine during her races could support her energy levels better.”
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.