Adapting to the Challenge at St. Anthony's
By The Feed.
HPT Athlete Matthew Sharpe came to St. Anthony's Triathlon as a defending champion and faced a big challenge as storms threatened the race. Adjusted to a run-bike-run, Sharpe adapted to the format and secured an impressive 2nd place.
As rain fell, wind punished, and lightning cracked, the St. Anthony's triathlon was turned into a biathlon. The format changed to a run-bike-run and all the athletes had to brace themselves quickly. We're excited to bring you this Q & style interview following Matthew's race at St. Anthony's.
How'd this year's event at St. Anthony's go for you?
I ended up placing second overall – which was a great result. I won last year but the race dynamic was different this year [and it] didn’t quite play into my favour.
What were some key differences in this year's event?
Format-wise, this year's event had the swim canceled due to heavy winds. So we ended up doing a run/bike/run event. Which, as a swimmer, is not my first choice.
I was also super fortunate to have the support of The Feed in my training leading into the race. That gave me a ton of confidence in my preparation.
Were there some differences in your training and preparation this time around?
The training leading into this event was more specific to the shorter Olympic distance, so more intense efforts than my usual half-Ironman training.
Specifically, what was your fueling strategy – both in the lead-up and inter-event?
The morning of the race I had my typical overnight oats. Then, about an hour before the event, I fueled with a Maurten 100 CAF gel and a few Clif Bloks after that. 15 minutes before the race start I took another Maurten 100 gel (no caffeine) and knew I was ready to go.
On the 26-mile bike portion, I fueled with Skratch Hydration mix and –because I’m a bigger body– I added some maltodextrin powder and extra sodium. I also consumed 3 more Maurten 100 gels.
Onto the run, I was feeling like I still needed to fuel more. So I grabbed both Maurten 100 gels in my transition and slowly consumed them over the 6-mile run. I also took down some water at the aid stations.
Are there any specific products you've leaned on to make a difference in your training?
During my training, I was switching things up with the Endurance Tap maple syrup. I enjoy gels and gummies, but having the natural option of Maple Syrup brought some great variety to my fueling. I was also really enjoying the Pro Bar Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip bars and recovered well with the Momentous Whey protein powder.
What was your biggest takeaway from St. Anthony’s?
I think my biggest takeaway from this race is just how important fueling is, and that I’ll try and up the carb/hr in my next event.