Mark from 32Gi - 27 August 2025
🚴♀️ HOW AUSSIE TRIATHLON STAR GRACE THEK FUELLED HER WAY TO 2ND PLACE AT CHALLENGE ROTH 🏆
IEver wondered what really fuels a world-class triathlete?
Well, hold onto your energy gels because we’re about to give you a front-row seat to the fuelling game plan that helped Australian superstar Grace Thek smash her debut iron-distance race at Challenge Roth—and land herself an incredible 2nd place podium finish!
Yes, you read that right. First iron-distance race. Second overall. We’re not saying Grace is superhuman… but we’re not not saying that either.
Naturally, we had to find out: what’s the secret sauce (or should we say, carbs + sodium)? Grace was kind enough to let us peek behind the curtain of her race-day fuelling strategy. Spoiler alert: there were a lot of gels, electrolytes, and some seriously precise numbers involved.
PRE-RACE MEAL
Racing on an empty tank? Not on Grace’s watch.
2–2.5 hours before the race, she fuelled up with:
- 3–5 pieces of toast with honey and banana
- And, of course, a good cup of coffee ☕
Solid carbs, natural sugars, and a caffeine kick to wake up the legs (and maybe the soul).
⏱️ PRE-SWIM (A.K.A. THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM)
Start-line jitters? Grace had them covered with some delicious liquid confidence:
- 2 x 32Gi Sports Gels (Coffee Flavour)
- And, of course, a good cup of coffee ☕
- Carbs: 44g
☕ Coffee flavoured. Because even at the highest level, some habits die hard.
Swim Time: 54:05
Transition 1 Time: 1:41
She swam like a torpedo and transitioned like a ninja. Efficiency level: Expert.
🚴♀️ BIKE LEG — 180km OF PURE DETERMINATION
Ride Time: 4:46:51
Let’s talk about what kept Grace ticking over on the bike—besides sheer grit and quadriceps forged from titanium.
🥤 Fuelled By:
- 15 scoops of 32Gi Race Sports Drink
(Mixed into 1.8L water = 5 servings) - Carbs: 340g
- Sodium: 1160mg
- 5 x 32Gi Sports Gels
- Carbs: 105g
- Sodium: 295mg
- 3 x 32Gi Hydrate Tablets
- Sodium: 1011mg
📊 On the Numbers:
- Carbs per hour: 94g
- Sodium per hour: 520mg
💧 What about hydration needs? Grace has a lower sweat rate of around 400ml/hr, so a higher sodium intake wasn’t necessary.
Remember: Every athlete is different. The weather on the day was pleasant—not overly hot—so her hydration plan matched the conditions.
Transition 2 Time: 1:32
Not only can she bike fast—she can park it faster than you can find your lost car in a mall parking lot.
🏃♀️ RUN LEG — WHEN THINGS GET REALLY REAL
Run Time: 2:53:32
By this point, most people would be thinking about pizza and horizontal living. Grace? She just kept fuelling and flying.
🥤 Fuelled By:
- 12 x 32Gi Gels
- Carbs: 252g
- Sodium: 708mg
📊 On the Numbers:
- Carbs per hour: 90g
- Sodium per hour: 253mg
🏃♀️ How’d she carry all those gels?
Convenience is everything. Grace poured:
- 8 gels into a 200ml soft flask
- 4 gels into a 100ml soft flask
Because juggling gels like a magician mid-marathon isn’t exactly ideal.
Still running strong.
Still smiling (probably). Still showing us all what’s possible with the right fuel and mindset.
🧠 THE TAKEAWAY: FUEL LIKE A PRO (OR AT LEAST, TRY TO)
Grace’s fuelling strategy was a textbook execution for long-course racing. She hit the upper end of carbohydrate intake targets, kept her electrolytes dialled in, and never once let her energy systems crash.
What can we learn from her?
- ✅ Practice fuelling during training
- ✅ Train your gut to handle high-carb intake
- ✅ Nail the timing and consistency
- ✅ Don’t wing it—plan it!
Because whether you’re gunning for a podium or just trying to finish before sunset, nutrition can make or break your day.
And hey—maybe we’re not all Grace Thek, but we can fuel like her. And who knows where that might take us?
Keep pushing,
Mark from 32Gi 🥇
