Melissa’s 5-Hour 70.3 Fuel Protocol
Built for athletes chasing a fast, well-fuelled 70.3
A 70.3 isn’t just about fitness — it’s about execution. The athletes who race well aren’t only the strongest, they’re the ones who fuel consistently, stay hydrated, and avoid the dreaded late-race fade.
Melissa’s 5-Hour 70.3 Fuel Protocol is the exact strategy used for high-performance 70.3 racing, designed around a target intake of 90–100g of carbohydrates per hour to maximise energy availability across the bike and run.
This bundle is built for athletes aiming to race hard, push performance, and stay strong all the way to the finish line. No guesswork. No random aid station decisions. Just a structured, science-backed fuelling plan using trusted products we genuinely believe in.
Because in long-course racing, your nutrition plan is part of your race plan.
How To Use It
2–4 Weeks Before Your Race
Build the foundation
Beta-Alanine Loading
Take 4–6g daily for 2–4 weeks leading into race day to support high-intensity efforts and reduce fatigue accumulation.
Take 5g daily to support power output, recovery, and muscular endurance.
2 Weeks Before Your Race
Reset your caffeine tolerance
To maximise the performance benefits of caffeine on race day, we recommend reducing or avoiding all major caffeine sources for approximately 10–14 days before your event.
This includes:
- Coffee
- Energy drinks
- Pre-workouts
- Caffeinated gels
- Excessive tea or soft drinks
By lowering your caffeine intake beforehand, your body becomes more responsive to the caffeine protocol used on race day — helping improve alertness, focus, and performance when it matters most.
Yes, the first few days without coffee might feel rough… but your race legs will thank you later.
3 Days Before The Event
Start your carb-loading protocol
Beet It Shots
Take 1 shot daily for 3 days before the race to support nitric oxide production and blood flow.
Carb Loading
Start carb loading on Thursday before race weekend.
Read the full guide here:
Carb Loading Guide
Daily Carb Top-Up
Drink 1 bottle of Styrkr Mix90 daily during the 3 days leading into the race to help maximise glycogen stores
Race Morning
Prime the engine
3–4 Hours Before Start
Take the 32Gi Pre-Race Meal to top up glycogen without upsetting your stomach.
2 Hours Before
Take 1 Beet It Shot.
Sip Before The Start
Sip steadily on your bottle with Styrkr SLT+ Electrolytes before the swim start to begin the race hydrated and topped up on electrolytes.
45 Minutes Before
Take 1 Blast Focus Sachet (200mg caffeine).
30 Minutes Before (Swim Chute)
Take 1 Styrkr Gel30.
Bike Leg
The priority leg for fuelling
Bottles
- 2 bottles of Styrkr Mix90
- 1 bottle of Styrkr SLT+ Electrolytes
Hour 1
Take the 226ERS High Fructose Cherry Gel + Caffeine.
Hour 2
Take the Styrkr Gel50 Citrus.
Transition 2
Prepare for the run
Take the 226ERS High Fructose Gel XS Cola + Caffeine before heading out onto the run.
Run Leg
Stay consistent. Finish strong.
Take 1 x Styrkr Gel50 at:
- 6km
- 12km
- 18km
This keeps carbohydrate intake consistent throughout the half marathon to help maintain pace and avoid the late-race energy crash.
The Numbers Behind The Strategy
This protocol provides approximately:
- 90–100g carbohydrates per hour
- 355mg caffeine total
Caffeine intake is based around performance recommendations of approximately: 5.4mg/kg x 66kg= 355mg caffeine
Most athletes perform best within a range of 4–6mg/kg caffeine intake during long-course racing.
We intentionally build slightly above the target carb intake to account for real-world racing — missed sips, dropped bottles, or unfinished gels happen. Having a small buffer helps ensure you still hit your fuelling targets when it matters most.
Fuel smart. Race hard. Finish strong.
The nutrition advice and product information on this site are for general guidance only and not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, supplements, or lifestyle, especially if you have health conditions, take medication, or are pregnant/breastfeeding
Built for athletes chasing a fast, well-fuelled 70.3
A 70.3 isn’t just about fitness — it’s about execution. The athletes who race well aren’t only the strongest, they’re the ones who fuel consistently, stay hydrated, and avoid the dreaded late-race fade.
Melissa’s 5-Hour 70.3 Fuel Protocol is the exact strategy used for high-performance 70.3 racing, designed around a target intake of 90–100g of carbohydrates per hour to maximise energy availability across the bike and run.
This bundle is built for athletes aiming to race hard, push performance, and stay strong all the way to the finish line. No guesswork. No random aid station decisions. Just a structured, science-backed fuelling plan using trusted products we genuinely believe in.
Because in long-course racing, your nutrition plan is part of your race plan.
How To Use It
2–4 Weeks Before Your Race
Build the foundation
Beta-Alanine Loading
Take 4–6g daily for 2–4 weeks leading into race day to support high-intensity efforts and reduce fatigue accumulation.
Take 5g daily to support power output, recovery, and muscular endurance.
2 Weeks Before Your Race
Reset your caffeine tolerance
To maximise the performance benefits of caffeine on race day, we recommend reducing or avoiding all major caffeine sources for approximately 10–14 days before your event.
This includes:
- Coffee
- Energy drinks
- Pre-workouts
- Caffeinated gels
- Excessive tea or soft drinks
By lowering your caffeine intake beforehand, your body becomes more responsive to the caffeine protocol used on race day — helping improve alertness, focus, and performance when it matters most.
Yes, the first few days without coffee might feel rough… but your race legs will thank you later.
3 Days Before The Event
Start your carb-loading protocol
Beet It Shots
Take 1 shot daily for 3 days before the race to support nitric oxide production and blood flow.
Carb Loading
Start carb loading on Thursday before race weekend.
Read the full guide here:
Carb Loading Guide
Daily Carb Top-Up
Drink 1 bottle of Styrkr Mix90 daily during the 3 days leading into the race to help maximise glycogen stores
Race Morning
Prime the engine
3–4 Hours Before Start
Take the 32Gi Pre-Race Meal to top up glycogen without upsetting your stomach.
2 Hours Before
Take 1 Beet It Shot.
Sip Before The Start
Sip steadily on your bottle with Styrkr SLT+ Electrolytes before the swim start to begin the race hydrated and topped up on electrolytes.
45 Minutes Before
Take 1 Blast Focus Sachet (200mg caffeine).
30 Minutes Before (Swim Chute)
Take 1 Styrkr Gel30.
Bike Leg
The priority leg for fuelling
Bottles
- 2 bottles of Styrkr Mix90
- 1 bottle of Styrkr SLT+ Electrolytes
Hour 1
Take the 226ERS High Fructose Cherry Gel + Caffeine.
Hour 2
Take the Styrkr Gel50 Citrus.
Transition 2
Prepare for the run
Take the 226ERS High Fructose Gel XS Cola + Caffeine before heading out onto the run.
Run Leg
Stay consistent. Finish strong.
Take 1 x Styrkr Gel50 at:
- 6km
- 12km
- 18km
This keeps carbohydrate intake consistent throughout the half marathon to help maintain pace and avoid the late-race energy crash.
The Numbers Behind The Strategy
This protocol provides approximately:
- 90–100g carbohydrates per hour
- 355mg caffeine total
Caffeine intake is based around performance recommendations of approximately: 5.4mg/kg x 66kg= 355mg caffeine
Most athletes perform best within a range of 4–6mg/kg caffeine intake during long-course racing.
We intentionally build slightly above the target carb intake to account for real-world racing — missed sips, dropped bottles, or unfinished gels happen. Having a small buffer helps ensure you still hit your fuelling targets when it matters most.
Fuel smart. Race hard. Finish strong.
The nutrition advice and product information on this site are for general guidance only and not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, supplements, or lifestyle, especially if you have health conditions, take medication, or are pregnant/breastfeeding
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