One Foot and Two Poles : The Goat Ultra 50km

Perfect Storm

It was a turbulent week to be honest. 

Leading into the 55km ultra trail race (See: G.O.A.T. Ultra Trail Race), I'd a lackluster few days - not much exercise, not much sunshine, slow workdays, a dispute, losing a good friend - all rolled into one little untimely fireball. However, I'd never expected that fireball to turn to a perfect storm on a trail run! 

I went into this event with minimal expectations since it was going to be my "rucking meditation". I knew I wanted to be out in the wilderness for several hours as therapy. The rugged, loopy, exposed terrain of Jebel Jais and my energy levels didn't quite match for a "strong" race. I've been on podiums in shorter trail races before. No hunger or expectations here.

I'd planned to capture as much as 2/3rds of the race experience and walk away in peace to get ready for work week.  (See: Ron George: GOAT Ultra 50KM: Part 1 - The Planning). 

A shameful reveal here is that on the Sunday before the race weekend, I'd chaired a call with teammates Alina and Maqdad where we'd discussed some last-minute tips for the race. Maqdad, a veteran of 100km ultras in the middle east, spoke a few words towards the end of the call about taping the ankle. I thought it was generally good advice for what he said would be protection against smashing against rocks.  

I should have taken better notes. Alina taped her foot on his advice believing it was going to act as good anti-twist protection. I didn't. Instead, I wore ankle-calf sleeves that offered nothing more than a medium level of compression. After we finish the race, Alina would tell me that the tape was her "gamechanger". 

Mid-week, we read the forecast that the weather on the mountain would get nasty. One of my key mistakes was not integrating all that information into a better strategy. Yes, I should have taped my ankles for slippery slopes. I packed my Salomon Speedcross shoes in case the mud got worse, but I virtually never touched them during the race, as you’ll see below.

Fast forward to Sunday 25th January. As is a ritual now on the weekends, I hit the road at 3:00AM. I picked up Heza, who was going to be our designated crew driver, and Alina - both from Dubai - and drove the 2 hours to Ras al Khaimah. The drive went surprisingly quick. We talked about mental health, cooking, Lithuania, Dubai. Not much discussion about the course itself. I was wide awake, but I let Heza drive. 

Heza, in his 20's, was on short visit to Dubai amidst his college break in Lithuania, and became a vital part of the trip. He'd told us he wanted to learn about trail races, so I obliged. He was going to act as our crew and have a little bit of time to himself while we were out racing.  

We reached the foot of the mountain at 5:05 AM. A 30-minute drive from the ADNOC station got us to the chilly summit, where the bright lights of the race village greeted us. We pulled into the gravel parking lot, got ready, caught up with fellow runners, and took a few photos. 

We lined up at 6:40 AM, shivering. To make matters worse, a delayed start meant we didn’t actually get moving until 7:00 AM.

I cannot overstate how heavy and loaded I felt, with nearly 10 to 12 kg on my back in the form of food, water, and gear. I was carrying 2.5 liters of water, a medical kit, poles, food, electrolytes, an emergency blanket, and more - a "kitchen cabinet" of supplies that I greatly dislike but which was mandatory for the event. However, I would soon be very thankful I had brought along a set of lightweight hiking poles; we’ll get to that in a moment.

I must admit, I have a love-hate relationship with trail running. Coming from a background as a "roadie," all this extra weight feels counterproductive to movement. But a few bad experiences on long trail runs have taught me that this is "life protection," not just dead weight.

Once the race began, the first 10-15 minutes of pavement running toward Puro Café got the body warmed up. Alina and I stayed together until we hung a sharp right onto the trail that would drop us approximately 1,500m down to Wadi Galilah. Up to this point, I felt no stress and had no real anticipation of what was coming.

This 9km descent caught me completely off guard. The landscape was jagged, steep, and uneven - exposed, with loose stones and rocks everywhere. (I later learned from a race organizer that the recent December rains had left the trail in much worse condition than usual). Alina quickly disappeared from sight. She was teasing me earlier that day about how I would be flying. How wrong! 

Then, it happened. I wasn't even jogging at this point because of the long queue of runners ahead of me trying to navigate the descent. I happened to step on loose sections in three different spots, feeling agonizing, awkward twists in my right foot each time.

The Hoka Mafate's on my feet felt unwieldy on this particular terrain. Had I not tied my laces correctly? Something was off. The coordination between my feet and my mind simply wasn't there. I signaled for the people behind me to pass and took the last spot in the group. I knew instantly that something was wrong, but I kept moving - slowly, one step at a time.

Nearly two hours after the descent to the checkpoint at Wadi Galilah, while relaxedly refilling my food stores, I noticed the first signs of a bulging right ankle. Through my socks, the lateral malleolus looked like a blunt tennis ball. Interestingly, the pain hadn't fully registered at that point. Too many hormones in the blood.

I passed several exasperated people at the checkpoint, and despite seeing a few runners quitting the race to catch a taxi back, the thought of stopping simply didn't occur to me. I just kept walking - perhaps out of ignorance or bliss - but I wasn't particularly excited either. In 20 years of running, I had never injured my ankle seriously (not my knees). I always felt that my coordination and my body had the upper hand, but today, that control just wasn't there.

The Meditative Grind up Stairway to Heaven

On the valley trail of Wadi Galilah, snaking between towering mountains on either side, I attempted to jog. My legs gave out. That was the moment the pain finally registered; I could only manage one minute at a time. At this point, I aborted all attempts to run and decided to walk to decrease the load. I was going to walk the rest of the way. I knew it would be a long day, but since it was only 10:00 AM, I knew I had some time left before sundown.

I won’t go into too much detail about what happened next. Suffice it to say, fueled by a mix of motivation, adrenaline, and the pure emotion of needing to summit this mountain for my kids, I ended up climbing the right bank of Stairway to Heaven. This involved a 2,000m ascent toward Ras Al Ghash, the Sheikh’s Palace, and eventually back to the parking lot at the top of Jebel Jais.

Looking back, I was "in the zone." It was a meditative, urgent, and deliberate trek, utilizing the power of "ski-poling" up the rocks. I didn’t call a single person during that entire ascent. It wasn't laziness; there was hardly any cell reception, and I needed the time for myself. At the same time, I wasn't in the mood to camp out on the slopes for the night - I had to push through with that injured ankle. 

Eventually, my triceps and back began to stiffen from the exertion of poling my way up. It wasn’t exactly easy or efficient, but I tried to move with as much precision as possible, even though it cost me time. I had to carefully dig the tips of the poles into the right spots among the rocks, ensuring my hands stayed below heart level. I also had to make sure the poles weren't reaching too far ahead of my feet, all while ensuring my right foot rolled off the ground in a straight, neutral position.

Perhaps it was this slow, deliberate action that dialed the intensity down a notch and turned the climb into a true meditation. I was having fun, yet I wasn’t having fun - it all somehow balanced out.

It was close to 5:00 PM when I reached the Sheikh’s Palace checkpoint. I had climbed 2,200m by this point. Shivering and unable to use my fingers (I stashed my gloves somewhere in the deep pockets of my backpack), I was helped into a chair by two volunteers who assisted me in dialing a few numbers. It was only then that I learned the organizers had officially canceled the event; it was simply too risky to let people continue. But why only now?

A quick call to my teammate, Alina, confirmed that they had blocked her group at the Bear Grylls station. She had been forced to stop and was now heading back up the mountain with Heza. I instructed Heza to meet me at the parking lot where he had originally dropped us, and I officially abandoned the race.

No one at the checkpoint could offer me a lift down the steep 1.2km road to the parking lot. After a cup of Coke, I got back on my feet, held my dignity together, and limped down the final stretch of roadway to the start/finish area. That section alone must have taken me 25–30 minutes to cover!

Upon reaching the finish line and hugging my teammates, my first thought was to get rid of my shoes and check the extent of the damage. A medic at the race tent offered to wrap my foot in a cold compress while Heza got me a plate of chicken and rice. I felt proud of Alina; she had made her way through to Bear Grylls, proving she has the mettle for long challenges. The preparation was clearly paying off in her development as an ultra-trail runner.

A fierce wind picked up at the summit, so we didn't hang around for long. I was helped into the backseat of our vehicle, where I laid my leg high and horizontal. We drove back to Dubai, finally reaching the city at 10:00 PM.

The Aftermath: Diagnosis

The next morning, I visited an orthopedic surgeon at NMC Royal, DIP. The two-hour wait for an X-ray was a blessing in disguise; by chance, I saw my friend Dr. Balaji, the Medical Director at NMC, in the hallway as I rolled past in a wheelchair. He was able to speed up the process for me.

The doctor confirmed that I had ruptured my anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL). I accepted with resignation that, due to the swelling, I would have to wait a few weeks for an MRI. Until then, I was prescribed rest, icing, and elevation. For anyone it might help, here is the list of my prescriptions. Please note: these are strong anti-inflammatories and painkillers that can be hard on the stomach, which is why an anti-acidity medication was included.

Prescriptions:

• Elmetacin (Indometacin): Topical anti-inflammatory spray.
• Serodase (Serratiopeptidase): Enzyme to reduce swelling and inflammation.
• ProRise (Omeprazole): Proton-pump inhibitor to protect the stomach lining.
• Loflam (Aceclofenac): Strong NSAID for pain and inflammation.

Final Reflections

I don't think I need a Part 3 for this series. I’ve taken away several lessons, some of which I already shared in the write-up above.

This race wasn't a failure at all. I believe you have to stretch yourself once in a while, and I did exactly that. I’ve been doing quite a bit of that over the last 12 months - subjecting my body to intense training and both mental and physical punishment across harsh desert terrains, roads, trails, and high altitudes. All of this was in addition to taking on a new leadership position in the defense and aerospace sector in the latter half of last year, while raising a family and coaching athletes on the side.

It has been perfect. I am capable. In fact, I’m almost happy if something breaks once in a while; it’s a signal that I’m alive and not a robot. Like all humans, I have that patch of vulnerability, and that's okay.

Fate had something in store for me on 25th January, and I took it head-on. Somewhere during that walk, I kept thinking that what I was going through was karma for something bad that had happened, and that I had to pay that penance gracefully. What amazes me most is the body's capacity to protect itself and the impact that a bit of courage, calm, and willpower can have in any situation. I had the quiet resolve to summit the highest mountain in the UAE using one good foot and my poles. How's that for an effin drink. 

A short Instagram video of my day -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DT9fyAFCADV/

The only thing I will end with is this: while it is becoming easier to accept that I am injured, I find it difficult to imagine a future where my ankle won't allow me to run the way I used to. Ligament injuries at age 40 are certainly not what any runner wants, and I can't help but wonder what this might lead to in the future.

My thanks go to my wife, friends, and colleagues who have shown concern, offered sound advice, and shared recommendations for specialists to help me rehabilitate. Now, I just need to be patient and visit those people once the swelling has subsided.

-Ronnie

31 January 2026

GOAT Ultra 50KM: Part 1 - The Planning

I'm attempting to an "ultra-trail" race at Ras al Khaimah. 

I'm dropping some quick notes for planning purposes.

Race: Oasis Ultra

Distance: 55K

GPS: 50K

Estimated Elapsed Time: 12:00:00

Peculiarities of this course (I've never attempted it before):

START: 6:40AM

1. Start to CP1, 2.5km: These first 2.5km are downhill 5% gradient and on pavement.

2. CP1 to CP2, 6.5km: The descent into Wadi Galilah loses 1500m of elevation at -20.7% gradient average. That is not something one can run on. It has to be hopped and walked. It seems to me that using poles can be one strategy to save the quads.

3. CP2 to CP3, 7.7km: This seems to be the nastiest segment in the course, gaining nearly all the elevation gain lost before with 1467m vert at average 16.5% gradient. No choice but to walk, with frequent breaks. I estimate 2:15:00 minutes on this climb. 

CP3: 10:20-10:40AM.

Typically, this is when my feet starts to cramp or fatigue. If I've taken my time on the huge uphill, then I won't be too much in the red. 

Mental reminder to stretch all parts and take my time hanging around at CP3: I would like to be here an encourage the others to catch up. 

4. CP3 to CP4, 5.5km: Another climb at 6.2% grade. If at all possible, I'm going to jog this one and take my ground contact time. A break of 30s every 2minutes sounds fantastic. 

It is interesting to note that the trail reaches 1884m at KM20. I expect some altitude effect to kick in. 

CP4: 11:20AM - 12Noon

This gives me the decision point on whether to continue or not. The weather could get worse. 

Considering all the checkpoints and segments, the aim is to test this course in a total of 12 hours. It's all a stretch of the imagination at this point. 

-Ronnie

Sodium Risks in Hydration During Exercise and the Value of Trial Dosing

In the recent weeks, there's been some commentary on David Roche, a high-profile runner in Colorado, quitting in a spectacular way at the Western States 100-mile endurance race. In a YouTube tell-all after the event, he goes into what I can only term as a "near death" experience despite leading a third of the way at this race. What can we make of this drama?

I know very little about Western States. The race this year was "hot" and Roche being a bit of a showman went into his own head and self-sabotaged himself (by his own admission). What interested me more was his account of vomiting and blurred vision during the race, and his attempts to correct his condition by dialing back his sodium intake. That is quite interesting as it sounds like the symptoms of hyponatremia. Was he clinically diagnosed for it?

Could those odd and rare cases of people collapsing in our communities during outdoor endurance exercise be related to hydration and sodium imbalances, rather than cardiac pre-conditions? We can prevent a fatality from happening near us by spreading awareness about these risks.

With the recent explosion in high carb and high sodium sports products, it is time to explore the topic of exercise related water poisoning, sodium risks and market choices of a variety of electrolyte brands categorized by the amount of sodium and potassium they contain. 

SODIUM RISKS IN HYDRATION DURING EXERCISE 
AND THE VALUE OF TRIAL DOSING

1. Introduction

Normal range of blood plasma sodium concentration is 135–145 mmol/L. Under heat stress, both overconsumption of plain water and excessive sodium intake can invite negative effects by changing the plasma sodium concentration.

"Hydrate," they say. But if you’ve ever finished a hot run with a dull headache after gulping tons of water, you’ve just poisoned yourself.

In fact, we know a lot about water intoxication from early marathons.  At the 2002 Boston Marathon, around 1,900 of nearly 15,000 finishers - more women than men - developed some level of a condition called “hyponatremia”. In this condition, plasma sodium concentration fell to alarming levels <135 mEq/l.

About 90 runners experienced critical cases and one runner died. These individuals had, unintentionally, diluted their blood sodium to dangerous levels by overconsuming plain fluids.

“Hypernatremia” is the opposite condition, when plasma sodium concentration rises above 145 mEq/l. A publication from the Australian Institute of Sport noted that athletes can experience mild hypernatremia during exercise because sweat losses deplete fluid stores at a higher rate than sodium/electrolyte losses.

Being aware of the effects of low sodium and high sodium concentration is an important aspect of heat training for all endurance athletes in our community.

2. What’s an electrolyte?

Electrolytes are mineral salts that conduct electricity in the body. Like a car battery generates electrical energy from ion flow, nerve transmission and muscle contraction rely on the movement of ions such as sodium, potassium, and calcium across your cell membranes. Potassium helps set the electrical resting state, sodium and potassium drive electrical impulses, and calcium triggers neurotransmitter release and muscle contraction.

Under mild conditions of exercise, the body has a mechanism to reduce sodium losses in sweat by retaining sodium through the kidneys. This process is regulated by hormones like aldosterone. However, under prolonged exercise in hot and humid conditions, sodium losses in sweat can outpace the body’s conservation mechanics.

Simply drinking lots of plain water would just dilute the sodium levels in the body and lead to water intoxication. Another "additive" effect along with hyperhydration seems to be increased sodium loss in sweat and loss of anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) suppression. 

The clinical sign that differentiates hyponatremia from other conditions is vomiting. According to Veniamakis et. al (2022), vomiting is related to reflex action in response to the increasing distension of large and unnecessary amounts of fluid within the gastrointestinal tract or may be caused by the central nervous system. Muscle cramps, hypoglycemia, heat stroke, weariness and headache can be outward signs of hyponatremia. In severe cases, coma or death is the result. 

3. What about too much sodium?

Clinical hypernatremia is diagnosed when plasma sodium concentration rises above 145 mEq/l. Water shifts out of the cells into the extra-cellular space, which can cause cell shrinkage.  

A concentrated urine upon returning from a run is a common sign that fluid balance has been disrupted, indicating the body is conserving water. This can be a marker of dehydration and an altered salt-water balance.

The root cause of hypernatremia is sweat loss. This might seem counterintuitive because sweat loss is associated with sodium loss. But sweat is hypotonic (less salty) compared to blood (20-60 mmol/L vs 135-145 mmol/L) so in relative terms, sweat loss means more fluid loss than sodium loss (if you’ve ever tasted blood in your mouth, you might recall the salty taste).

With the sodium concentration now elevated, adding more sodium without proper dilution in water promotes conditions for hypernatremia. But the cause of the initial rise in sodium is fluid loss from the body!

A careless move might involve drinking fluids with high concentrated sodium. How? 

Consider oral rehydration packets based on the WHO formula.  One sachet, properly diluted in 1L of water, delivers 75 mmol/L of sodium, which falls within the range of a high sodium sweater (sweat has 60-90+ mEq/L or 1380-2070mg/L of sodium). This is the correct dilution level as per the instructions on the packet. But if someone mixed it into just 250mL of water with the hope of hydrating, they would have consumed a 300 mmol/L solution which is a fourfold increase in the formula!

For a 60 kg runner - say, a short woman with about 50% body water - it doesn't take much concentrated sodium intake to push the blood levels high. Depending on pre-conditions, such as hypertension, high sodium levels can bring about negative effects.

Stay tuned to signs like excessive thirst, concentrated urine, general fatigue, muscle twitching and confusion. These are signs you’re losing fluid and concentrating the sodium levels in the body.

4. What do we do about it?

This is why we train in distance running. Training involves understanding how your body reacts to dosing levels of water-electrolyte solutions in various conditions in the heat to get the right fluid balance. Bear in mind that the body also has a cunning way of conserving sweat losses over time with heat acclimation.

Both too little and too much sodium bring negative effects to the body. For those medically inclined, Braun et al. (2015) offer excellent guidance on managing hypo and hypernatremia through clinical decision trees.

Can commercial sweat tests help athletes get an idea about their sodium needs? That’s a debate in of itself.

Commercial sweat tests that recommend sodium replacement strategies often don’t reflect real-world needs. There’s a big difference between:

• Lab vs. field sweat
• Early vs. late sweat composition
• Localized patch sampling vs. full-body sweat

Baker et al. (2016) found regional patch tests (like those on the forearm) can differ by 10–20% from gold-standard whole-body wash-downs. Variables like electrolyte leaching or water absorption inside the patch can skew results. Dziedzic et al. (2014) reported 15–25% variability depending on patch placement and sweat rate. Even a high-sodium meal before a test can elevate sweat sodium levels for hours (Campbell et al., 2020).

In other words, your sweat test is probably telling you what you just ate, not what your physiology truly needs.

Having a sweat test is not a bad place to start. But before committing to one, understand the experience level of the lab and test protocol employed.   

Hydration strategies before, during and after exercise as documented in Veniamakis et.al

5. What's the best way to estimate fluid losses?

A practical, simple method to estimate whole body hourly fluid loss is the mass-balance approach.

Just weigh yourself accurately before and after a training run in the heat. Make sure to use a calibrated weighing scale. A known weight like a 5kg dumbbell can be used for calibration.

The change in body mass gives you a good ballpark estimate of sweat loss. Divide that number over the duration you exercised to get the fluid loss rate.

An easy online calculator from the Gatorade Institute can do all the math for you. Please access this at this link.

Combine this with an understanding of your own thirst and effort levels, and you have a field-ready strategy to manage hydration intelligently.

 

6. What electrolyte should I use?

For the reasons stated before, there is no simple answer other than to “trial dose” and find out what works for your biochemistry.

The market for sports electrolytes has a bizarre array of choices. A lot of things in sports nutrition is based on opinions of people, behavioral science and psychology. People have different tastes. Some like it sugary, some like it salty. Some don’t like sugar, some don’t like fruit, some don’t like aftertastes.

For this reason, I present a handy comparative analysis of commonly available electrolyte drink mixes and chewable tablets for endurance athletes on the following page.

Data was sourced data from manufacturer websites, product labels, and reliable retailers, ensuring accuracy for 500ml servings.

The table shows key electrolyte content such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium-to-potassium (Na:K) ratio, as well as sweeteners, and additives when diluted in a standard 500ml flask of water. It is arranged in descending order of sodium content.

Trial dose. Find out what works for you in different training situations.

Before you take high salt content electrolytes, have a word with your general physician. Those with hypertension, kidney disease, and beginners who just exercise a few times a week in the gym should not have to consume high sodium electrolytes, especially if the diet already has a high sodium content.

7. The electrolyte data

The following table shows key electrolyte content such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium-to-potassium (Na:K) ratio, as well as sweeteners, and additives when diluted in a standard 500ml flask of water. It is arranged in descending order of sodium content.

Brand	Sodium (mg)	Potassium (mg)	Magnesium (mg)	Calcium (mg)	Na:K Ratio	Carb(g)	Sweetener/Additives
SaltStick Fastchews	200*	50*	10*	5*	4:1	0.5*	Stevia, dextrose
Precision Hydration PH1500 Tab	1500	250	24	48	6:1	1.8	Sweetener Sucralose, Maltodextrin
LMNT	1000	200	60	0	5:01	2	Stevia, maltodextrin
Redmond Re-Lyte	1000	500	60	60	2:1	0	Stevia, coconut water powder, natural flavors
Precision Hydration PH1000 Tab	1000	250	24	48	6:1	2.2	Sweetener Sucralose, Maltodextrin
Raw Replenish Satchet	1000	50	50	1	20:1	16	Cane sugar, natural flavor, taurine, fermented cane sugar
WHO ORS (Novalyte, NPI etc)	901	393	0	0	2.29:1	6.75	Glucose, no artificial additives
Hydralyte Tabs	680	390	0	0	1.74:1	2	Sugars, sucralose, mannitol, kosher certified
Hydralyte Sports Satchet	575	294	24	40	1.95:1	12	Glucose, sucralose.
Liquid I.V. Hydration	530	370	0	0	1.43:1	13	Cane sugar, maltodextrin, vitamins C/B3/B5/B6/B12
Hydralyte Powder	525	400	0	0	1.3:1	3	Sugars, sucralose, mannitol.
Precision Hydration PH500 Tab	500	250	24	48	2:1	1.7	Sweetener Sucralose, Maltodextrin
Powerbar Electrolyte Tab	500	300	56.3	120	1.67:1	0	Free from aspartame, preservatives and artificial flavorings. Pink Grapefruit and Lemon Tonic: contains 150 mg caffeine per 2 tablets.
Sponsor Electrolyte Tab	400	100	20	40	4:1	0.2	Flavor, sweetener sucralose, zinc citrate, color riboflavin
Skratch Labs Everyday Drink Mix	400	100	50	50	4:1	1	Lemon Oil, Lime Oil, Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, Ascorbic Acid.
PowerBar IsoActive Powder	380	151	29	60	2.5:1	29	Natural flavors, beet juice powder
Fast&Up Reload	360	154	40	25	2.3:1	5.16	Sucralose, maltodextrin, fructose, vitamins
Koda Electrolyte Powder	360	30	20	0	12:1	1	Dextrin, sodium bicarb, red beet juice powder
Veloforte Solo Satchet	350	240	9	19	1.45:1	5	Coconut water powder, freeze-dried apricot fruit powder* (29%), pink Himalayan salt, stevia
SIS Go Hydro Tab	345	65	8.1	102	5.3:1	1	Sucralose (artificial, zero calorie), sodium bicarb
SOS Daily Hydration Tab	330	190	35	0	1.7:1	4	Sugar, stevia extract, dextrose
Tailwind Endurance Fuel	310	90	12	27	3.4:1	25	Non-GMO Dextrose, Non-GMO-cane sugar, organic caffeine
Nuun Sport	300	150	25	13	2:1	4	Stevia, dextrose, avocado oil, avocado oil, sodium bicarb
O.R.S Hydration Original	277	193	0	0	1.44:1	3.71	Sucralose, beetroot juice concentrate
O.R.S Sport	260	98.6	56	0	2.64:1	2.5	Sucralose, beetroot juice concentrate
OTE Hydro Tabs	260	22	7	30	11.8:1	0	Sorbitol, vitamins B1/B2/B6
Gnarly Nutrition Hydrate	250	100	80	100	2.5:1	7	Cane sugar, tapioca maltodextrin, stevia, sea salt, B vitamins
Pocari Sweat 500ml Drink	245	100	3	10	2.45:1	31	Sugar, high fructose corn syrup
Gatorade Thirst Quencher Orange Drink	230	70	0	0	3.28:1	31	Sugar, dextrose, artificial flavors, yellow 6.
Humantra	200	200	25	50	1:1	0	Stevia Leaf Extract, Beta-Carotene and Beetroot Powder
Maurten Drink Mix 160	200	0	0	0	N/A	40	Maltodextrin, fructose, pectin, sodium alginate
Flow Formulas Endurance	200	0	0	0	N/A	29	organic cane sugar, lemon juice, rice maltodextrin, sea salt, stevia extract
Power Life Peak Replenish	150	432	230	450	0.34:1	2	Stevia, coconut water powder, betaine, natural flavor
Hydralyte Vitamin C + Electrolytes	145	181	3.4	4.6	0.1:1	9	Glucose, sucrose, fructose, Sodium Bicarb

Footnotes:

• SaltStick Fastchews: Values per 2-chew serving. 4–6 chews may be needed for 500ml equivalence (400–600 mg sodium, 1–1.5 g carbs).
• Gatorade Sports: Scaled from 1 scoop (591ml, 450 mg sodium, 150 mg potassium, 34 g carbs) to 0.85 scoops for 500ml.
• Raw Replenish: Scaled from 1 scoop (240ml, 180 mg sodium, 70 mg potassium, 8 g carbs) to 2 scoops for 500ml.
• O.R.S: Scaled from 2 tablets (200ml, 260 mg sodium, 78 mg potassium, 1 g carbs) to 5 tablets for 500ml.
• NovaLyte WHO ORS: Sodium from 2.6 g NaCl (1024 mg Na) + 2.9 g trisodium citrate (~11 mg Na); potassium from 1.5 g KCl (780 mg K).
• Some items in this table such as the Powerbar Isoactive Powder, Tailwind Endurance Fuels are drink mixes supplying both electrolytes and carbohydrates.

 

References

• Baker, L. B. (2016). Sweat testing methodology in the field: Challenges and best practices (Sports Science Exchange Series, No. 161). Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Link
• Braun, M. M., Barstow, C. H., & Pyzocha, N. J. (2015). Diagnosis and management of sodium disorders: Hyponatremia and hypernatremia. American Family Physician, 91(5), 299–307. Link
• Campbell, B. I., Costa, R. J. S., et al. (2020). Impact of 3‑day high and low dietary sodium intake on sweat sodium concentration and cardiovascular responses during 2 h exercise in the heat: a double-blind randomized crossover trial. Journal of Applied Physiology, 128(5). Link
• Dziedzic, C. E., Ross, M. L., & Burke, L. M. (2014). Variability of measurements of sweat sodium using the regional absorbent-patch method. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 9(5), 832–838. Link
• Veniamakis, E.; Kaplanis, G.; Voulgaris, P.; Nikolaidis, P.T (2022). Effects of Sodium Intake on Health and Performance in Endurance and Ultra-Endurance Sports. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19,3651. Link