The Perfect Storm
HOW NUTRITION, CAFFEINE, AND ELECTROLYTES MAY HAVE TIPPED THE BALANCE
TORONTO: WHEN EVERYTHING ALIGNED — AND THEN DIDN’T
Toronto was supposed to be another checkpoint. Another engine test. I felt strong, trained, ready.
But within minutes of starting, the rhythm was off. My breathing tightened. My body wasn’t responding the way it should. By the time it ended, I was sitting in the medical area, replaying every decision that led to that moment and asking myself what I’d missed.
Since then, I’ve been walking back through everything — the medical data, the training, the habits so small they felt normal. While there are still tests ahead, what I’ve already uncovered has changed how I look at my daily routines.
This is what I’ve learned so far.
RETHINKING THE ROUTINE
What unfolded in Toronto wasn’t one dramatic mistake.
It was the slow normalization of a pattern.
I’ve never loved eating first thing in the morning. Not because I was trying to train fasted — I just didn’t feel hungry. I’d wake up, grab a latte, and go. Food would come later. The same was true for hydration. I’d drink more as the day went on, but the first half of it often ran dry.
Race day amplified that pattern:
Early morning travel
Little water
A Red Bull before the start
A long, high-intensity effort in warm conditions
Each decision seemed small. But together, they likely created the perfect conditions for imbalance.
Since then, I’ve started shifting that rhythm — slowly, intentionally:
A light breakfast before training
Electrolytes before coffee
Water first, stimulus second
It isn’t perfect yet. But it’s honest. And it already feels different.
Each small choice, layered consistently, changes the outcome.
ELECTROLYTES: THE MISSING LINK
One of the clearest clues came through bloodwork: low sodium and magnesium.
For years, I thought of electrolytes as something to worry about only in long summer races. I now understand they are part of the body’s electrical system — essential for nerve signaling, heart rhythm, and cellular balance.
The biggest shift for me wasn’t quantity. It was timing.
Instead of waiting until after training, I now:
Take electrolytes in the morning
Add a second serving midday
Use magnesium consistently
Salt my food more intentionally
The result?
Fewer lightheaded moments
More stable energy
A calmer, more consistent heart rhythm
Simple changes. Significant impact.
CAFFEINE: A PAUSE, NOT A PUNISHMENT
Coffee has been part of my mornings for decades. The smell. The ritual. The focus.
But in the weeks leading to Toronto, my intake had quietly increased:
Double latte before training
Another mid-morning
A Red Bull before the start
And another mid-race
It didn’t feel excessive — until it was.
Stepping away from caffeine was uncomfortable at first. The fog. The low energy. The sluggish mornings. But then came the shift:
Deeper sleep
Steadier energy
Less restlessness
No more early-morning palpitations
I’m not sure if caffeine will ever fully return.
For now, I’m listening to the calm.
And the calm feels good.
CONNECTING THE DOTS
The part that stands out most is this:
I felt great in the warm-up. Relaxed. Ready.
Then came a few sips of Red Bull — and with it, a feeling that something dropped instead of lifted. Thinking I needed more, I finished the can. A sudden surge… followed by destabilization.
Midway through the event, I reached for another, hoping for the same boost I’d always relied on. Instead, that’s when the unraveling accelerated: tight chest, broken rhythm, weakness.
When I revisited my old training journals, a pattern jumped off the page:
Races with high caffeine → HR spikes, unease, crashes
Races without caffeine → steady, strong, controlled
I didn’t see it then.
But I see it clearly now.
It’s not about control anymore.
It’s about calibration.
NUTRITION: LEARNING TO EAT EARLIER
Despite a lifetime in endurance sport, I was missing a surprisingly simple piece: the start of the day.
Now I eat something before training:
Half a bagel with butter or cream cheese
Or a small, balanced breakfast with carbs, protein, and fat
It’s not about calories. It’s about signaling safety to the body.
The result:
More consistent energy
Better mood
Smoother post-training recovery
Some mornings I still don’t feel hungry.
I eat anyway — gently, intentionally.
Small input. Big difference.
ELIMINATING ALCOHOL
I was never a heavy drinker. A beer or glass of wine most nights.
But even small amounts were affecting:
Sleep quality
Hydration
Recovery
Heart-rate variability
Removing it has simplified everything:
Deeper sleep
More stable HR
Cleaner energy
Not forever. But for now, it’s an easy yes.
TRAINING: CALMER, NOT SLOWER
Training hasn’t stopped — it’s transformed.
Lower intensity.
More Zone 1–2 volume.
Lighter station loads.
Longer recovery windows.
The full HYROX movement pattern is still there — but now it’s about communication, not domination. Listening to the system instead of trying to override it.
And the feedback has been encouraging:
Better HR control
Less post-session fatigue
More trust in my body
The engine is still there.
It’s just learning a new rhythm.
WHAT’S HELPING ME RIGHT NOW
Electrolytes before caffeine
Light breakfast before training
No caffeine (for now)
No alcohol
Lower-intensity volume
Daily reflection instead of reaction
Not quick fixes.
Just calm, consistent alignment.
MOVING FORWARD
Tests and consults will continue. Answers will come in layers.
But in the meantime, these small changes have given me momentum. Not measured in pace, watts, or splits — but in stability, clarity, and trust.
I may never get a single, tidy diagnosis. And that’s okay. The real work is learning what supports me and what undermines me.
For now:
Calm mornings. Balanced fuel. Clear signals.
Better sleep. Steadier heart. Realignment.
It reminds me of my early days training under Pilch — long hours, heart rate under 120, volume before intensity. That’s where the engine was built once.
Now, it’s how it’s being rebuilt again.
Calm is still fast.
Just in a different way.