I first met Marcelo in July at one of Ready Sweat Go’s Clovelly sweat testing days. With his background in endurance — from competitive sport to long days in the Brazilian Army — he knew all about discipline and hard work. But like many athletes, he’d been missing one key piece of the puzzle: a clear understanding of his own hydration needs. What followed over the next two months was a powerful shift in his performance. Sometimes it only takes one new insight to completely change how you approach training and racing — and Marcelo’s story is a perfect example of that.

Marcelo’s Experience

I’ve always had a strong background in endurance — both in sports and during my time in the Brazilian Army, where long hours of physical effort were part of the daily routine. But despite all that experience, there was one thing I never really paid attention to: my sodium needs. For years, I pushed through training and racing without truly understanding how much sodium and fluid I was losing. The result? Cramps. Over and over again. It was frustrating, especially when I felt like my preparation was on point in every other way. That’s when I decided to do a sweat test. I wanted real answers. And what I discovered changed everything: my sweat is very salty. With the help of Shane, I learned not just the numbers behind my sodium loss, but also how to translate those numbers into the right dosages in my bottles. It was more than just data — it was a personalized strategy for my body. From there, we built a pre-race and race hydration plan specifically tailored to me: bottles with PH1500, and — most importantly — the correct dosage based on my actual needs. Fast forward to Ironman 70.3 Western Sydney, my first race after the sweat test. And guess what? Not a single cramp. I followed the hydration plan exactly as designed, and for the first time in a long time, I raced without that constant fear of my body shutting down. This experience taught me that endurance isn’t just about training hard — it’s about understanding your body and giving it exactly what it needs. And the amazing part is that I was able to understand all of this thanks to just one single afternoon spent with Shane.

A Final Thought

Marcelo’s journey is a great reminder that performance isn’t just about how hard you train, but how well you understand your body. Sometimes the smallest insights — like knowing exactly what’s in your sweat — can create the biggest changes. For many athletes, that first step starts with a sweat test. It’s a simple process, but as Marcelo’s story shows, the impact can be transformative.