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By Zuzana Nemeckova
Running a marathon used to be a challenge only a few brave runners would dare to take on, and running an ultra was an even smaller group of individuals.
However, participation in ultras has increased significantly in the last few years, and the trend does not look like slowing down.
Plus many runners are eager to push themselves even further beyond their limits. And they are certainly spoiled for choice with an abundance of ultras appearing around the world ranging in distance from 100 km to 250 km and even further.
While anyone is capable of tackling an ultra, not everyone will finish it. One of the most common reasons why runners fail is their fuelling strategy, or the lack of one, as the case might be.
Let’s start with the basics
1 – Think of food as fuel. Your body cannot ‘run’ efficiently on empty and it cannot perform at its best if it is energy deficient. It’s something that you are going to reap the benefits of later on.
2 – Treat the fuelling strategy with the same level of planning as you do your training plan. You cannot wing it when it comes to fuelling for an ultra. You have to have a fuelling strategy tailored to your specific needs.
3 – Test your fuelling strategy in training, preferably under race conditions.
This is the best time to try different types of fuel and work out which work best for you.
If you fail to prepare, be prepared to fail.
First of all, any fuel is better than no fuel at all. Eating enough calories during a race should be a number one priority. It is because calories equal energy and more energy equals better performance.
However, if you want to perform at your best, it will pay off to refine your fuelling strategy. Generally, your body cannot store enough energy to complete a marathon, never mind an ultra. The key to successful fuelling for a 50+ mile ultra is to consume enough carbs not only before the race but during the race too.
There are a plethora of studies that show a clear correlation between high carb consumption and improved performance.
48 hours leading up to the race
You should be eating plenty of carbs during training, but particularly in the 36-48 hours leading up to your race.
Aim for 8 – 12 grams per kilogram of body weight per day if your gut can handle it. For a 70 kg runner, this equates to 840 grams or 3,360 calories at the upper limit! If it sounds like a lot, it is because it is! So think about practising during training to get your body used to this amount before you try it in a race.
Good sources of pre-race carbs:
1- 4 hours prior to the race
It is a good idea to up your liver glycogen (carbs stored in the liver) before the race. Aim to eat between 1 – 4 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight.
Good options:
During the race
By far the biggest mistake made during an ultra race is not sticking to the fuelling schedule.
Runners either:
By now you should know exactly how many carbs you need to be taking on per hour and in what form will your fuel come. Will you be taking gels? Maybe real food? Liquid calories? Or a combination of all?
Whatever your race fuel is, you must take on enough calories per hour from the get-go. And continue to do so throughout the duration of the race.
The recommended amount of carbs to be consumed during a race is between 60-90+ grams per hour. This equates to 240-360 calories per hour. Eat any less and your performance will suffer.
But it’s not all just about carbs. Adding protein and fats into your race nutrition has its benefits as well.
Figuring out what the best fuelling is for you can be tricky. That’s why working with a qualified nutritionist might be just what you need to get your fuelling strategy right.
Zuzana is a qualified nutritionist who helps runners optimise performance with the right nutrition so they can run further faster and injury free.
You can contact her via Instagram @ontrack.nutritionist via her website www.ontracknutritionist.com or via email at [email protected]
