Nutrition for Ultra Running
William’s nutritional philosophy and race fuelling strategy for events from 24 hours to multi-day.
Nutritional Philosophy
Nutrition in ultra running is not just about fuel — it is about sustaining the body through extraordinary demands over extended periods. William’s nutritional approach for long ultra events (24 hours through to multi-day) is built on several core principles:
- Caloric consistency — eating regularly and frequently to prevent energy crashes
- Digestibility — choosing foods the body can process while under physical stress
- Variety — in multi-day events, food fatigue is real; variety prevents the body from rejecting nutrition
- Practice — race nutrition must be trained, not improvised
Race Fuelling Strategy
For multi-day events, William’s fuelling strategy operates on a structured cycle:
During Running
Liquid calories, energy gels, easily digestible snacks. Small amounts consumed frequently — every 20-30 minutes. Hydration managed with electrolyte-enhanced fluids.
During Rest Breaks
Solid food: rice, pasta, potatoes, bread. Hot meals when possible. Focus on real food over processed supplements. LyoFood freeze-dried meals for convenience and nutrition density.
Practical Tips
- Train your gut. Practice race nutrition during long training runs. Your stomach needs to learn to process food while running.
- Start eating early. Don’t wait until you feel hungry — by then you’re already behind on calories.
- Have a Plan B. Food that works at mile 10 might be rejected at mile 80. Carry alternatives.
- Salt matters. Electrolyte loss is one of the biggest risks in long events. Monitor and replace sodium actively.
- Caffeine is a tool, not a crutch. Use it strategically in the later stages of an event, not from the start.
- Post-race recovery nutrition is as important as race nutrition. Rebuild with protein and carbohydrates within 30 minutes of finishing.