Leadville 100 ultratrail course record has just been broken, and the winner highlighted his strategy :
Here was the plan for every 2.5 or so hours based on training and the science showing that it’s possible to push up to 120 grams of carbs per hour at higher efforts:
Hour 1: Science in Sport Beta Fuel gel (40g carbs), another Beta Fuel, Precision Fuel and Hydration 100 mg caffeine gel (30g carbs)
30 min break from gels
Hour 2: Beta Fuel, Beta Fuel, Precision gel without caffeine
If you listen to the podcast where he recaps the race, he sounds so jazzed (still) and he says it’s the Tuesday after the race and he hasn’t really slept.
I saw this guys post race interview talking about his fueling strategy and I can’t say that I’ve heard any runner talk with such precision about their carb rate etc. It was nice to see.
I was a runner before ever cycling and I would have loved to know all I do about fueling back then. In running it’s just not ever emphasized, I guess because most runs are 1hr or less. But when you try to go to a full marathon, it becomes super crucial and I think it’s something a ton of runners do very poorly. I say that because I was one of them. I’d bet good money that most of the people that drop during a marathon, don’t have a fueling strategy beyond having a couple of gels in their pocket.
One of the guys I stayed with at Leadville this year (MTB) wasn’t really paying enough attention - and all of his gels were caffeinated. I think we figured out he took in 2000 ish mg of caffeine during the race
If you watch one of Lionel Sander’s latest videos about a training day, he was quoting his carbs per hour on the bike versus his carbs per hour on the run. Said he was closer to 60 on the run because (I suppose digestion/stomach issues). Obviously this is triathlon and not just running and ironman athletes need to have nutrition dialed.
I think ultra Running is a different beast and always been more aware about nutrition on the run. A friend was training for the 100k American record and would calculate calories and practice taking them in on the run. That was 25-ish years ago. So it has been there at the top… But perhaps more main stream awareness.
Running is different. Personally I never went up past the marathon (except once for the trail 50k national championships) but the intensity was so hard, anything in my stomach would cause severe cramping. So much so one time I had to stop and lay down the cramping was so bad. Perhaps I could have “trained my gut” but most races were half marathon and under so didn’t see the point. Most fueling was the lead up to the race.
Right?
I know nothing about elite running, but I watched a bunch of Olympic track and field and my cycling mindset was in full shock. From an aero perspective, big hair, crazy long nails, loose clothing, jewelry, etc. And from a weight perspective, why wear big gold chains? Obviously these folks know what they are doing, but in a sport where it sometimes comes down to .001 of a second, I don’t understand how it doesn’t matter.
I was getting the piss taken out of me the other day for bringing a litre of water and a packet of fruit jellies along for a 35km run in warm sun.
Runners are SO behind the curve it exasperates me.
Nutrition while running is an entire different game compared to the bike. The intensity is greater, the impact, jostling of the stomach… what improvements can/would you even make?
I’m with you. I’m just saying taking food on the bike is different compared to running. When you are running really hard it is difficult to get things to digest. For me personally it would cause severe cramping anytime something was in my stomach (even gels). I probably should have trained my gut better… but on the bike i have no problem eating. It’s different.
I agree that conceptually running needs to up its game in general. That said, when you are running 4:40 miles in a marathon it’s more difficult practically. Not to mention the pros seem to be pretty maxed out physiologically marathon down. Are there really any gains left here?
That’s a great watch, thanks. She’s such an awesome person and athlete (I’m a little biased since she’s a fellow Longhorn and Austinite). Hook Em!
And yeah, I get it to a point, but still struggle with the pragmatic side of it. I guess the way to justify it is that the brain is such an important aspect of performance that the “swagger” that a gold chain (or nails or whatever) generates is going to offset the added weight or aero drag. But honestly, the way I’m wired I just don’t think I could hang a chain around my neck for a running race knowing it’s added weight. But clearly I’ve got no clue about this stuff (no medals for me). All this time I thought my genetics were making me a crappy athlete, but maybe I just needed some swagger…
I’m with you. I was thinking the exact same when races were decided by ten-thousandths of a second. I don’t get it either but like you said… hard to understand and quantify the power of the mind.
What a great interview she is. However, I was more referring to the running community/culture as a whole, particularly longer distances, not just the very best sprinters. Those competing in marathons don’t need that Rizz.
