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Endurance Nutrition
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I was doing a long trail run yesterday and passed a runner going the other way who was training for a 75K ultra here in Australia. We chatted for a while (it was a steep hill and I was going down). One of the things we chatted about was what the ultra guys do for nutrition. Answer... nothing much! A few gels for a 10hr race and water. This guy is a 3hr marathoner (water only for that). His reasoning is that if you train with lots of nutrition your body gets used to it and that's what you'll need to carry in the race. "Is this common amongst you guys" I asked and he reckons most at the pointy end are doing this.
We race aerobically and that burns a high proportion of fat but we still need some glucose and that's why we take nutrition so the story goes. The more the better as long as there is no GI distress. Is this actually true though? Do we really need glucose? Is it possible to train and and then race competitively and not need anywhere near the amount of nutrition that people use. How many calories do the pointy end guys and girls actually use for an im. Sports supplements are big business and it always seems to me whenever they are interviewed their answer is never straightforward.
In my own case I do not take anything on my long training runs and a few gels on the training ride but nothing like the amount I did when I first started racing. However, when racing I take in as much as I have learned I can tolerate. It has always seemed to me I'm not racing the way I've trained. So my question is this.
Is it possible to be competitive at an im distance race on just water and a few gels?
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Re: Endurance Nutrition [Mark57] [ In reply to ]
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First, the correct answer to this question has a multitude of parts that cannot be covered in depth here.

  1. We know that a lack of carbohydrate decreases the maintainable workload in distances / duration in which carbohydrate availability is a potentially limiting factor. I will not say performance as that is a complex situation.
  2. You can improve your performance in a low-CHO availability state by training in that manner, however, your performance does not return to the level in which you are well-fed.
  3. The requirements of various modes of exercise / competition are different. The needs of an ultra-distance runner, whom must carry a significant portion of their nutrition across undulating terrain and with a center of mass that is constantly fighting gravity (every step contains a vertical acceleration) is different from an IM athlete whom has numerous aid stations and the rolling buffet known as a TT bike.
  4. I will concede that some, especially in the ultra-distance community will choose to forego carrying additional Calories under the guise that carrying less weight compensates for reduced sustainable workload. Many become so accustomed to reduced workload that they forget what it's like to "feel good".
  5. Being competitive has little to do with being optimal. Often, the fastest are the fastest despite what they do, not because of it. The fastest individuals are different from us regular people. Hard work / optimizing can bring a regular person to low-level pro (ie. congratulations, you have your pro-card!), but not top-level.
  6. Training / sleeping in a low-CHO state can stimulate additional aerobic adaptations. However, in my experience, this is playing with fire as many athletes ultimately respond negatively unless the intervention is well controlled and appropriate.
  7. Lots of research out there. Louise Burke and John Hawley's group is well known. Asker Juekendrup too. Lawrence Spriet has done work on fat oxidation. Countless others, depending on the exact question.


I talk a lot - Give it a listen: http://www.fasttalklabs.com/category/fast-talk
I also give Training Advice via http://www.ForeverEndurance.com

The above poster has eschewed traditional employment and is currently undertaking the ill-conceived task of launching his own hardgoods company. Statements are not made on behalf of nor reflective of anything in any manner... unless they're good, then they count.
http://www.AGNCYINNOVATION.com
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Re: Endurance Nutrition [xtrpickels] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the comprehensive answer. I'll look those papers up.
Last edited by: Mark57: Apr 2, 18 17:17
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Re: Endurance Nutrition [Mark57] [ In reply to ]
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Re: Endurance Nutrition [Mark57] [ In reply to ]
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Some of Asker's
http://www.mysportscience.com/highlighted-pubs

I talk a lot - Give it a listen: http://www.fasttalklabs.com/category/fast-talk
I also give Training Advice via http://www.ForeverEndurance.com

The above poster has eschewed traditional employment and is currently undertaking the ill-conceived task of launching his own hardgoods company. Statements are not made on behalf of nor reflective of anything in any manner... unless they're good, then they count.
http://www.AGNCYINNOVATION.com
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