It's been awesome being able to help people along their
journey in running, triathlon, and craft beer selection (among other things).
For those of you who sought answers, you know that I speak from experience and
what I've learned talking to my mentors, listening to podcasts, and reading
about. I always tend to put a disclaimer on any or all information partially to
avoid a lawsuit but mostly to encourage people to seek out their own answers.
I've discovered that this journey is far more impactful and resourceful than
just hearing a rookie ultrarunner babble. Nutrition seems to be an overwhelming
theme lately…so, being a woman or my word, here is my latest rambling on
race-day nutrition.
Official disclaimer: "I, (state your name), do not hold
this author responsible for jack shit…unless it works, then it's all
Steph." Proceed.
I like food- Big fan! It all has its place-Comfort food;
'food as fuel'; delicious naughtiness accompanied by liquid gold and shenanigans;
or random cravings...mama likey. As many of you know, I cut out meat several
years ago is my daily diet, well before I was an ultrarunner, so my nutrition
planning and diet has always been a little different than the 'normal' individual. Clearly when I am
cranking out the mileage in the middle of harsh race training, I am eating
differently than when I'm recovering from a race and fighting off the
post-awesomeness depression. I'm not nailed down to a specific eating pattern
throughout the calendar year because my life (as anyone's..) is juggling
demands of multiple variables. As a creature of habit, I'm not loving this. It
can be hard for me to keep away from some of my cruxes when needed and, on the
other hand, sometimes I feel abundantly guilty for satisfying a sweet tooth
craving. I've beaten myself up about it..Jesus Christ is a bag of PB M&M's
going to shave off a minute/mile? "That's just illogical." -Spock. This
isn't my first rodeo, I know better, but I'm a little bipolar when it comes to
food and what I will or will not allow myself to partake in. Fortunately, after transitioning from
triathlon to ultra, I learned that I am afforded a few more allowances with
less affect on my training. I'm not exactly sure why, but possibly relating to
the fact that I'm not suiting up in a swimsuit 3-4 days a week. Damn those
full-lengths mirrors at the Y.
I have been able to be a bit more relaxed since my transition
to primarily ultra and have to admit it's a lifestyle that is more suited to
me. I love competing, rather it be a swim-bike-run or technical trail run for a
couple dozen hours. It's who I am and more of an identity than hobby. I tend to
be a little hard on myself and quitting is not ever an option (even after a
couple heated 'discussions' with course medical vols who suggest otherwise).
With this in mind, when it comes to nutrition and race day, I tighten the reins
a bit. The research I've done on nutrition, especially going into my first 100
was quite extensive. Suggestions, guidelines, and conflicting opinions flooded
me when trying to find out the ideal race nutrition plan. Great information,
don't get me wrong, but definitely overwhelming. Some of the basics that stuck
with me have significantly directed my nutrition-based maneuvers.
Science is hard to argue and human biology/anatomy is heavily
researched, given us all a decent starting point. For example, the average
runner can absorb 200-250ish (depending of sex/capability) calories per hour.
Obviously a calorie comes in multiple forms but the most race-common seems to
be carbohydrates. On average, carb absorption is about one gram/minute which
equates to about 4 calories/gram (or 240ish calories per/hour). HEY, WAKE UP!
Read that shit again...it took me awhile to soak it in as well; I had to draw
pictures (smiley faces and beers were part of this educational art). According
to a podcast that I listened to (I totally understand I am sucking at crediting
my sources-see disclaimer), after about 5 hours-give or take-the body starts
digesting proteins as well as carbs--however the percentage is much lower,
around 20-25% of absorption/digestion. Sooooooo, carbs seem to go the 'go to'
for race day nutrition. Think about what you see at aid stations or what you
crew is yelling at you to take-mostly carbs? Obviously even the carbs come in a
variety of forms. My choice is always the closest to 'whole foods' (fresh, unprocessed)
when I am being nutrition-conscious. I am by no means an example of doing this
religiously however and I've been known to dive my GU-covered hands in a bowl of
M&Ms or licorice like a crack fiend. Obviously the more unnatural the food
is, the less ideal for your body to process which slows the
digestion/absorption rate and basically throws a damper is access of energy.
I've tested this out a few times in non-race situations-eating whole, natural
(sometimes raw) foods for a majority of my meals during a work week. I have
noticed SIGNIFICANT benefits from everything from better hair and skin to less
overall swelling and bloating. My mood was definitely better as well-but that
maybe that because I looked less like the Staypuff Marshmallow Man. Who ya gonna
call? On the other hand, after a night of hitting up a brewery and eating like
crap, I definitely see me plump up a bit. Pisses me off. Side note: Too many
carbs and not burning them off has the same affect on me. This totally blows
because I could live a long and happy life on breads and cereal...granted I
would mirror Jabba the Hut or Fat Bastard--"Get in my belly!".
Sighhhh..such is life.
ANYWAYS, back to food...I see a lot of athletes swear by
processed crap during their ultras-rock on homies, to each their own. However, it's
pretty well known that we do NOT need fat intake during the race. Adding fat to
the body is unnecessary and inefficient. It is basically adding more variables
to disrupt digestion and possibly cause discomfort or GI challengs. The body
processes glucose (carbs) much more effectively when it comes to energy
conversion. Fats won't necessarily even be used in many cases so taking more
doesn't really positively affect the results. Regardless how high or low your
body fat index percentage is, you could run for days on the fat that you
already have stored. I'm pretty sure the fats taken in are more for comfort and
answering cravings, if runners are anything like me. I get that, sometimes it
breaks the mental persecution and lightens the mood. I have noticed another benefit to fat intake
that I haven't read anywhere that is part of my back up plan mid race: When I
know I'm not taking in the hydration or liquid calories that I need, a handful
of fatty snacks at the aid station usually gets me craving liquids/hydro. I'm
sure this has something to do with the sodium that is routinely along with many
of the fatty foods that I personally choose, but regardless it's a win for
me.
Hydration HAS TO BE partnered with nutrition intake when planning;
this is something that I've failed and learned from. Many experts suggest
learning how much you sweat, factoring in the sodium content in your sweat
(usually 1/3 teaspoon of sodium/liter) and then multiplying that 3-3 1/2 times
to determine the sodium content in your blood. Yeeeahhh, so I haven't done that
but it's interesting to learn why this information is important. This hit home
after Pot100. I noticed some serious swelling after first 100miler than took
several days to go down, specifically in my extremities. I didn't get it. I
thought it was because I just beat the shit of out of my body for over 22 hours
and every part of me was just pissed and bloating in protest. Well, it's a bit
more scientific than that. What I learned is that I actually drank too much
water (in regards to the necessary sodium-water ratio balance) and the swelling
ensued and I retained water, becoming hyponatremic. I thought that if I wasn't
urinating, which I wasn't after awhile, that I wasn't taking in enough fluids.
On the contrary, what I learned after the fact is that my kidney functions were
slowing after hours of exercise, which is pretty normal. (This also explains
why I get a super awesome buzz if I drink beer after a killer workout--but
that's for another story kids.) So it's crazy important to examine hydration
(including the sodium balance/percentage) when determining a nutrition plan. I
strongly believe that runners who have constant GI issues haven't spent enough
time determining unique needs or practicing the implementation.
Yep, practice eating. Sounds like fun, eh? It's harder than
it sounds. Many friends and curious onlookers have witnessed a buffet on the
dash of the treadmill at the Y or have seen me running with some unidentified
food in my hand. This is exactly what's going on. Running and eating is a skill
in itself. Before ultrarunning, I never ate anything when I ran for the simple
fact I had no noticeable appetite and that nothing sounded good (except when I
ran by Casey's in the morning and they are making donuts…hell yes.). The fact of the matter is if you want to be run ultra
(extended) distance, you have to figure this shit out. Whether food sounds good
or not is strictly irrelevant. This
is where the mindset of "food is fuel, not entertainment" has to
dominate your subconscious. You have to truly believe or it will not stick. I mean, come on..Ultra is an unattractive,
painful sport. We are crapping on the trails, blowing snotrockets, hacking up loogies,
squeezing down paste-like gel, and even pissing ourselves. There no excuse,
none whatsoever, why a runner can't force a little unwanted nutrition
consumption, especially when it is imperative to race success. Am I right, or am I right? Next to mental
preparation and the obvious training runs, races are lost due to nutrition
disasters, in my humble opinion of course. I think about some of my ideal ultra
foods for my race plan and they are nuts-I mean straight donkey balls (I don’t
eat donkey balls, it's just an emphasis on the ridiculousness). My favorite
nutrition choice that has no effect on GI and settles well every time is boiled
plain potato dipped in salt. Grapes, watermelon, chicken broth with limited
noodles (yes, I said chicken-no such thing as pescetarianism when I race), and
nutella or hummus wraps are MONEY for me at any point in a race. After mile
75-80, heavier crabs seem agree with me as well. At Pot100, I bet I ate 3-4
grilled cheese sandwiches, while running of course, along with my staple peanut
butter-honey-mini M&M sandwiches..Mmmm..Bon appetite biatches.
Nutrition consumption and hydration alone isn't sufficient
planning. Timing is everything. I find it extremely beneficial to learn a bit
about the course as early as possible. Pot100 was 10 glorious loops with
well-spaced aid stations. So, I planned my nutrition based on those factors,
broke down the calories needed and instructed my crew on what I would need
(or..uh..demanded-I was kind of a Hitler). Hawk 100 was 25 mile loops, which
forced me to look at nutrition a bit differently. I didn't have the access to
my crew as before but I knew I had placed drop bags. However, I also know
myself and knew that I wasn't going to want to waste time and momentum bending
over to find my bag, opening it up, unwrapping my needs, etc. I know, I know…I
totally sound like diva. Regardless, both experiences were eye-openings to
factors that require more planning and also a stark reminder of how anal
retentive I really am. I own it proudly.
There is clearly a science to nutrition, and I've only
touched on my experience on what I've learned mid-race. Pre-race and post are
completely different animals. I've had a few people ask for advice on the
matter and my answer is always the same: "Research, experiment, and do
what's best for you. Now, go get me a beer please." I love reading the pro's
bios when they talk about what they do for nutrition. Many stick with gels for
competition; the "Fruitarian" has reported pounding dates (I can't
imagine taking in that much fiber); young stud Killian Jornet has been known to
tackle some Kit-Kat's; Karnazes orders a pizza via GPS coordinates and pounds
it burrito-style without breaking stride. That being said, I have no expertise
in the area and even the reputable, proven resources have nutrition plans that
completely contradict themselves, science, and the logistics of human biology.
You may be better answer to your nutrition questions from a 5-year old.
I think that this mystery is another aspect that draws me to
the sport of ultrarunning. Who the hell knows what the optimal plan is for doing
anything in the sport? Whole food/zero-sucrose nutrition? The use of pacers? Gatorade vs. Water vs.
Sugar/salt water vs. Ensure? Post-race chocolate milk or IPA? I will never
master the answers to every detail that will lead me to my ultimate potential.
I'm ok with that. Northface said it best: 'Never Stop Exploring.' I get off on
creating new hypotheses and testing them out. I'm a research nerd that love to
ask questions and have my mind blown. I definitely like taking my own inquiries
out on a nice long run and tossing possible solutions back and forth in
solitude. This is constant in ultra and the never-ending questions and research
possibilities are a welcomed friend when life stresses dominate the mind. Ultra
is a good life distraction, with healthy side-effects. Ultra on, my friends,
ultra on.
Damn it, now I'm craving PB M&M's.
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