Training, Racing & Eating: a focus on fuelling an ultramarathon – what’s practical?

What to eat? When to eat? How much to eat? Common dilemmas for any athlete when trying to get the most out of their training and competition. In my opinion, there is no better test for sports nutrition than in an ultra marathon race. Yes, most athletes from recreational, club level to elite will recognise the importance of their diet and how this effects their performance. However, there is still the thought amongst some that, as long as you are putting the miles in, you can "eat what you like".

Nutrition won't make an average athlete elite but has the ability to make an elite athlete average

I think there is a lot of truth in this, and that's why now, Sports Dietitians are becoming widely recognised as a crucial part of the athlete team.

When elite athletes are looking for that extra 1% on race day, nutrition is essential. However, for many runners just wanting to complete their first 10k, 1/2 marathon or marathon, it can be viewed as less important and they become completely focused on the physical training. It's true that many will manage to get round the distance without paying too much attention to how they've fuelled their race. Could they have been faster? Often the blame for slowing towards the end will be placed on not enough training, but actually did they run out of energy?

My specific interest in fuelling ultra marathon running (races over 26.2miles) stemmed from the fact that for this length of race, whatever level of runner you are, you simply cannot "get away" with neglecting what you eat. When running for anything from 6-7 hours to multiple days, you will not reach the finish line without adequate energy. In addition, the macro and micronutrient composition becomes more important, along with the mode of delivery (liquid, solid, gels). While a few energy gels might be enough to see you through a marathon, "taste fatigue" becomes a huge issue when athletes try to use the same product over the course of a 24 hour (or longer) race. The body starts to reject the food/ drink and suddenly you find yourself unable to absorb any food whatsoever - this is a big cause of the dreaded DNF. Practice really is essential, as what works for someone is highly unlikely to work just as well for someone else. This is where consulting a Sports Dietitian can help, giving advice and strategies specific to you.

I have been helping an experienced ultra runner and fellow Kilbarchan AAC member John Kynaston with his nutritional preparation for ultra marathon races a few years now and find it useful to assess post race:

•    Overall energy/ carbohydrate intake which was consumed
•    Fluid intake
•    Race result
•   Comparison to guidelines for energy and carbohydrate ingestion during endurance exercise (ACSM position stand, 2009)

He recently completed the Hardmoors 55 mile race in 10 hours 10 mins and in 32nd position (blog: http://johnkynaston.com/2014/03/23/hardmoors-55-race-report-2/). This was 20 mins ahead of his pre race goal and reported post race to have taken in the following:

• 1 slice of fruit bread with jam
• half a small tub of mashed sweet potato and cheese
• 1 cliff bar
• 1 Greek style yoghurt
• 1050ml of flat coke
• 2.5l of Matrix Energy Drink

This works out as ~ 2170 calories and 460g CHO to fuel 10 hours of running - is this enough?

One of the common mistakes athletes can make is trying to match intake with energy expenditure. While runners will be burning in excess of 600 calories/ hour, the body can only absorb ~ 250 per hour. Trying to consume 600 calories while running is likely to impair performance and cause gastrointestinal distress.

Current research suggests an optimal intake of ~ 250 calories and 30-60g CHO to be ingested per hour of running to maximise performance and prevent glycogen depletion. It's important to start fuelling within the first hour as it's much easier to top up glycogen levels rather than waiting until they are depleted.

Looking at the intake above, he ingested 217 calories and 46g CHO per hour which is almost exactly as the guidelines suggest. The majority of this was in liquid form and from sweet foods, but he did feel that energy levels were sustained right to the finish of the race. For a longer race, the addition of protein will become increasingly important and including savoury options to prevent the "taste fatigue" mentioned earlier. While many other factors come into play on race day, I'm sure it was no coincidence that a great race performance was coupled with a nutrition strategy in line with recommendations!

So I would encourage any athletes, whatever level, to give your nutrition an extra bit of consideration when planning your training programme. When you get it right, it definitely has the ability to enhance performance!

Cara :)

The 5:2 diet: What’s it all about?

It’s the latest diet ‘craze’ around just now. Headlines such as ‘Diet for only 2 days and lose weight’ ‘Eat whatever you want 5 days per week and still lose weight’ and of course the Horizon programme investigating it’s beneficial effect in Alzheimer's disease have all contributed to its increasing popularity. Add into this, celebrities and others in the public eye all endorsing its success, and more and more people are getting on board. It works on the principle of intermittent fasting. By significantly reducing your energy intake for 2 days per week, you can (in theory) eat what you like for the rest of the week, while still creating an energy deficit and therefore losing weight.

But what is it, why does it work & is it really the solution to long term weight loss?

The basics:

• Eat whatever you like 5 days per week
• Reduce calorie intake to ~ 25% of your energy needs (roughly 500 – 600 calories/day) for 2 days (doesn’t need to be consecutive days)  

And that’s it!

One of the attractive things about this diet is the lack of ‘rules’ to follow. There are no points or calories to count everyday and you don’t need to live on meal replacement shakes or exclude ‘treat’ foods. It also benefits from the fact that a 2 day diet sounds a lot more attractive that watching what you eat every day.

Is it practical?

Think about this. You have a busy family and time you all get chance to catch up is around the dinner table, will this be affected by not eating every couple of days? More importantly, if young children see parents adopting this type of routine, are they more likely to develop disordered eating patterns in the future.

If your working life involves business meetings with clients and regular dinner functions, are you comfortable with explaining that actually this is your ‘fasting’ day so you wont be eating? Ok, so people will argue that you could plan your fasting days around these commitments but is it sustainable? Or just an additional stress to an already hectic schedule. Finally if you enjoy going to the gym or playing any kind of sport we all know having enough energy for the required activity is crucial. Would you be compromising on the health and social benefits of this by being unable to take part on your fasting days? Thinking about your current lifestyle and the impact of significantly reduced energy intake for 2 days every week it vital before deciding if this is the right approach for you.

Claims of health benefits:

• Weight loss
• May help prevent diseases including heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, type 2 diabetes and cancer 

Up to this point, there have been limited studies carried out in humans to suggest recommending eating in this way. Short term data exists to indicate a weight loss effect but there is little evidence for its long term success. It should be noted that the above health benefits are not exclusive to this diet. Just a 5% reduction in body weight is proven to result in significant health improvements.

Many people have had success with this dieting approach but is it really the solution?

One of the things people struggle with when trying to lose weight is the decision making. ‘What should I have for breakfast’ ‘Are cereal bars OK?’ ‘I’m feeling really hungry but I really shouldn’t have this chocolate biscuit’. It’s this constant decision making which affects sustainability of the weight loss attempt. Common reasons include ‘it’s too hard’, ‘all I think about is food’, ‘I don’t know what I should be eating’, ‘’I’ve had a bad day & blown it, there’s no point in carrying on’. By removing decision making for 2 days per week, it seems mentally easier to cope with. Some people find that this is less challenging than employing calorie restriction every day.

But what about the other 5 days?

The people behind this diet claim that you can eat ‘whatever you like’ however in reality, if you were to consume excessive calories, even with 2 days fasting, you will not lose weight. They rely on the fact that while following this plan, you change your thoughts around eating on non fasting days, and subconsciously reduce intake so not to exceed basic energy needs.

Is it for everyone?

If you are generally fit and well, following this eating pattern should not cause any side effects. However, certain people including children and teenagers, Type 1 + 2 diabetics, pregnant ladies, those with immune disorders or any other medical condition should consult their doctor prior to starting. In addition there is a risk of becoming deficient in certain vitamins and minerals if adequate intake is not consumed during non fasting days.

To sum up..

As with all ‘diets’ or weight loss plans, long term success is determined by individual motivation and compliance. Lifestyle and behaviour changes have proven to elicit the greatest, sustainable weight loss.

Key questions to ask yourself are:

‘Am I happy with what I’m eating?’

‘Can I see myself eating in this way forever?’

‘Am I still able to socialise with friends without worrying about what eat?’

If the answer is ‘No’ it’s unlikely that this is the solution for you. It’s very easy to fall in to the dieting cycle with periods of significant weight gain and loss over a number of years. This can have a negative psychological effect and can lead to frustration and anxiety around lack of weight control.

There are many success stories with the 5:2 eating pattern but I am still sceptical as to whether this is just the latest in a long line of dieting ‘fads’. The proof will be with further research and long term follow up of individuals who continue with this intermittent fasting plan. I still believe that a moderate calorie restriction combined with physical activity is the best way to reach your weight loss goals, while also improving mood and fitness.

Thanks for reading :)