Top 5 Nutrition Lessons I Learnt Following Elite Ultra Runners around the Tor Des Geants Ultra Marathon (with advice). A thread 1/9 Crewing for @Damian Hall on Tor Des Geants provided an opportunity to work with, chat to, and observe (aka spy on) how elite ultrarunners fuel.

The elite end of Tor Des Geants was competed over 4 days of grueling racing, over a distance of 330km, with 30,000m ascent, and in 32c (90f) heat. I'll post a series of tweets deconstructing race nutrition, and offer advice on how to implement this into your own plan. 2/9

Here's what I found: 1. It's All About The Gut. The gut is central to this story. Gut training is a key part of success on the Tor Des Geants, helping ensure athletes can handle the food load, have the stomach capacity to keep eating and avoid gi distress. 3/9

2. Rip Up The Rulebook. Nutrition needs on this type of race differ considerably to other ultra races. There are new challenges but also changes in heat, pace, taste fatigue, energy, and opportunities to eat change nutrition priorities. 4/9

3. Supplements - Do They Work? Many athletes used supplements during the race, mostly for trying to beat cramps. Electrolytes and magnesium were most commonly used (from my observations). I'll provide deeper insight and the pros and cons of these in a specific post. 5/9

4. Taste Fatigue Can Be A Barrier To Success. Losing interest in your food or sports nutrition can stop you from taking on fuel, leading to low energy, fatigue, and potential DNF. Choice and the right foods can counter this. 6/9

5. Take The Time To Re-Fuel. Many of the leading athletes took time out to re-fuel - this had an impact on some of the top runners. 7/9

I'll deconstruct and comment on each other the week. Feel free to leave comments and ask questions. 8/9

I offer a range of sports nutrition services to support everything from race fuelling for a single race, to nutrition planning for a complete season. Check the links in my bio to book a free chat, check plans, and prices, or ask a question. 9/9 #ultramarathon #ukrunchat