Ultra X Scotland 50k

Pre-race fueling Peter’s macronutrient distribution throughout the week leading up to his first ultra can be seen in the graphic above. The 24-48 hours before the race is arguably the most critical period for fueling, which in this case was Friday and Saturday. During this window, the scientific recommendations suggest to carb load with ~8-12g of carb per kg of body weight each day. Peter executed this well, consuming ~9.2g/kg two days before and ~10.6g/kg the day before the race, likely maximising his glycogen stores. Since the body uses some of its liver glycogen stores overnight, Peter topped up his energy stores on race morning with crumpets and a few packets of PF 30 Chews, reaching ~2.59g/kg, which falls comfortably within the 1-4g/kg recommended pre-race intake range.

Race fueling During his first ultra, Peter impressively met and exceeded his carb target of 90g/h based on his estimated race duration and intensity. As shown in the graphic, he fueled primarily with gels taken every 20 minutes. By hours 4 and 5, he transitioned to using a Flow Flask pre-filled with his gels to steadily drip-feed his gut, while also topping up his intake with Carb Only Drink Mix. This shift to incorporating liquid carbs was a smart way to continue fueling and avoid flavour fatigue or potential gut discomfort, especially after ~420g of his carb intake had been from gels alone up to that final hour.

Even with mild conditions in Scotland, Peter felt he could’ve drank more than the ~390ml per hour he consumed from soft flasks throughout the race. That said, over a five-hour effort in cooler conditions, it’s likely he wasn’t losing large amounts of sweat. On top of this, he peed twice during the race which would indicate he was not severely dehydrated and didn’t feel any impact to his performance. Instead, he could see more of a benefit from being proactive with sodium intake from the outset. As a salty sweater, Peter used PH 1000 (Tablets) and topped up with an electrolyte shot when he felt early signs of cramp. However, to stay ahead of this in future, especially if conditions are hot, Peter could preload and replace his losses even more effectively by using PH 1500 instead of PH 1000 both before and during races.

Peter was within the recommended range for caffeine intake (3-6mg/kg), but consumed slightly less than he had planned because he misplaced one of his PF 30 Caffeine Gels (which he later found in his pack). With this additional caffeine gel, he would have sat closer to the top end of the recommendations, something he could look to do in future in an attempt to maximise the stimulant’s performance enhancing effects.