Introduction: Why Nutrition and Hydration Make or Break Your Ultramarathon

Training hard and racing smart are only part of the ultramarathon equation.
Without a dialed-in ultramarathon nutrition strategy, even the fittest athletes can crumble long before the finish line.

Fueling your body correctly is not just about energy —
it’s about survival, performance, and making it through the darkest miles. ‍♂️

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Why Nutrition Matters in Ultramarathons

In an ultra-distance race, your body undergoes:

• Massive Caloric Depletion:
  Burning 500–900 calories per hour is common.

• Glycogen Depletion:
  Muscle glycogen stores run low, risking “bonking” (sudden energy collapse).

• Electrolyte Loss:
  Through sweat, you lose vital salts like sodium, potassium, magnesium.

• Gastrointestinal Stress:
  Your gut must process food and liquids while under intense physical strain.

Pro Tip:
You’re not just racing your legs — you’re racing your gut’s ability to absorb and utilize fuel.

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Why Hydration Strategy Is Equally Critical

• Dehydration:
  Even a 2% loss in body weight due to fluid loss can significantly impair performance.

• Overhydration:
  Drinking too much without balancing electrolytes can lead to hyponatremia — a dangerous and potentially fatal condition.

• Temperature Regulation:
  Proper hydration helps your body manage heat, especially in desert or tropical ultras.

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Common Nutrition & Hydration Mistakes in Ultras

• Not practicing fueling during training (“I’ll figure it out on race day” = disaster.)

• Relying solely on aid station food without a personalized plan.

• Neglecting electrolyte replacement leading to cramping, nausea, or confusion.

• Forgetting to adjust nutrition for altitude, cold, or extreme heat.

Motivational Vibe:
Your race is won or lost in the tiny moments: the right sip, the right bite, the right plan when your mind is fading. ️

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What This Guide Will Teach You

In this ultra-specific guide, you’ll learn:

✅ How to calculate calorie needs for different ultra distances.
✅ How to time carbohydrate, fat, and protein intake.
✅ How to build your own custom race-day fueling plan.
✅ How to hydrate effectively in different environments.
✅ How to troubleshoot common gut problems mid-race.
✅ How elite ultrarunners fuel and recover smarter.

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Final Words of Introduction

Ultramarathon nutrition and hydration strategy isn’t a side project.
It’s your secret weapon.

Master it —
and no summit, no storm, no endless stretch of lonely trail will break you.

️‍♂️

Understanding Caloric Needs in Ultramarathons

You can’t fight biology.
If you don’t replace what your body burns during an ultramarathon, it will shut you down — brutally and without mercy.

Let’s dive deep into how your body fuels itself during an ultra, and how you can stay ahead of the crash. ‍♂️

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⚙️ How the Body Fuels Endurance Efforts

Your body relies primarily on two energy systems during an ultramarathon:

• Carbohydrates (Glycogen):

  • Fast, efficient energy.

  • Limited storage (~90–120 minutes at race intensity).

• Fat Stores:

  • Massive, but slower to mobilize.

  • Becomes a bigger player during long, steady efforts.

Pro Tip:
You are always burning a mix of carbs and fat — but the faster you run, the more carbs you use. ⚡

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The Ultra Problem: Limited Glycogen

• Even elite runners can’t store enough carbohydrates to fuel a 6-hour, 12-hour, or 24-hour effort.

• Without fueling, you’ll bonk — a full system shutdown of mind, muscles, and spirit.

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How Much Energy Are You Burning?

Typical caloric burn during ultrarunning:

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How Much Should You Replace During the Race?

You cannot replace everything you burn during an ultramarathon (the gut can’t absorb fast enough).

Instead, aim to replace about:

• 30–50% of calories burned per hour

• Typically 200–300 calories per hour for most runners

Pro Tip:
Ultra success isn’t about full replacement — it’s about delaying depletion just enough to survive and keep moving strongly.

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Macronutrient Breakdown for Racing

During ultramarathons, focus primarily on:

• Carbohydrates: 85–90% of your intake (simple sugars preferred for faster absorption).

• Fats: Minor but useful, especially in slower paces and longer races (some real foods like nut butters).

• Proteins: Very minimal during the race (~5–10%) — mainly helpful in 100-mile events to minimize muscle breakdown.

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Bonus: Factors That Affect Fuel Needs

• Pace: Faster = more carbs needed.

• Temperature: Hot = more hydration stress, may limit eating capacity.

• Altitude: Higher = reduced gut function, appetite suppression.

• Duration: Longer = more risk of fueling errors compounding.

Fun Fact:
In a 100-mile race, some runners burn over 15,000 calories — that’s about 50 cheeseburgers worth of energy.

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Final Blueprint for Fuel Planning

Understand what you burn.
Understand what you can replace.
Train your gut to handle the gap.

Fuel smart = finish strong.

️‍♂️

️ Best Foods and Drinks for Ultramarathon Fueling

Fueling an ultramarathon isn’t just about calories —
it’s about what your body can tolerate, digest, and actually use under extreme stress.

Let’s explore the best options for fueling your ultra journey — real foods, sports nutrition products, and liquid calories. ‍♂️

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Option 1: Sports Drinks and Liquid Nutrition

Pros:

• Easy to consume while running.

• Quick absorption.

• Provides fluids, electrolytes, and carbs all in one shot.

Cons:

• Risk of overhydration if relying solely on sports drinks.

• Some runners experience GI distress from too much liquid sugar.

Top Choices:

• Tailwind Nutrition

• Maurten Drink Mix

• Skratch Labs Hydration Mix

Pro Tip:
Liquid calories can be a lifesaver in the later stages when chewing solid food becomes unbearable.

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Option 2: Gels and Chews

Pros:

• Highly portable and compact.

• Easy to calculate calorie and carb intake.

• Quick energy spike.

Cons:

• Can cause nausea or taste fatigue over hours.

• May require separate water intake to avoid gut distress.

Top Choices:

• GU Energy Gels

• Huma Chia Energy Gels

• Clif Shot Bloks

• Spring Energy (natural-based gels)

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Option 3: Real Foods

Pros:

• More palatable over long hours.

• Offers a broader range of macronutrients (small amounts of fat and protein).

• Satisfies psychological cravings (salty, savory).

Cons:

• Harder to digest while moving fast.

• Risk of gut overload if portions are too large.

Ultra-Proven Real Foods:

• Bananas

• Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

• Potato chips (sodium + calories)

• Boiled potatoes with salt

• Rice balls or sushi rolls

• Soft cookies

• Cheese sticks

• Salted nuts

• Broth or ramen soup (especially at night)

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Option 4: Hybrid Strategy (Best Practice!)

Most experienced ultrarunners use a mix of liquids, gels, and real foods throughout the race.

Typical Pattern:

• First 4–6 hours: Gels + sports drinks (quick energy, easy digestion).

• Middle Hours: Transition to real foods + occasional gels.

• Late Race: Sip broths, take small bites of calorie-dense foods, maintain liquid calories when chewing becomes hard.

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️ Key Tips for Choosing Ultra Fuel

• Train with everything you plan to eat on race day. No experiments!

• Monitor sweetness fatigue: Switch between sweet and salty foods.

• Carry backup options: If one fuel source fails (e.g., you can’t stomach gels anymore), you need Plan B.

• Size matters: Small bites are easier to manage late in races.

Motivational Vibe:
In ultramarathons, calories are courage — fuel your fire, mile after mile.

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Final Blueprint for Ultra Fueling Choices

There’s no one perfect fuel.
There’s only what your body accepts — and what keeps you moving forward.

Master your fueling game.
Survive the lows.
Fly through the finish.

️‍♂️

️ Building a Personalized Nutrition Plan for Ultramarathons

One-size-fits-all fueling plans?
Forget them.

The truth is simple:
Your best ultramarathon nutrition strategy is custom-built around your unique body, pace, and gut tolerance.

Let’s build it piece by piece — smart, strategic, bulletproof. ‍♂️

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Step 1: Calculate Your Target Intake

Remember:
You’re aiming to replace around 30–50% of the calories you burn each hour.

Typical intake goals:

• 200–300 calories per hour for most runners.

• May need more in cold races, or slightly less in hot and humid conditions.

Pro Tip:
When in doubt, start low (e.g., 180–200 calories/hour) and increase gradually based on training feedback.

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⏱️ Step 2: Timing Your Fuel Intake

Instead of stuffing in big meals, aim for small, frequent doses.

Ideal Pattern:

• Every 20–30 minutes:

  • Small sips of sports drink, or

  • Small bites of real food, or

  • One gel every 40–45 minutes

Golden Rule:
Never let yourself “feel hungry” in an ultra — if you’re hungry, you’re already under-fueled.

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Step 3: Match Nutrition to Hydration

Your fueling and hydration plans must sync:

• Gels need water! Always chase gels with several sips of plain water.

• Liquid fuels (like Tailwind) cover both calories and hydration — adjust accordingly.

• Electrolytes must be factored into both liquids and solids to prevent hyponatremia.

Balance Tip:
Plan fueling and drinking on the same interval (e.g., sip fluid every 10–15 min, eat every 30 min).

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Step 4: Test Everything in Training

Training isn’t just for your legs — it’s for your gut.

What to Practice:

• Your exact race fuel and hydration brands/products.

• Timing intervals.

• Eating under effort — especially on long runs and back-to-back days.

• Adjustments for different weather conditions.

Checklist for Every Long Run:

✅ Use race-day gear (vest, bottles, bladders).
✅ Carry the exact fuels you plan to use.
✅ Simulate race-day effort level.
✅ Track what works and what causes issues (nausea, bloating, energy crashes).

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Red Flags to Watch During Training

• Burping, bloating, nausea → Adjust quantity or switch products.

• Stomach sloshing → Too much liquid intake at once.

• Energy crashes → Too few carbs per hour.

• Severe cramping → Potential electrolyte imbalance.

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️ Emergency Plan: “What If My Gut Shuts Down?”

Even the best nutrition plans can go sideways at ultras.
Have backups ready:

• Sip diluted sports drink.

• Switch to broth or light salty foods.

• Focus on hydration first, then slowly reintroduce calories.

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Final Blueprint for Personalized Fueling

Train your gut like you train your legs.
Dial it in, test it in battle, and trust it when the race goes dark.

Personalized fueling =
More miles.
Less suffering.
Bigger finish-line smiles. ️

Hydration Strategy Deep Dive for Ultramarathons

Running an ultramarathon isn’t just a battle against distance —
it’s a constant, strategic battle against dehydration, electrolyte loss, and overheating.

Let’s break down exactly how to hydrate like a pro when the miles stack up and the stakes get serious. ‍♂️

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Why Hydration is Critical in Ultramarathons

• Dehydration:

  • Even a 2–3% loss in body weight from sweat significantly reduces endurance performance.

  • Dehydration increases heart rate, perceived effort, and risk of heat-related illnesses.

• Hyponatremia (Overhydration):

  • Drinking too much water without replacing electrolytes can dilute blood sodium levels.

  • Symptoms include nausea, bloating, confusion, seizures — and in severe cases, death.

Pro Tip:
Good hydration isn’t about drinking gallons of water — it’s about managing fluids, salts, and body needs intelligently.

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How Much to Drink Per Hour

• General guideline:

  • 400–800 ml/hour (13–27 oz/hour), depending on heat, humidity, body size, and effort.

• Factors That Affect Needs:

  • Heat and humidity ➔ more fluid loss.

  • High altitude ➔ faster dehydration.

  • Heavier sweaters ➔ greater fluid and sodium replacement needed.

Pro Tip:
Practice sweat rate testing: Weigh yourself before and after a training run (without drinking), and calculate how much fluid you lose per hour.

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Electrolyte Replacement: The Silent Key

Sweat doesn’t just remove water — it removes critical salts.

Key electrolytes:

• Sodium (most important!)

• Potassium

• Magnesium

• Calcium

Typical Sodium Loss:

• 500–1500 mg of sodium per liter of sweat lost.

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️ How to Replace Electrolytes

• Electrolyte tablets or capsules: (e.g., SaltStick, S!Caps)

• Sports drinks with sodium: (e.g., Skratch, Tailwind)

• Salty real foods: Broth, salted potatoes, chips.

Rule of Thumb:

• Aim for 300–700 mg of sodium per hour, adjusted for sweat rate and weather.

Fun Fact:
At races like Badwater 135 (across Death Valley!), runners may consume 1000 mg+ sodium per hour to survive extreme heat.

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Common Hydration Mistakes to Avoid

• Chugging water without electrolytes.

• Waiting until thirsty: Thirst lags behind actual fluid needs during endurance events.

• Guessing fluid needs: Practice measuring during training!

• Ignoring gut feedback: Bloating = back off fluids; cramping = maybe more sodium needed.

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How to Train Your Hydration Strategy

• Drink on a schedule during long runs (every 10–15 minutes).

• Combine sips of water + electrolyte solutions.

• Practice hot-weather runs to fine-tune salt needs.

• Adjust hydration during mountain or cold-weather races — don’t rely on “one rule fits all.”

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Final Blueprint for Smart Hydration

Hydration strategy isn’t optional in ultramarathons.
It’s your survival system.

Balance fluids.
Respect electrolytes.
Stay ahead of thirst.

Master it — and run further, faster, and safer.

️‍♂️⚡

️ Troubleshooting Common Nutrition and Hydration Problems During Ultramarathons

Even with the best-laid fueling plans,
ultras have a brutal way of throwing unexpected gut punches — literally and figuratively.

The best runners aren’t those who avoid problems —
it’s those who fix them fast and keep moving forward. ‍♂️

Let’s get you ready for every fueling and hydration challenge the trail can throw at you.

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Problem 1: Nausea and Vomiting

Causes:

• Overheating

• Dehydration or overhydration

• Too much sugar intake at once

• Gut shut down from intensity or altitude

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️ Fix It:

• Slow your pace — lower your core temperature and gut stress.

• Sip plain water or diluted electrolyte drink — stop forcing food.

• Try salty, bland foods (pretzels, broth) instead of sugary gels.

• Let your stomach settle, then restart with small amounts.

Pro Tip:
Sometimes, 5–10 minutes of walking + cool sips can completely turn a race around.

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Problem 2: Dehydration

Symptoms:

• Extreme thirst

• Dry mouth, dizziness

• Weakness, dark urine

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️ Fix It:

• Increase small, frequent sips of water + electrolyte mix.

• Stay cool — seek shade if possible.

• Avoid slamming large volumes at once (can shock the gut).

• Back off pace to reduce fluid loss.

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Problem 3: Hyponatremia (Low Sodium)

Symptoms:

• Swelling (hands, feet, face)

• Nausea, confusion, disorientation

• Headaches

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️ Fix It:

• STOP drinking plain water immediately.

• Take electrolyte capsules or salty foods.

• Drink sports drink with sodium, not plain fluids.

• If severe, seek medical help — hyponatremia can be life-threatening.

Fun Fact:
Hyponatremia is one of the few conditions where drinking more water makes the problem worse.

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Problem 4: Energy Crashes (“Bonking”)

Symptoms:

• Sudden extreme fatigue

• Dizziness, inability to focus

• Shaky legs, loss of willpower

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️ Fix It:

• Take 100–200 calories ASAP (gel, sports drink, banana).

• Slow down temporarily to allow digestion and absorption.

• Hydrate slowly alongside eating — dehydration can make bonking worse.

Motivational Vibe:
When the lights go out inside your head — fight back with sugar, salt, and stubbornness. ‍♂️

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Emergency Checklist: Mid-Race Problem Solving

If something goes wrong:

1. Slow Down: Give your gut and brain breathing space.

2. Diagnose: Dehydration? Low calories? Low sodium? Overheating?

3. Act Decisively: Small corrections are faster than major meltdowns.

4. Stay Positive: Your race isn’t over — it’s just evolving.

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Final Blueprint for Troubleshooting Ultras

Expect problems.
Train for them.
Master them.

Fuel like a pro.
Hydrate like a champion.
Adapt like a warrior.

And remember —
it’s not the strongest or the fastest who win ultras.
It’s the best problem solvers.

️‍♂️️