02 · The fueling log
The fueling log
Every number I race on. No gels, no powder, no guessing. Each one was arrived at by measuring, then tested across a full year of ultras.
| Metric | My number | How I set it |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs per hour | 140 to 170 g | All from pure maple syrup, built up from 100 over years of gut training |
| Fluid per hour | up to 50 oz | Two 25 oz flasks an hour in heat, refilled at aid stations |
| Sodium per hour | ~2,400 mg | Dosed to my sweat test: I lose roughly 1,500 mg per liter |
| Day-before carb load | 700 to 1,000 g | 8 g per kilo, fat and fiber low, nothing new on race week |
| Caffeine | 3 to 6 mg/kg | About an hour out, sometimes just a Coke at an aid station |
| Daily carbs in training | 600 to 900 g | On 4,500 to 7,000 calories a day at 180 lb |
What changes race to race
Heat (100°F at Finger Lakes, 95+ in Arizona)
Fluid and sodium go to the top of the range and pace comes down a full minute per mile. Ice at the neck and groin. Carbs stay put, because heat is a hydration problem before it is a fueling one.
Technical trail with real climbing (Mesquite Canyon)
More time on feet at the same distance means more total carbs even though the per-hour rate stays the same. Slower hands, more chances to drink, and fueling on the climbs rather than the descents.
Flat and fast road ultra (Jed Smith 50 miles)
The highest sustained intake of the year, because a steady 7:45 pace keeps the gut calm. This is where 170 g an hour is actually possible.
How I carry it
Five-ounce flasks, six for about ten dollars, riding in a waist belt. One flask holds roughly 160 grams of carbs, which is why I can carry an hour of fuel in something that costs less than two dollars instead of six gels.
Train like it's programmed. Because it is.
Everything on this page is already built into the training I write. Bring the goal, I bring the system.
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