This race nutrition plan is one of many ways to fuel for this Ultra (solo) trail run. The purpose of this plan is to give you an example of how much and what to eat from each aid station. 

Let's revisit the guidelines: 

For single day ultra trail running events, your aim is to consume 200 - 400 calories per hour. Ideally made up of 30-50g of carbohydrate (C) and 5-10g of protein (P) per hour. Fat will be included on an individually tolerated amount. Sodium is also an important consideration and should meet individual losses. 

Please note: Don't eat more per hour during the race than what you have been doing in training runs. This is a recipe for gastrointestinal disaster. If you have been eating 100-150 calories per hour in training, don't try and eat double that during the race/event. Your digestive system may not be able to handle it. 

4:30/5:00 am –pre-event meal example: rice pudding + banana or oats with yoghurt + fruit or crumpet, banana + hone

Things to consider: If you are off in the first wave (6:30am), weigh up your need for sleep versus digestion of food. This is where race week preparation and carbohydrate loading comes into play. The pre-event meal is to top up your energy stores and should be a comfortable size made up of familiar, easy to digest foods. The closer to start time that you are eating, the smaller and easier to digest the meal/snack needs to. 

Don't forget to take into consideration how nerves may affect you and digestion of your food. 

The estimated completion times, distances and aid station info comes from the kMRFestival Booklet. Remember, you can eat more than what is recommended here, and if you have been training to eat more, do it. 

Let's get this party started!

Start to Aid Station 1 (12.1km with 1320m vert - 2h - 2h20min)

Considerations: This leg has a lot of vert (I know I am pointing out the obvious) and this may affect what you can digest or feel like eating. If this section is more demanding, then consider more liquid gel type options. It is important to start eating early in the race and often. 

Example: 

• 1 x jam sandwich on white bread (crusts cut off) - 6g P + 40g C
• 500ml of Hammer Perpetuem or sustained energy - 7g P + 45g C
• 500ml water (with or without electrolyte)
• Plus a backup gel

Aid Station 1 to aid station 2 (12km with 320m vert - 1h 30 mins - 2 hours)

Pick up at aid station 1: (I am carrying 2 x 500ml soft flasks for fluid)

Considerations: You need to make sure you pick up enough to get to the next aid station (also keeping an emergency snack)

• Fill both 500ml flasks with Hammer Electrolytes
• 2 x jam sandwiches - 12g P + 80g C 
• 1 x hammer gel for emergency

Aid Station 2 to Aid Station 3 (12.4km with 570m vert - 1h50 mins - 2h10 mins)

Pick up at aid station 2: 

Aiming to drink 500ml per hour as a rough guide (more or less depending on individual sweat rate and temperature). 

• Keeping both flasks full leaving each feed station. 
• 2 x mueslie bars = 4g P + 40g C
• 1 handful of lollies = 50g C

Aid Station 3 to Aid Station 4 (11km with 920m vert - 2h20 mins - 3h10mins)

Pick up at aid station 3: 

Considerations: The next leg has technical sections so you need to make sure you have fueled your body and brain well to this point. Also, what easy food options to get through the technical section. You may make use of gels and lollies that are easy to digest energy sources. 

• Refill flasks - this could be a longer section, so consider if you have enough water carrying capacity to get through if it is a hot day. 
• If you are getting flavour fatigue from all the sweets, consider eating a packet of crisps while you are in the feed zone. 
• 1 jam sandwich = 6g P + 40g C
• 3 x Hammer gels = 60g C
• 2 x muesli bars = 4g P + 40g C

Aid Station 4 to Aid Station 5a (11.8km with 490m vert - 1h50 mins - 2h10 mins)

Pick up at aid station 4: wooohooo, you are on the home stretch

You may want to have a cup of hot soup at this station and grab a coke.

Refill your flasks

• 1 banana = 20g C
• 1 Hammer gel = 20g C
• 1.5 jam sandwiches = 9g P + 60g C

Aid Station 5a to the finish line (1h - 1h 30 mins)

Pick up at aid station 5a: Make sure to keep eating and drinking to the finish line. 

• You don't need to grab alothere but I would take a minimum of 2 gels and have 1 full flask. 
• Have the energy to finish strong.

At the finish line: 

Don't neglect your recovery! Make use of the Bulk Nutrients recovery stations. 

Make sure you tick the 4 R's before making your way to the stronger drinks!

• Rehydrate with fluids
• Repair with protein (Bulk Nutrients are taking care of this)
• Replenish your body and brain's energy stores with carbohydrates. 
• Revitalise (this one may have wait until you get home) with fruit and vegetables

Overall Considerations: 

• This is a very sweet-focused nutrition plan. Will you get flavour fatigue or require more savoury options? Consider how your taste changes with different weather conditions (particularly if it is very hot)
• Do you need to carry more savoury options or use the bag drops to have your own savoury options - boiled or roasted potatoes with salt, savoury sandwiches, vegemite and cheese sandwiches
• Do the aid stations have enough protein for you? Consider putting other higher protein options in your bag drops
• Use the bag drops to have a couple of your favourite snacks out on course
• Have a nutrition and hydration plan and stick to it. But, also have a plan B for when issues come up
• Most of all, have fun running with kunanyi. 

Written by Karen Hill 

Karen operates Hillistic Coaching, an online nutrition coaching service, fuelling offroad endurance athletes for peak performance and is an endurance athlete herself. Karen integrates her academic expertise with her athletic background to offer a holistic coaching approach. 

The boring but necessary details: Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Therapy (Honours) and PhD – Protein supplementation for endurance training adaptations. 

For 2024 kunanyi Mountain Run entrants, Karen is offering a free 45-minute discovery call. If you would like to take advantage of this 45 minutes to discuss your nutrition goals for the event, send her an email karen@hillisticcoaching.com.au with “kMR Discovery Call” in the subject line.