Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • Night Trail Running – Daytime Nutrition
  • stewartc
    Free Member

    Signed up to do a night trail run starting at 8:30pm, its a long one (for me anyway) at 43km with some big mountain climbs but there will be regular water refill points along the way.
    I expect I will be doing my regular days work which should be office based that day so not too stressful but my main concern is what is the best food to eat during the day to help me that night, I’m expecting I will be out for a good 8-10 hours, possibly mostly walking or crawling, and will just be taking a small backpack.

    Guidance would be appreciatted on what to eat during the day to help me that night and also any tips on snack food to tuck into the backpack?

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    thecaptain
    Free Member

    Personally I’d just stuff my face all day. For starters I can run on a pretty full stomach, and at the sort of speed you’re talking about it shouldn’t be a problem anyway.

    Take what you like eating. Not so different from a big bike ride. One of our favourites Is cold fajitas left over from a big Mexican meal the night before but I don’t expect that to be a widely shared choice!

    mikey74
    Free Member

    Hydrate throughout the day (and the previous day). Personally, I’d eat lots of easy on the stomach food up until 6pm, and then light, easy nibbles after and when needed during.

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    hodgynd
    Free Member

    Porridge for lunch !
    Drink lots before / during ( hydration pack?) / after including electrolyte tabs while running.
    Carry a few of these Torq bars to nibble on..
    http://www.torqfitness.co.uk/nutrition/torq-bar
    That said I have no experience whatsoever with regard to running ..I have just based that on what I would do on a lengthy bike ride!
    Good luck ..
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    fifeandy
    Free Member

    Carbs and a little protein for lunch (a mega bowl of porridge is not a bad shout), then simple carbs through the afternoon.
    Usually for an endurance event I have a bottle or two half strength energy drink to sip on in the hours leading up to the event. Ensures you start hydrated and fuel tanks topped up.

    marcus
    Free Member

    The golden rule is don’t try anything on race night you haven’t already done in training. Just eat what you would normally eat if going for a run after work.

    MSP
    Full Member

    You don’t (and shouldn’t) just shovel carbs in the day before the event, just slightly up the carb intake for a few days, assuming you are already not eating more carbs than required anyway.

    http://eu.ironman.com/triathlon/news/articles/2016/10/carb-loading.aspx#axzz4tIaVgGA4

    For event nutrition I use these cold pressed bars with real ingredients, they are much nicer than the processed crap that is in most supposed sports bars, easier on the stomach and a bit of a treat, I am sure there must be a equivalent available in the UK. I would eat 1 every hour.

    Carrying a gel or 2 is a good idea to instantly revive when you are flagging.

    fifeandy
    Free Member

    Carrying a gel or 2 is a good idea to instantly revive when you are flagging.

    If a gel instantly revives you, you’ve gone quite wrong as on a long event you should be maxing out on easily absorbed carbs anyway. The advantage of a gel is you can squeeze one down quickly whilst working hard.

    oikeith
    Full Member

    Hydrate throughout the day (and the previous day). Personally, I’d eat lots of easy on the stomach food up until 6pm, and then light, easy nibbles after and when needed during.

    Id start hydrating several days maybe a week ahead, drop my caffeine intake and also avoid booze.

    The golden rule is don’t try anything on race night you haven’t already done in training. Just eat what you would normally eat if going for a run after work.

    This, as someone who gets runners trots if I eat a few hours before running and has to be careful about what to eat when running its not worth the gamble. I find jaffa cakes, Soreen Bars and Jam Sandwiches work best for me. I can also stomach the odd single jelly baby, but more than a handful and it could be curtains! I do find my running issues odd as I dont have LBS and when I ride MTB can eat right before I go out and eat anything during!

    Pieface
    Full Member

    Low fibre carbs – e.g. white pasta / rice. You’re body won’t appreciate the fibre. Eat that for a few days before hand. Peanut butter and jam or peanut and marmite sandwhiches on white bread during the run worked well for me on a 24hr stint. They maintain their integrity fairly well. You need to practise eating whilst you’re running otherwise you’ll get ill and your body won’t be in the practise of getting the energy form it. Rice pudding is good as well.

    Don’t overdo the eating prior to the run, you can only process so many calories per hour and you don’t want to be running on a full stomach.

    Ro5ey
    Free Member

    Hey OP

    I think you are over thinking it…. You yourself have said you may well be walking most of it.

    So what would you do if this was a normal day-time hike? Decent breakfast and a good packed lunch to keep you going ?

    Why does it have to be so different because it’s night ?? … Good tea at 6ish say and decent provision for being out in the hills for 8 to 10 hours.

    Good luck

    surfer
    Free Member

    Just eat what you would normally eat if going for a run after work.

    This, also the food you take with you for the event should be tried and tested. Only through experience will you know what you crave when you are very tired, nothing worse than having something somebody suggests in your bag when all you want is a jam butty for example. Plus 43k in the hills, in the dark will be challenging (as well as great fun!)

    What is the event BTW?

    stever
    Free Member

    Mmm, don’t overthink the before bit. The last time I ballsed up nutrition was using techno food and the weather was so bad I was just concentrating on getting through it. Remember to eat before you dig too deep!

    I fair much better on a mix of normal stuff – hot cross buns, fruit teacakes, peanut butter sandwiches, jelly babies for sugar.

    Chop food into bite-size lumps so you’re not trying to get through too much whilst working. Get used to running/eating on the hoof and working at whatever pace you can manage with things in your stomach.

    stewartc
    Free Member

    Thanks all for the feedback, I think a combination of not overthinking this, lots of hydration and eating sensibly during the day should see me through. Its going to be a tough even at night, so if the humidity and sheer difficulty of getting up some of the peaks don’t get me over the 43km then maybe some of the snakes out here will (though it will probably be the Chinese air pollution)!

    @surfer, its the Moontrekker Sunrise 43 on Lantau.

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

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