Eating

"Dakota, man, we were talking about it tonight in the car, and we realized that all you do is run and eat. Am I right?"

That's a verbatim quote from my roommates a few nights ago. When they said that I laughed at the absurdity of such a statement, until I remembered I was eating right then. And had bread in the oven. And had just finished an eighteen mile run. That's when I realized that I really do only eat and run.

But we all knew that already. What this post is addressing is how I eat while running. And the answer is very simple: poorly. My biggest problem in races has been a lack of food. For example, I ate only one gel between the two stops at Bootjack aid station during The North Face 50 last December, which is a total of twelve miles with serious elevation change. Up to that point I had fueled very well but during that section I just did not feel like eating, and this decision to go without hurt me in the end. I hit the wall at about mile 38 and didn't feel any kind of recovery until I'd eaten two gels consecutively at mile 46. But by then the leaders were too far ahead to catch and I was out of luck on taking a podium spot.

I'm not trying to say here that I would have done better if I had eaten more, or that I'm actually a faster runner than the guys ahead of me. Ultrarunning involves far more variables than shorter distance running, and two of the largest that arise in trail ultras are staying on course and eating enough. The guys ahead of me were not only faster but more prepared, and the only thing I can do about that is learn from the experience. So here's what I've learned.

1.) Eat A LOT. I'm fortunate enough to have a very strong stomach, so the more I can put into it while running the better. Lot of people have trouble with food settling, but I have never thrown up during a race and I don't intend to. Usually in 50 mile races I finish in mad glycogen debt because I eat only the bare minimum to finish the race, but that's not because I can't eat. I just don't like eating while running. And while eating too much food is probably possible, it's not really something I worry about. So my motto is to eat as much as possible, and then eat again for good measure.

2.) Eat gels. Eating while running is awkward and unpleasant. You lose your stride and get sticky fingers and mess up your breathing and on and on. The trouble never ends. However, eating while running is absolutely necessary, so the best way that I've found to get calories while on the go are gels. That's because they are the quickest and easiest way to eat. Perhaps a banana or a cookie or a Chipotle burrito (I dare you) are more "real" food, but they take forever to bite and chew and swallow, while at the same time gels are a quick and easy 100 calories. Even during the one 100-mile race I've done I ate gels the entire way. Yes, they were disgusting by the end, but the only reason I got to the end was because I could continue eating gels. Taste is secondary to efficiency, and gels combine quick and easy energy into a small pack that takes less than a minute to eat. So aside from an occasional cookie or brownie from an aid station, I stick entirely to gels.

However, my "efficiency over taste" rule only extends to food. My drink preferences are actually the opposite. See below:

3.) Drink water. While pacing at Hardrock in 2009 I filled my bottle with Heed, and regretted it for the next three months. That's because by the time I was halfway through the bottle I couldn't stand to drink any more, even though I was really thirsty, because it was so gross. And my bottle utilized this innovative pore design that ensured I could taste Heed every time I used that bottle for months after. I was distraught. But I don't want to hate on Heed - Hammer nutrition makes great products that are proven effective for people who like them. If Heed works for you then by all means use it - you'll be glad. My only problem is the taste. I would greatly prefer to eat a ton of gels and drink fresh, clean water than to eat a moderate amount of gels and then drink what's basically diluted gels in a bottle. Water is just so refreshing after eating a gel that I couldn't stand to sacrifice it for anything. However, I'm taking a risk with this tactic because it means I have to eat more, since no calories are in my drink. But that's a risk I'm willing to take because, well, I like to live dangerously.

4.) Electrolytes are super important. I'm notorious for not taking any salt during races - for example, I didn't take any during San Juan Solstice last summer - but I've been lucky to not start cramping. Nuun is a great electrolyte drink because it doesn't have any sugar and the taste is mild. But I still prefer straight water, so I just take S! Caps. They are quick and easy and provide all the salt that's necessary to avoid cramping. Once again, it's the efficiency which counts.

I try to eat every 30 minutes or so. But I don't wear a watch very often while racing so my eating schedule is usually based off how I feel. If I think to myself, "should I eat something?" then yes I should. And I make a point to continually monitor how my stomach is feeling, and if possible I will eat two gels at a time so as to provide a strong caloric base for the rest of the run. The biggest rule of thumb to follow is to "eat before you're hungry, and drink before you're thirsty." If done correctly, that maxim will help any runner avoid bonking. But that's easier said than done, because countless other variables such as temperature, gradient or stomach strength can ruin the schedule. But the basic premise is at least valid as a base of comparison for how a race actually plays out.

Anyway, I'm very low-key and simple. To summarize the long version you just read: I eat gels and drink water. It works for me and if it also works for you then great! But everybody is different, and no plan will work for everyone. So my advice is to try the basics and figure what helps you perform the best. Experience is the only thing that will really help a person figure out how to eat and race.

YM