Let’s get one thing straight:
You don’t need a pocket full of expensive gels to finish an ultra.
You need a plan that works when:
- Your stomach turns
- Your blood sugar shifts
- Your legs are shot
- And you still have hours to go
This season — across
Leadville Trail Marathon,
Canyonlands Ultra,
Dead Horse Ultra, and
Arches Ultra —
…I’m dialing in fueling that’s simple, repeatable, and realistic.
The Goal: Stay Fueled, Stay Steady, Don’t Bonk
Not perfect numbers.
Not Instagram-worthy nutrition.
Just:
- Consistent energy
- Stable blood sugar
- A gut that keeps working
Because once fueling fails…
everything else follows.
What Actually Works (For Me)
I’m not anti-gel.
I’m anti-depending on them.
My core fueling strategy:
- 30–60g carbs per hour (adjusted based on effort + conditions)
- Small, frequent intake (every 20–30 minutes)
- Mix of textures + flavors (to avoid burnout)
Real Food Fueling (My Go-To List)
This is what actually ends up in my vest:
🍌 Simple + Effective:
- Bananas
- Applesauce packets
- Honey packets
🥔 Salty + Sustaining:
- Boiled potatoes + salt
- Pretzels
- Crackers
🍬 Quick Sugar When Needed:
- Gummies
- Chews (yes, sometimes gels still show up)
🥜 Long-Burn Additions:
- Nut butter packets
- Trail mix (careful — can be heavy late in races)
Why Real Food Works
Because late in a race:
- Sweet overload is real
- Your stomach gets picky
- Your brain wants something normal
Real food gives:
- Variety
- Better satiety
- Less flavor fatigue
And honestly? It’s cheaper.
Fueling for a Diabetic Athlete
This is where things get precise.
I don’t get to “wing it.”
What I’m constantly managing:
- Blood sugar trends (not just numbers)
- Timing carbs with effort
- Avoiding spikes and crashes
What I’ve learned:
- Undereating is more dangerous than slightly overeating
- Waiting until you feel low = already behind
- Consistency matters more than perfection
Every long run is practice.
Because race day isn’t the time to experiment.
Fueling by Race Type
Each race in this season demands something different:
🏔️ Leadville Trail Marathon
- Appetite drops at altitude
- Breathing makes eating harder
- Focus = easy-to-consume carbs + liquids
🏜️ Canyonlands Ultra
- Long effort = steady fueling
- Mix sweet + salty
- Stay ahead of dehydration
🪨 Dead Horse Ultra
- Fatigue is cumulative
- Stomach tolerance is lower
- Go-to foods matter more than variety
❄️ Arches Ultra
- Cold dulls hunger
- Easy to underfuel
- Warm liquids + consistent intake = key
Electrolytes: The Silent Game-Changer
Fueling isn’t just carbs.
If electrolytes are off:
- Cramping shows up
- Energy drops
- Everything feels harder than it should
My approach:
- Electrolyte drink mix in one bottle
- Water in another
- Adjust based on heat, sweat, and effort
The Biggest Mistakes I See (And Have Made)
- Waiting too long to eat
- Relying only on gels
- Trying new foods on race day
- Ignoring hydration
- Underestimating how much fuel you actually need
Every one of these leads to the same place:
A long, slow suffer-fest to the finish.
What I’m Practicing Right Now
Every long run is a test:
- What foods I can tolerate late
- How often I need to eat
- How my blood sugar responds
- What I actually want to eat when I’m tired
Because the goal isn’t to hope my fueling works.
It’s to know it does.
What’s Coming Next
➡️ Post 4: Mental Strategy for This Season
- Handling DNFs and setbacks
- Staying consistent through burnout
- The mental side of ultra training as a healthcare worker
Closing — Fed Diabetic Runner Style
Fueling isn’t flashy.
It’s not exciting.
But it’s the difference between:
- Finishing strong
- Or just surviving
So I’ll keep it simple.
Keep it practiced.
Keep it real.
Because when everything else starts to fall apart…
Fueling is what holds it together.
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