kunanyi Mountain Run Tomorrow & a Race Planner for You

Published 7 days ago • 2 min read

Hi Reader

Tomorrow I'm taking on the kunanyi Mountain Run, a 66km event with 3700m of elevation gain. I've completed several ultra-distance adventures, including single-day runs of Mt Anne and Frenchman's Cap, this will be my first official ultra marathon race.

I enjoy the challenge of both adventure and competition. Racing isn't for everyone, but optimising nutrition and hydration is, so you can enjoy more of your time outdoors (and not sick, tired or injured).

Ultra-distance events require planning, especially regarding nutrition and hydration. Fortunately, this event has feed stations approximately every 11-12km, which, for me, will translate to stops every 90 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes, depending on the terrain. I've also been involved in curating the feed stations, so I'm confident they offer options I'm comfortable consuming.

Effective nutrition and hydration planning for these events typically begins at least 12 weeks prior. As it's often said, ultra runs, and any ultra-endurance adventure, is an eating and drinking competition with a running component and scenic backdrop.

Training your body to process food and fluids during prolonged activity takes time, similar to building fitness and strength. This process often involves some trial and error. Maintaining consistent intake of appropriate foods and fluids over many hours can be challenging, both physically and for your palate. Foods that are easy to consume on the move, taste good, don't cause discomfort, and support performance are crucial. Variety is also important; consider including foods from the following categories:

Sports-specific nutrition
Real food options
Sweet foods
Salty foods
Savoury foods

Identifying foods you should avoid is equally valuable. If you plan to utilise the race feed stations, ensure you test the provided brands and products well in advance.

To assist with your race preparation, I've shared a race planner template. This template is designed to be adaptable to your specific event requirements.

Race Planner

If you have any questions regarding the template, or if you'd like to discuss individual or group nutrition coaching, please reply to this email.

Happy Friday!

Karen Hill

Performance Nutritionist, PhD

Have questions? Hit reply to this email and I'll help out!

Nipaluna/, Hobart, Tasmania 7015
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