After lots of talk about my experience running the 6 hour race (See “Inspired to Insanity” or “6 Lessons from a 6 Hour Race”) I had some questions as to what I ate and drank for 6 hours.
This is an interesting question and I battled over what I should consume because I don’t like most sports products. I feel they are just too processed. I set out to find what in nature would work. Below I have what I used. On future race I will continue to experiment with real foods.
Pre-Race Meal
* 4:00 am – 2 eggs and 1 banana
* 4:00-6:00 am – 1 liter of coconut water
The race began at 6 am.
Throughout the race I consumed the following:
* 5 liters of coconut water with an added pinch of sea salt for every 10 oz
* 1 date with almond butter
* 5 strips of Grass fed free range bacon strips
That is it.
The best was the bacon. By the way this was my wife’s suggestion in her infinite wisdom. The salt and the fat I think helped give me my second wind and break out of the funk I was in. The date with almond butter also added good fats and real sugars. It was hard to consume because it got stuck on the roof of my mouth making my breathing more labored. That was fine considering I wasn’t running that fast. Not sure if I could do that in a marathon. Finally the coconut water is key. I like it better than any Gatorade, Powerade, or other sports drink. It is not too sweet, natural, minimally processed, and no sugar or chemicals added.
Do you have any suggestions for me to try?
Criteria I use to decide what I use for fuel.
Is it in or close to its natural state?
Is it food?
Any added chemicals?
Is it portable/easy to carry?
I look forward to your feedback and suggestions.
Cheers,
AC
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