💡 Fuel For Thought Nutrition should be the fuel that keeps you going, not the obstacle that keeps you from finishing I recently spoke with a friend who attempted a backyard ultra-style training session. Their legs were holding up. Their mindset was steady. But once their gut started to spiral, they made the call to stop. What struck me most wasn’t that they pulled the pin, it was that they decided a backyard ultra might just “not be for them.” And that’s the part that deserves attention. So...
10 days ago • 3 min read
💡 Fuel For Thought The science and art of open water fuelling While much of the ultra-endurance nutrition conversation typically focuses on running, swimming is an area that deserves far more attention, especially when we shift from the pool to open water. Open water swimming brings a unique set of fuelling challenges, largely because eating and drinking in the water isn’t exactly straightforward. You can’t just reach into a vest pocket or grab a gel at a traffic light. Fuelling becomes...
17 days ago • 3 min read
💡 Fuel For Thought Your race isn't the same, so why is your fuel? “What does this race format require from me?” That’s the fuelling question that should drive every race plan, and the one most athletes forget to ask. I see this mistake across distances and formats: athletes defaulting to whatever fuelling strategy worked last time, instead of fuelling for this event. Trail vs. road. Short vs. long. Steady vs. stop-and-go. The format changes, but the fuelling stays on autopilot. Marathon vs....
24 days ago • 3 min read
💡 Fuel For Thought Stop panicking on race week: My chat with The Running Journey Podcast If you’ve ever felt like you “know” nutrition… until race week hits and you suddenly spiral into Google, panic-carb-loading, and second-guessing everything, this podcast episode will feel like someone turning the lights on. In Episode 153 of The Running Journey Podcast, I chat with Rob and Charlie about the real-world stuff endurance athletes actually wrestle with: the “eat clean” trap, why chasing a...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
💡 Fuel For Thought Why heat changes your fuelling needs and what to do about it Training or racing in the heat places extra stress on the body. More blood is diverted to the skin to help you cool down, sweat rates increase, and your body leans more heavily on carbohydrate (glycogen) to keep you moving. Being mindful of this can make the difference between adapting well and digging a hole you don’t need. With that in mind, here are my key nutrition considerations when training or racing in the...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
💡 Fuel For Thought If training is just about suffering, you're missing the point In recent weeks, I’ve come across a couple of posts that genuinely worried me. One was a CNN headline about a reporter completing a six-day hike on just 250 calories per day. Another was a runner openly endorsing underfuelling as a way to toughen up for marathon training. I get why these stories gain traction. As endurance athletes, we’re wired to respect grit. Pushing through discomfort is part of the sport’s...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
💡 Fuel For Thought This mindset shift can transform your fuelling It’s the start of the year, and for many of us, that means thinking of making changes to better ourselves. Diet is one of the popular areas. After more than 13 years working in sports nutrition, I’ve noticed a clear pattern: about 90% of people who want to change their diet start by banning foods. Examples include chocolate, soft drinks, salty snacks or even sugar altogether. While it’s true that some foods support health and...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
💡 Fuel For Thought Goals don't change you. Systems do. In my family, New Year’s Eve has always been almost as big as Christmas. There’s great food, long conversations, and a moment where we pause to be grateful for the year behind us and hopeful for the one ahead. For a long time, that pause came with a familiar ritual: New Year’s resolutions. I used to make long lists of everything I wanted to accomplish by December 31st: Faster race times, better habits, start a new hobby, etc. And, like...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
💡 Fuel For Thought The race I didn't plan, but needed A week ago, I raced my third marathon on the same course I completed my first one 11 years ago in Monterrey, Mexico. I recently shared a brief recap on how the race unravelled. You can read it here. When I registered for this marathon, my main objective was to set a new PB (3:37). Even though my training was going amazingly well, a month before the race, I injured my hamstring, which drastically affected my preparation. The goal became...
2 months ago • 3 min read