💡 Fuel For Thought

Nutrition lessons from Project 168

Wow! What an incredible experience.

There are so many things I could unpack from Project 168, but as promised last, I’m going to stick to the nutrition lessons for now.

When I first met Phil Gore, his nutrition strategy was fairly simple: meals every few hours, with snacks here and there depending on how he felt. His energy intake during racing was very low, and at the time his backyard ultra PB was 51 yards.

Several years later, Phil has just completed 152 hours.

Nutrition is only one part of that progression, but his strategy has evolved enormously. Over time, we’ve focused on more consistent energy intake and, every time Phil has entered new territory, we’ve learnt something and adjusted the plan.

Project 168 was different from his previous backyard ultras because there was a defined finish line: 168 hours.

We built his nutrition strategy using everything we had already learnt from previous races, while knowing that beyond 119 hours we would be entering completely new territory.

That is where things get interesting, and Project 168 gave us plenty of new information. Here are the top three examples:

1.The first-night nausea returned.

This has been a recurring pattern for Phil in backyard ultras, so this time we adjusted his early nutrition to include simpler carbohydrate options and reduce digestive load.

Phil reported feeling better than he had in previous races, but the nausea persisted.

That tells me we may have improved one contributor without completely solving the problem. It’s something I want to explore further in our debrief.

2. His appetite changed as the event progressed.

Through previous races, we had found that around 40 g of carbohydrate per hour generally worked well for Phil.

But we also knew that after about 72 hours his appetite tends to increase.

And it did.

By day five, Phil was comfortably eating more energy-dense foods such as meat pies, and we were doubling some of his usual portions, which he continued to accept happily.

It was a good reminder that personalisation doesn’t stop once the race starts. The plan provides structure, but you still need to pay attention to what your body is telling you and be willing to adapt when your needs change.

3. What looked like flavour fatigue wasn’t necessarily just flavour fatigue.

Trail Brew has been a useful part of Phil’s strategy because it allows him to take in carbohydrate and electrolytes consistently during his loops. He prefers it diluted, which makes it easier for him to drink over long periods.

In previous races, however, he tended to stop drinking it after a few days.

During Project 168, we identified that there was likely more going on than simple flavour fatigue, and addressing the underlying issue made a noticeable difference in how well he could continue to tolerate sweet drinks.

That was a valuable reminder that when something stops working, the answer isn’t always to change the nutrition product. Sometimes you need to understand what is affecting the athlete’s ability to tolerate it in the first place.

You don’t need to race for seven days for this to be relevant.

Every race gives you information you cannot get from a spreadsheet beforehand.

The aim is to arrive with a strategy based on what you already know, practise it enough to trust it, pay attention to what happens when circumstances change, and use that experience to make the next version better.

Nutrition is a system you build, test and adapt over time.

And after Project 168, it looks like cheeseburgers may officially be joining Phil’s rotation alongside the now famous burritos and meat pies.

🚀 Endurance Highlights

1️⃣ Nutrition and hydration strategies for heatwave adaptation

It’s the first day of spring here in Australia, and after the extreme temperatures experienced across parts of the Northern Hemisphere this summer, it looks like we may have another hot season ahead of us, making heat preparation increasingly relevant for endurance athletes. This recent narrative review examined how hydration, electrolytes and dietary choices may help reduce the physiological strain associated with high temperatures.

Regular water intake is the most strongly supported nutritional strategy during heat exposure. Heat increases sweating, fluid and electrolyte losses, cardiovascular strain and thermoregulatory stress.

The review also suggests that smaller, easy-to-digest meals and water-rich foods may be more comfortable when temperatures rise, but the evidence here is much less direct. Much of the nutrition-specific heat research is still extrapolated from physiology, sport and occupational settings, so these recommendations are useful rather than definitive.

2️⃣ Creatine beyond performance: Muscle, cognition and healthy ageing

Even though creatine has been studied for decades, its potential benefits beyond sports performance continue to be explored and recognised. This 12-week study examined whether 10 g/day creatine monohydrate, with or without exercise and weight loss, affected body composition, physical performance, cognition and health markers in 64 adults aged 45–65.

Creatine supplementation increased lean tissue mass, including in participants who weren't following the structured exercise programme. When combined with exercise, it also supported greater improvements in strength, muscular endurance and body composition. The researchers also found some improvements in memory and other measures of cognitive function, alongside favourable changes in selected health markers.

This adds to the growing case for thinking about creatine as more than a strength or power supplement, particularly as maintaining muscle and cognitive function becomes increasingly important with age. However, the cognitive and metabolic findings were exploratory, and further research is needed before those broader benefits can be considered firmly established.

🕵🏻‍♀️ Retail Finds*

This week's product review: Coco Pops

For this week, I wanted to share my thoughts on a popular everyday food item in Phil Gore's backyard ultra rotation.

Features & beenfits

• Facts per serving (2/3 cup or 30g): 117 kcal, 26.2 g carb, 0.6 g fibre, 1.7 g protein, 0.4 g fat and 102 mg sodium
• Crunchy and sweet.
• Very low fibre and easy to digest.
• Works well with milk.

Things to keep in mind

• Not gluten-free

Final take

Even though I wouldn't recommend this product as an everyday breakfast item due to its low fibre and high sugar profile, those same characteristics make it a great ultra-endurance fuel, especially when paired with cow's milk, to boost carbohydrate and protein intake. ​​​​

👩🏻‍🍳 Kitchen Creations

​Download the recipe​​​

Harissa Chicken Skewers with Couscous & Zucchini I love complete and balanced recipe suggestions, and this one has it all. High-protein, decent amount of carbs and vegetables.

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Happy fuelling!

Gaby | Endurance Nutrition Specialist

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