I enable endurance athletes to overcome lack of energy and gut upset so that they can fuel their bodies with confidence and race to their full potential. Subscribe to my weekly 'Fuelling with Purpose' newsletter to receive endurance nutrition insights directly in your inbox.
Fuelling With Purpose — 15 April 2025
💡 Fuel For ThoughtThe importance of post-race reflectionWhether you’ve just had a breakthrough performance or a race that left you frustrated, there’s one thing I always encourage my athletes to do afterwards: a post-race reflection. In the world of ultra-endurance, there are so many variables, including course, weather, gear, gut, mindset, and pacing. Each race gives you a goldmine of information, but only if you take the time to unpack it. Reflection isn’t just about nutrition. It’s about becoming a smarter athlete. These are some of the questions I recommend revisiting after any key event:
Even the toughest races offer insights that shape your future strategy. Every event is a chance to evolve, not just physically but mentally and strategically, too. Remember: there are no bad races. Just some that teach us more than others. 🚀 Endurance Highlights1️⃣ Popeye was onto something: The benefits of spinach for sport performance
Athletic greens and other “superfood” supplements have gained popularity lately. And while getting your nutrients in a single scoop might sound convenient, two new studies remind us that humble, everyday foods like spinach can be just as, if not more, effective. The high nitrate content of spinach plays a central role, enhancing blood flow, oxygen delivery, and muscle efficiency, especially useful during prolonged or high-intensity efforts. Adding to this, a second study compared just one week of spinach consumption to a trending superfood supplement. While both reduced inflammation and oxidative stress following repeated intense efforts (like sprint cycling), spinach led to significantly lower levels of interleukin-6, a key inflammatory marker. These findings reinforce an important principle: performance nutrition doesn’t always need to come from a fancy label. Building a diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables remains a foundational and proven strategy to support energy, recovery, and long-term health. 2️⃣ Is social media making us slower?By now, it’s almost common knowledge that too much screen time can mess with our sleep and focus, but could it also be interfering with our training gains? In this Outside article, Alex Hutchinson breaks down new research suggesting that social media use before training may impair performance improvements over time. In a recent study, athletes who scrolled through social media before workouts made smaller gains in performance compared to those who watched calming documentaries. The likely culprit? Mental fatigue. Mental fatigue doesn’t necessarily stop you from pushing hard, but it does reduce decision-making and endurance capacity, which are crucial in long sessions and races. This is a good reminder that it’s not just about logging miles or ticking off sessions. Your mindset, and what you expose your brain to before training, can shape how well your body responds. Less scrolling, more recovery for the brain might just help you race faster. 🕵🏻♀️ Retail Finds*This week's product review: Clif Bloks Energy Chews
Energy chews can be a convenient way of balancing carb-intake without constantly relying on energy gels or carb-drinks. Features & benefits
Things to keep in mind
Final take These energy chews can be a great option to boost your energy intake while having some variety during your training sessions or races. Since chewing is not as convenient during higher-pace efforts, they may be better suited for longer and lower-intensity events. 👩🏻🍳 Kitchen Creations🏃🏻♂️ Want to work together?When you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:
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Gaby Villa
I enable endurance athletes to overcome lack of energy and gut upset so that they can fuel their bodies with confidence and race to their full potential. Subscribe to my weekly 'Fuelling with Purpose' newsletter to receive endurance nutrition insights directly in your inbox.
💡 Fuel For Thought The nutrition story behind Phil Gore's backyard ultra world record I wasn’t planning to be at the Dead Cow Gully Masters Backyard Ultra this year until I received a message late Friday night from Phil Gore and a call from his wife, Gemma, letting me know she’d broken her ankle and asking if I could take her place as crew. Just hours later, I was on a plane to Queensland, about to witness one of the most incredible performances in ultra-endurance history. Phil went on to...
💡 Fuel For Thought Why hunger isn't your best guide during training Outside of training, your hunger cues are usually reliable. If you’re feeling hungry during your regular day-to-day activities, it’s a good sign your body needs food, and responding to that is smart. But once you step into a long run, ride, or race… things change. Exercise suppresses appetite, even when your body is burning through energy rapidly. So if you wait to feel hungry before eating during training, you’re already...
💡 Fuel For Thought Mastering the invisible training One of the most memorable concepts I learned during my university years came from a sports nutrition lecturer who often spoke about the importance of “invisible training.” She used this term to describe everything that supports performance but isn’t captured in your training log: nutrition, hydration, sleep, and mindset. The things that happen off the track, away from the gym, and outside of the long runs. Nutrition, of course, is one of the...