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 — 2 September 2025
💡 Fuel For ThoughtWA Running Podcast: Marathon prep myths, mistakes and must-dosIn the lastest episode of the WA Running Podcast, I joined hosts Simon and Chris alongside Perth runners Nita Traeger and Matt “Smithie” Smith who are preparing for the upcoming Perth Running Festival. We dove into what really goes into race prep beyond the kilometers: how daily nutrition, training fuel, and recovery strategies shape performance on the big day. I shared practical insights on why fuelling is about more than just race-day gels, how to adapt meals around busy schedules, and why gut training with carbs in training is non-negotiable if you want to run your fastest marathon. Nita and Matt added their own perspectives as athletes juggling family, training load, and race-day nerves, making for a really fun and honest conversation about what it takes to show up ready on the start line. Follow this link to listen to the whole episode, it’s packed with strategies and stories that will inspire your own build-up for your next race. 🚀 Endurance Highlights1️⃣ Your carb strategy matters even more when racing in the heat 🥵There’s no doubt that racing in the heat places a bigger toll on the body. This new systematic review and meta-analysis pulled together 51 studies to understand how heat stress and dehydration affect carbohydrate use during endurance exercise. The findings were clear: in hot conditions, athletes rely more heavily on carbohydrate metabolism, with higher rates of glycogen use and carbohydrate oxidation compared to cooler environments. Dehydration adds another layer, further increasing carbohydrate use, especially when combined with heat stress. This means that racing in hot conditions can deplete carbohydrate stores faster, making fuelling strategies even more critical. The irony is that fuelling in warmer conditions is often more challenging. If you’re preparing for a race in the heat, then heat acclimatisation, gut training, and carefully planning and practising your fuel and fluid strategy will be crucial to staying ahead of the game. 2️⃣ Colon cancer and runners: Separating scary headlines from scienceA recent New York Times article linking a higher incidence of colon cancer among runners has stirred the running community. In this follow-up piece for Outside Magazine, Alex Hutchinson unpacks the research and helps put it into context. The preliminary study, presented by the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, found that 42 out of 100 marathoners and ultramarathoners aged 35–50 had colon polyps, 15 of which were advanced pre-cancerous growths. While concerning, the study has major limitations: it lacked a control group, hasn’t been peer-reviewed, and may have attracted volunteers already worried about their gut health. Zooming out, decades of research consistently show that higher aerobic fitness and regular exercise are linked to lower colon cancer risk. Large studies in Sweden, the U.S., and pooled global data all point in the same direction: fitter and more active individuals have significantly fewer cases of colon cancer. The question now is whether extreme endurance training creates unique risks not seen in general populations, or whether the recent findings are simply a statistical anomaly. For now, Hutchinson’s advice is twofold: keep perspective and stay proactive. The overall health benefits of running vastly outweigh the potential risks, especially compared to not exercising at all. But it’s also wise to take colon health seriously: the American Cancer Society recommends routine screenings starting at age 45. 🕵🏻♀️ Retail Finds*This week's product review: UnTapped Maple Syrup Energy Gel =Looks like maple syrup has been trending hard this year, a couple of months ago I shared my review on SAP Maple Movement and this weekend I got to try this other brand during my run. Features & benefits
Things to keep in mind
Final take These gels can be a good alternative for runners looking for a more natural fuel or FODMAP-friendly alternatives. This and other brands are releasing varieties with other flavours and more electrolytes that I'm hoping to try to soon. In the meantime, carrying maply syrup in a small flask can be a budget-friendly alternative. 👩🏻🍳 Kitchen CreationsI'm committing to sending the most valuable endurance nutrition newsletter. I want to make sure that every piece of content you receive has information that is helpful for you and your journey to achieving your personal best. Happy fuelling! Gaby | Endurance Nutrition Specialist p.s. I personally read and answer your email replies. PLUS whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you optimise your performance:
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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 Why science still backs carb-Loading for endurance performance You’ve probably heard that carb-loading makes you feel heavy or sluggish before a race. Maybe you’ve even cut back on pasta or rice the night before because you didn’t want that weighed-down feeling. But the thing is that extra “weight” isn’t slowing you down, it’s fuelling you up. When you increase carbohydrate intake in the 1–3 days before a race, your muscles ramp up glycogen storage, your body’s most...
💡 Fuel For Thought New podcast episode: Fuelling smarter on the Running Matters Podcast I recently joined Paul Hadfield on the Running Matters Podcast to chat all things endurance nutrition, from heat adaptation and gut health to caffeine, electrolytes, and the myths that keep runners stuck. We dug into practical strategies for racing in the heat, the role of protein in ultra events, how to train your gut to handle fuel at race pace, and why proper fuelling starts long before race day. One of...
💡 Fuel For Thought The science (and art) behind world-class backyard ultra fuelling The Backyard Ultra World Championships are underway, and I’m working with four Intenseathletes competing among the best endurance runners on the planet. Each of these athletes has their own physiology, mindset, and strategy, yet when you look closely at their race plans, there’s a clear pattern. Their nutrition approaches may be unique in detail, but they’re built on the same core principles. And these lessons...