💡 Fuel For Thought

You don't need podium goals to take your fuelling seriously

I’ve seen so many runners quietly carry this belief: “I’m not fast enough to take my nutrition seriously.” Maybe you’ve felt it too, that little voice saying only podium-chasers get to focus on fuelling, while the rest of us should just “tough it out” and be grateful to finish. But nutrition isn’t a luxury reserved for the “serious” athlete; it’s the foundation that helps every runner enjoy the sport more.

Think about it: most everyday runners are juggling 5 a.m. long runs, school drop-offs, deadlines, and weekend miles squeezed between life’s moving pieces. When your training window is small and precious, feeling sluggish, under-recovered, or chronically low-energy hits even harder. That’s precisely when good fuelling makes the biggest difference.

And what I see, time and time again, is that the athletes who think they don’t deserve nutrition support are the ones who benefit the most. They’re not chasing podiums, they’re chasing confidence, consistency, and that feeling of finishing a run and thinking, “Wow, that felt good.”

When your fuelling finally aligns with your training, everything shifts: fewer bonks, better recovery, more joy, less dread. You realise nutrition is about making running feel better and more sustainable.

You don’t have to chase records to deserve fuelling support. If you care about running and want to feel stronger, more energised, and more confident out there, then you’re already the kind of athlete nutrition is for.

🚀 Endurance Highlights

1️⃣ More carbs, better running? Breaking down the latest findings

​This new study on elite male marathoners looked at how 60, 90, or 120 g of carbohydrate per hour affect fuel use, running economy, and gut symptoms during a 2-hour run at near-marathon pace. The results showed a clear dose-response: the more carbs the athletes consumed, the more carbohydrate they were able to oxidise.

The highest intake (120 g/h using a 1:1 maltodextrin–fructose blend) led to the greatest exogenous carb oxidation rates ever recorded in runners, better maintained whole-body carb use, and even improved running economy by lowering oxygen cost by 2.6% compared to 60 g/h.

But the trade-off was gastrointestinal comfort. Moderate to severe GI symptoms were common at all doses, and nausea, stomach fullness, and abdominal cramps were highest in the 120 g/h trial. This suggests that while higher carb intakes may offer a metabolic advantage, particularly for faster athletes, gut training and personalised fuelling strategies are essential to make these higher intakes realistic in the real world.

2️⃣ New research on New Zealand blackcurrant extract and glycogen storage

New Zealand blackcurrant extract (CurraNZ™) has become popular among endurance athletes for its potential to boost fat oxidation, and this new study helps explain why. After 7 days of supplementation, cyclists completed a 2-hour ride at a steady effort. The researchers found that those taking CurraNZ™ burned more fat overall and specifically used more intramuscular fat stored inside type I muscle fibres.

One surprising finding was that athletes started the session with higher muscle glycogen stores after taking CurraNZ™ for a week. However, during the actual ride, they used glycogen at the same rate as when taking a placebo, and exercise performance didn’t improve.

While CurraNZ™ didn’t boost performance in this study, the ability to store more glycogen ahead of long or intense sessions could be useful, especially for athletes doing big training blocks or long events. More research is needed, but it’s a promising area to watch.

🕵🏻‍♀️ Retail Finds*

This week's product review: My top 5 energy gels

Since I've been talking about energy gels for a while, I decided to do a brief video outlining my five favourite energy gels.

​You can watch it here. ​

Here's the list and their biggest strength (from my perspective). I cover more in the video.

1. Precision Fuel. Seems like a nice blend of the next three options.
2. Pure Fluid Gel. Very liquid consistency.
3. Maurten. Easy to digest jelly texture.
4. ​​Bix 30 Gel. Budget-friendly.
5. ​​Huma. Fruit-puree, more natural appeal.

Couple of honourable mentions (not mentioned in the video):

• Maple Gel.100% natural
• GU. Many flavours and varieties​​

👩🏻‍🍳 Kitchen Creations

​Download the recipe​

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes The title says it all, really. You can serve them with Greek yogurt if you're keen to boost the protein and balance the sweetness.

I'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

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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:

1. ​Take the FREE Endurance Nutrition Audit. Not sure if your fuelling strategy is working? This quick 3-minute audit will reveal exactly where you stand and what adjustments could help you perform at your best.
2. ​Book a FREE strategy call. Need expert advice on your next best step? Let’s chat! In this commitment-free call, I’ll help you identify key areas to improve and map out a fuelling approach tailored to your endurance goals.
3. ​Join the Fuel To Thrive Academy. Ready to take action? My signature program gives you the ultimate fuelling roadmap to unlock your full potential in sport and life, with proven strategies that have helped endurance athletes fuel smarter, perform better and break records.

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