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 — 27 January 2026
💡 Fuel For ThoughtStop panicking on race week: My chat with The Running Journey PodcastIf 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 lighter scale number can quietly sabotage training, and how to stop building the plane mid-flight the week of your race. It’s practical, honest, and full of those “ohhh… that’s why that happens” moments. We also get into the behind-the-scenes of Backyard Ultra fuelling. We talk about consistency, rotating foods, and how planning reduces brain drain when you’re tired and decision-making is shot. If you’re a runner, triathlete, or just someone trying to fuel training without turning nutrition into a second full-time job, you’ll walk away with clear ideas you can apply immediately. Click here to watch on YouTube or here to listen on Spotify. 🚀 Endurance Highlights1️⃣ Creatine, sleep and brain functionCreatine is one of the most researched supplements in sport, traditionally recognised for its benefits in strength, power, and high-intensity performance. More recently, research has begun to explore its potential role beyond muscle, particularly in brain energy metabolism, cognitive function, and recovery. A recent study found that short-term creatine supplementation improved subjective sleep quality, reduced muscle soreness, and enhanced cognitive performance, including attention and processing speed. Additionally, a separate 2024 study examined creatine’s effects under conditions of sleep deprivation and reported improvements in cognitive performance and reduced mental fatigue following creatine intake. Given that many ultra-endurance events involve long hours, disrupted sleep, and decision-making under fatigue, these findings suggest there may be merit in considering creatine as a support for cognitive resilience in demanding endurance scenarios. That said, this area of research is still in its early stages. While the results are promising, we don’t yet have direct evidence in ultra-endurance race settings, and more work is needed to understand optimal dosing, timing, and who may benefit most. For now, these studies open an interesting conversation: creatine may have a broader role than previously thought, but as always, it should complement, not replace, solid fuelling, recovery, and sleep strategies. 2️⃣ Why your post-training coffee deserves more creditWhile the benefits of caffeine on performance are well documented, most research has focused on isolated caffeine rather than how athletes typically consume it day to day, through coffee. This recent review explored the differences between coffee and isolated caffeine as performance aids, highlighting that while both can improve endurance and reduce perceived effort, they are not interchangeable. The review found that coffee can provide similar performance benefits, particularly for endurance exercise, though responses are more variable due to differences in caffeine content, preparation methods, and individual tolerance. Importantly, coffee is more than just caffeine. It contains additional bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Emerging evidence also suggests that consuming coffee alongside carbohydrates after training may help support muscle glycogen replenishment, a key part of post-session recovery. Isolated caffeine may be more appropriate when precise timing and dosing matter, such as key races, while coffee can be a practical and enjoyable option in training and recovery settings. Rather than asking which is “better,” this review emphasises the importance of choosing the right tool for the situation, taking into account performance goals, recovery needs, and individual tolerance. 🕵🏻♀️ Retail Finds*This week's product review: 32Gi - Sports Chews Energy Sustaining Jelly BarSports chews are often a convenient carb-dense option. Features & benefits
Things to keep in mind
Final take While I haven't tried all chews available on the market, these are the softest and least sweet I have tried so far. The size is slightly bigger than the Precision Chews, which are possibly their closest competitor. 👩🏻🍳 Kitchen CreationsI'm committing to sending the most valuable endurance nutrition newsletter. I want to make sure that every piece of content you receive includes information that helps you on your journey toward achieving your personal best. Happy fuelling! Gaby | Endurance Nutrition Specialist 🏃🏻♂️ 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 gap your training plan can't fix Yesterday I received this email from a client: "It makes such a huge difference to fuel properly… especially during my longer runs. I feel so good for the rest of the day. Compared to the old days when I was soooo overtired and struggled with fatigue." One month in. That's all it took. What worries me, and why I keep coming back to this, is that the exhaustion she described isn't unusual. Constant fatigue, heavy legs, and struggling to...
💡 Fuel For Thought Here's why you're hungrier on rest days I see this pattern constantly in practice: an athlete trains hard all week, hits a rest day, and suddenly finds themselves hungrier than usual. Their normal meals don't seem to cut it. They eat, and an hour later, they're back in the kitchen. And more often than not, they can't figure out why. Does this sound familiar to you, too? Here's what's actually going on. Physical activity has a suppressing effect on appetite. It's almost like...
💡 Fuel For Thought Last woman standing, and what got Tammy there Last week, Patto from the Backyard Ultra Podcast sat down with IntensEAThlete and Fuel To Thrive Academy graduate Tammy Lovett, who has now completed three backyard ultras, breaking 24 yards every single time, including a top 10 Australian performance at Red’s Backyard Ultra last year. In this episode, Tammy shares her journey through backyard ultras and how nutrition became an asset in taking her PB from 25 to 38 yards. She...