In this episode, we cover why carb loading is not about eating a huge bowl of pasta the night before a race, but about arriving at the start line with full fuel stores. For trail and ultra runners, glycogen is the body’s fast-access fuel, and starting underfuelled can make the later stages of a race much harder.

The key message is simple: carb loading should be planned, practised, and spread across the final 24–48 hours before race day. A good target for long endurance events is often around 8–12 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per day, depending on the runner, the race, and gut tolerance.

The episode also explains what runners often get wrong: relying on one big meal, eating too much fibre or fat, trying new foods, or worrying about small increases in body weight caused by glycogen and water storage.

The practical advice is to use familiar, easy-to-digest carbohydrate foods, reduce gut stress before race day, and rehearse the strategy before key long runs or lower-priority races.

Main takeaway: Carb loading fills the tank before the race; race fuelling keeps topping it up. You cannot fully compensate during the race for arriving underfuelled.

Key references:

1. Thomas, D. T., Erdman, K. A., & Burke, L. M. — “Nutrition and Athletic Performance.”

2. Burke, L. M., Hawley, J. A., Wong, S. H. S., & Jeukendrup, A. E. — “Carbohydrates for training and competition.”

3. Wallis, G. A. — “Dietary Carbohydrate and the Endurance Athlete: Contemporary Perspectives.”

4. Vitale, K., & Getzin, A. — “Nutrition and Supplement Update for the Endurance Athlete.”

5. Kerksick, C. M. et al. — “International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Nutrient Timing.”

6. Mata, F. et al. — “Carbohydrate Availability and Physical Performance.”

7. Naderi, A. et al. — “Carbohydrates and Endurance Exercise: A Narrative Review.”

8. Thomas / ACSM position statement — race-day fuelling section

In this episode, we look at one of the most important skills in ultrarunning: managing the low points. Every runner will face dark moments during an ultra, but a low point is not necessarily the end of the race. It is usually information: you may need fuel, fluids, sodium, cooling, warmer clothing, slower pacing, or simply a mental reset.

The key message is: do not make big decisions from a low point. Instead, use the simple process: Check. Fix. Wait. Check what may be causing the problem, fix one or two obvious things, then give yourself 15 to 30 minutes before judging the race again.

The goal is not to feel good all day. The goal is to stay functional when things feel bad.

Key references:

1. Pageaux, B. - “The psychobiological model of endurance performance”

2. Marcora et al. - “Mental fatigue impairs physical performance in humans”

3. Blanchfield et al. - “Talking yourself out of exhaustion: the effects of self-talk on endurance performance”

4. Burgum et al. - “Reduced mood variability is associated with enhanced performance in ultramarathon running”

5. Bieleke et al. - “If-then planning”

6. Tiller et al. - “International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Nutritional considerations for single-stage ultra-marathon training and racing”

7. Hew-Butler et al. - “Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia: 2017 Update”

8. Cao et al. - “Head, face and neck cooling as per-cooling during exercise in the heat”

9. Bongers et al. - “Cooling interventions for athletes”

10. Costa et al. - “Nutrition for Ultramarathon Running: Trail, Track, and Road”

In this episode, we explain the difference between heat acclimatisation and heat acclimation. Acclimatisation usually refers to adapting naturally to a hot environment, while acclimation is a more controlled process using tools like hot-water immersion, sauna, or structured heat exposure.

The key message is that heat adaptation is not just about “getting used to suffering.” It creates real physiological changes: lower heart rate at a given pace, earlier and more efficient sweating, better temperature regulation, reduced perceived effort, and improved tolerance when racing or training in warm conditions.

For ultrarunners, this matters because heat can compromise pacing, hydration, fuelling, digestion, decision-making, and overall race performance. However, heat work should be treated as training stress, not recovery.

The episode gives practical starting points for both hot-water immersion and sauna: begin with short exposures of 10–15 minutes after easy runs, then gradually build towards 20–30 minutes, and only progress further if well tolerated. It also highlights precautions: avoid heat exposure when ill, dehydrated, dizzy, very fatigued, or medically vulnerable.

The main takeaway: do not wait until race day to discover how your body responds to heat. Train the heat response before the weather tests you.

Key references:

1. Racinais et al. 2015 — Consensus Recommendations on Training and Competing in the Heat

2. Racinais et al. 2023 — IOC Consensus Statement on Recommendations and Regulations for Sport Events in the Heat

3. Zurawlew et al. 2018 — Post-exercise Hot Water Immersion as a Practical Heat Acclimation Strategy

4. Zurawlew et al. 2019 — Hot Water Immersion, Retention of Heat Adaptations

5. Scoon et al. 2007 — Post-exercise Sauna Bathing and Endurance Performance in Competitive Runners

6. Casa et al. 2015 — National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Exertional Heat Illnesses

7. Roberts et al. 2021/2023 — ACSM Expert Consensus Statement on Exertional Heat Illness