As you know from reading my Worlds race report, I have been struggling with eating during 24hr solo races. With my fitness at a great level nothing is more frustrating than to have your stomach slow you down ... or, in my case, make you stop!!!
So, I have been asking friends, nutrition boards, and other forums ... for advise. The best advise I've gotten so far was from the Hammer nutrition forum and from Rebecca Rusch (2007 and 2008 World solo champion). The diagnosis: I am eating too much, and definatly eating too many solids.
I am a high burner so have always worried about not eating enough ... funny that this would turn into my enemy on race day. I've been training with WAY less calories (around 250 per hour) and only using liquids ... the results? So far, so good. Next weekend will be the real test. I'll plan to drink 250cal per hour and then use my beloved cliff bloks to fill in the gaps when needed.
I am sad to ditch the donuts but am not willing to incorperate them into my every day life so that my digestive system is more used to them ... and have been advised to ditch them by pretty much everyone. The chips, potatoes, pasta, hammer bars and cliff bars will remain on the menu as my solids if I feel the need.
I am really really hopeing that moving to more liquid calories and less overall calories will solve my stomach issues for long races. Only the true test of a race will tell...
