What The Elites Eat: Fuel Like a Pro On The Trails

Insights about what elite runners consume during long runs and races.

When it comes to what to eat on the trail, elite ultrarunners have many miles of experience. But new products, varying needs and personal preferences all play a role in what they eat. So does practice. (Rule No.1: Never ingest anything new on race day!) From powders to cheeseburgers these runners have tried it all. Read on to learn what works for them.

Re-fueling is essential, but you don’t want to feel uncomfortable when you stride through streams and around mountains. Remembering these three guidelines should help:

1) Always test new food and drinks in training.

2) Aim for ingesting about 200-300 calories per hour in liquid or solid form, but remember too much food is almost as debilitating as too little.

3) Pack out every wrapper—the next trail user doesn’t need to know your favorite flavor of gel!

Find out what several top ultra-distance runners eat on the run while racing by clicking through the photos below.

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