Regina Runs Far Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I am training for my second 100 miler at the end of March. I run 50-75 miles per week, with some 80 plus mile weeks coming up. We planned our Whole 30 start, so that it would end about a month before my event, but my 30-50 mile training runs will be during. I did my first 100 last Fall and my nutrition plan worked very well, included lots of good foods, but also lots of processed "fitness" foods..........Perpetuum, shot bloks, gels, red bull and whatever else looked appetizing. Because this nutrition plan worked so well, with zero GI issues and a sub 24 hour 100 mile performance, I am hesitant to change it so drastically for this next 100 miler. But, I'm also worried about fueling Whole 30 for the training runs, and then changing about a month out. Do any of you ultra runners out there vary your nutrition plans when you are leading up to and/or during a big event? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffJ Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Regina - If your nutrition plan worked so well, why would you want to change it? I am just finishing my first Whole30 and loving it, however, it seems clear to me that the demands of an extreme event like a 100 miler require a different approach. You will be more fat adapted after training Whole30 (I've notice it already) so you'll likely need fewer of the things you've described but otherwise I wouldn't change a thing on race day if I were you.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ultrarunnergirl Posted January 27, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 27, 2015 With a 100 miler a month away, I would advise against you starting a Whole30. You need to allow time for your body to adapt to using fat as fuel and almost everyone has a minimum of a couple of weeks of extremely low energy (in regards to running/pace). Your Whole30 deserves its own time without the demands of serious training. The reset is absolutely 100% worth it. But I'd advise you do it during a time you are not training for a big race. That being said, I fueled the Vermont 100 almost entirely on Whole30 food this past July, so it doesn't mean it can't be done. My friend Katie (her blog posts here) took to it almost right away with very little time to adapt. But I think she is in the minority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucieB Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I agree with everything said so far -- if it worked, don't change it. And certainly don't change it so close to your race. I love a Whole30 as a recovery reset instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leahcarn Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Huh, Ultrarunnergirl, I just noticed you got promoted to mod. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regina Runs Far Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Thanks for the thoughtful comments. Luckily my race is about 30 days after the Whole 30, so I'll have time to tweak my final nutrition plan for the race. My main fuel for my first 100 miler last year was Perpetuum.......I got over half my calories from it, and the other half from various other food items that I know have worked for me in the past and in training. Maybe the Whole 30 will induce me to tweak the overall mix of foods for the race, but I'm hoping that the changes will only help my performance, in addition to the detox/reset, better sleep etc. I will have two very long training runs in the next 30 days: One of around 40 and the other around 50, so I'm wondering if I should attempt to fuel them as Whole 30, or take a one day "cheat".........gosh I even hate saying that in order that my long training runs will mimic the actual race. I guess I'll know more in two weeks as to how I feel and how I'm adjusting. It's not like I eat TWinkies and Taco Bell all the time before Whole 30....... It should be interesting either way. I tried to find a time when I didn't have a big athletic event coming up, but with my busy work/race/bridge schedule there really is no good time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkor Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Whichever way you decide to go, your comments would fit well in this thread: http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/24520-half-marathon-soon-low-energy/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucieB Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 These are my opinions, a mix of my experience and some tough love. Not telling you what to do, telling you what I would do. You can take it and 'run' from there. "I am hesitant to change it so drastically for this next 100 miler. But, I'm also worried about fueling Whole 30 for the training runs, and then changing about a month out. Fulfilling the requirements of a Whole30 takes a lot of willpower and mental training. You do not need that distraction and worry on top of the stresses and training for your race. I know this from experience. Trust your gut...(that's funny to say when talking nutrition!)....I mean trust that hesitancy you're feeling. "Do any of you ultra runners out there vary your nutrition plans when you are leading up to and/or during a big event?" I might vary my nutrition plan, but I would not attempt a full Whole30 prior to a major race. I might make some changes that are more compliant and follow template, for example make every recovery meal compliant. But I would not ditch a successful fueling plan so close to a race. "I'm wondering if I should attempt to fuel them as Whole 30, or take a one day "cheat".........gosh I even hate saying that in order that my long training runs will mimic the actual race." You're asking the same question, so you're gonna get the same answer. I would not make major changes prior to a race, but I might tweak things. And seeing food that you need to train and finish as a "cheat", that's a huge red flag for me and you're right to 'hate' saying that. Don't get that in your head! It's not a cheat, it's FUEL. You need food to train for and finish your race. What is more important to you? Finishing that race or avoiding Perpetuum for a few more weeks? "but with my busy work/race/bridge schedule there really is no good time!" Bologna. (Wait....that's not compliant...what's the Whole30 version of bologna?!) You have the mental fortitude to run ultra marathons. You have the time for all the training runs. You're even considering a Whole30 prior to a major race. You can make this fit into a better time, maybe into a recovery or base training time of year. I say this to a lot of people, maybe it should be my signature line: Decide which is more important: the nutritional challenge of a Whole30, or the race. A few more details from my experiences: 1. I've been an endurance athlete for over 10 years and Whole30 since 2011. Whole30 greatly improved my training, racing, and recovery. Yet I only do a full Whole30 only in base or recovery. I eat compliant all year long for all my meals, but in training and racing I eat what I need to accomplish my race goals, whether it's compliant or not because I chose the race as more important. 2. I found in my ultra training that if I alternate a sports food and a real food, my stomach and energy levels do fine. 3. I've found that trying to stay compliant in long races means I can't depend on aid station foods, I have to pack it all to crew stations or carry it. 4. You already know the sports foods work for you, so you could start out staying compliant as long as you can, then at some point switch to a sports food. But by then your stomach might be upset and you could be nutritionally behind? You could use your training runs to test how that works for you. 5. This is nuthin' but love, girl. We're ultra runners, so I know you can handle it. And if you don't like it, take it out on the next training run!! lucie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ultrarunnergirl Posted January 28, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 28, 2015 Huh, Ultrarunnergirl, I just noticed you got promoted to mod. Congrats! Why thank you! I am enjoying helping out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regina Runs Far Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Loved, loved, loved all this wonderful information and feedback. So many great things to read. Day #5 and going strong. My runs and workouts have been sub par, but not impossible. My 800's at track were about 10 secs off and my 400s were about 5-7 secs off and I did only 3 miles of speedwork rather than 4. I have a 30 miler planned for Sunday, and going to try to fuel entirely on whole foods as an experiment, but I plan to have perpetuum and sports foods in my car if I cannot do it. I'm hoping by then, Day #7 I'll feel even better than I do today. I'm going to try to fuel on fruit, sweet potatoes etc....................... It's only 30 miles............and it is a run on short 5-6 mile loops, so the car will never be far away. I'm hoping that if I can fuel whole 30 and stay whole 30, I can take my racing to the next level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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