UKH

Just wondering whether people training for ultras change their diet at all? Cut out sugar/gluten/coffee/alcohol etc? If so has it had any benefits?

Or is ultra running an excuse to eat anything?

In reply to iusedtoclimb:
Excuse to eat anything. I regularly have eggs for breakfast. Cream eggs generally...

On a slightly more serious note, my general calorie consumption tends to go up with training levels and my natural sweet tooth is actually over ridden by my body which is clearly far cleverer than I am.... I start craving toast/cereals and tend to fill up on fruit or savoury snacks like salted peanuts, or extra cheeky baked potatoes and cheese before bed.

I tend to drink decaff coffee most of time but notice no difference whether I have caff or decaff, I don't drink terribly much normally and during ultra training periods tend to carry on as normal and notice no difference between coming in from a nice hilly 30 miler and staying off the sauce vs 're-hydrating' with a Guinness or two or a couple of large glasses of red....

Its great - do what you want but do more of it I say. That said, I'm certainly not at the cutting front edge of the competitive ultra pack.... but eating 'better' or cutting out my few units of alcohol per week isn't going to alter that to any significant degree.

In reply to iusedtoclimb:

When I've been training for ironman races or doing heavy physical activity at work I could be eating four meals a day. Plenty of protein, lots of fruit and veg and a smaller amount of carbs thrown in for me works. Personally I don't drink much alcohol, so it's all about the eau'minerale!!

In reply to iusedtoclimb:
Excuse to eat lots really - although remember to maintain quality nutrition, not just throw in an extra cake (although you still get some extra cake, just don't binge on it!). I like to go for a double lunch when training hard - i.e. eat at 11 and 3 then again at 7/8ish. Ususally train pre-breakfast (7ish) and in the evening (5:30-6ish) on such days. On weekends this changes, and I just have both a full dinner and similar for lunch, planned around training.

Personally I like to reduce drinking to a few beers a week in the month before a long race, or maybe even cut them out altogether. That said, I went on a bit of a night out (read: massive drinking bender until 4am) about three days before my last marathon and ran a PB despite it being a "slow" course in very warm conditions. Go figure.