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Table 4 Example foods consumed by athletesa during single-stage ultra-marathon (35–100 miles, 56–161 km)

From: International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: nutritional considerations for single-stage ultra-marathon training and racing

Food suggestion/serveb

Energy (Kcal)

CHO (g)

PRO (g)

FAT (g)

Na+ (mg)

CHO

PRO

FAT

Na+

Sports drinks (50 g powdered serve)

186

46

0

0

255

✓

  

✓

Sports drinks (50 g) with added electrolytes (1 tablet)

186

46

0

0

505

✓

  

✓

Energy gels (40 g)

91

23

0

0

50

✓

   

Energy gels with 30 mg caffeine (40 g)

90

23

0

0

40

✓

   

Sports energy bar (55 g)

180

36

2

2

100

✓

   

Homemade granola bars (30 g) – no added salt

140

18

3

7

0

✓

   

Homemade oat bars with syrup (90 g) – no added salt

340

45

5

20

250

✓

✓

✓

✓

Dates (30 g)

89

20

1

< 1

0

✓

   

Bananas (150 g)

135

30

2

< 1

10

✓

   

Banana chips (30 g)

102

4

< 1

9

100

  

✓

 

Boiled potatoes (100 g) – no added salt

173

26

3

6

10

✓

   

Fruit/malt loaf (2 slices)

129

25

4

1

230

✓

   

Watermelon slices (1 slice)

45

10

< 1

< 1

100

✓

   

Spread-based (jam) sandwich – 1 sandwich

218

46

7

1

475

✓

✓

 

✓

Spread-based (peanut butter) sandwich – 1 sandwich

342

38

12

17

568

✓

✓

✓

✓

Oatcakes (3 portions)

135

17

3

5

300

✓

 

✓

✓

Meat pastry products (60 g)

189

15

12

5

400

 

✓

✓

✓

Beef jerky (25 g)

103

3

8

6

520

 

✓

 

✓

Chorizo (45 g)

207

1

11

18

1600

 

✓

✓

✓

Salami sticks (22.5 g)

113

< 1

5

10

900

 

✓

✓

✓

Sports protein bar (64 g)

238

23

20

11

300

✓

✓

✓

✓

Sports mass gainer bar (120 g)

453

58

30

13

50

✓

✓

✓

 

MCT energy bar (45 g)

240

11

10

19

105

 

✓

✓

 

Macadamia nut butter (1 sachet; 28 g)

215

4

2

22

28

  

✓

 

Trail mix (50 g)

224

25

4

11

200

✓

 

✓

 

Salted cashew nuts (50 g)

296

9

11

23

200

 

✓

✓

 

Cheese bites (42 g / 2 portions)

140

0

10

12

320

 

✓

✓

✓

Salted potato chips (28 g / 16 chips)

150

15

1

9

150

✓

 

✓

 

Green olives, medium (50 g / 15 olives)

75

3

0

6

285

  

✓

✓

  1. aExamples taken from a survey of recreational to elite ultra-marathon runners (n = 12). bBased on typical serving sizes. MCT medium chain triglycerides, CHO carbohydrate rich foods, PRO protein rich foods, FAT fat rich foods; Na+ = foods providing relatively greater amounts of sodium (> 250 mg). Amounts are typical serves, based on commercial brands for example purposes only, and will vary pending ingredients and additives. Athletes should consider individual tolerances and sensitivities. During single-stage races, recommended target ranges are: Energy = ~ 150–400 Kcal·h− 1; CHO = 30–50 g·h− 1; PRO = 5–10 g·h− 1; FAT = 1.1–17.7 g·h− 1; Fluid intake = 450–750 mL·h− 1; Sodium = > 575 mg·L− 1