The Backyard Ultra 5 Nutrition tips!

The art of the backyard Ultra.  I have personally run a lot of ultra marathons. I had a bit of time off running and training. But this year I have gotten back amongst it. 
I was at the very first backyard ultra in New Zealand. The riverhead BYU. I participated but did not compete. I think it was later that same year I also did the Blue lake 24 hour challenge , completing 100km in a fairly similar style event. 
This year though. I started training again and after a few months had the opportunity to enter and compete in the inaugural Kings BYU in Northland. What a great event. I managed to clock up 100km . Now the nutrition aspect can be a make or break. What will work and what will not. what is the goal and how best to achieve it. There are always so many factors to take into account and, to be honest even the best laid plans can fall to pieces on the day. 
Here's my 5 tips .
1) Stay on top of your nutrition from the start. Its impossible to play catch up in a backyard ultra and one bad loop is all it takes to wreck your plans. So start on your first loop and stick at it. 

2) Keep your nutrition as varied as possible early, as the loops and hours accumulate you will feel less likely to have variety and may completely go off some foods. You will be grateful you started with some choice and it will hopefully delay any flavour fatigue you may get when later you can only stomach a few options and your crew is starting to annoy you .

3) To help with preventing gastro issues keep your choices low fat and low fibre. Carbs are king during the event. Get them in you and regularly.

4) Make sure that you have trialed your choices during your long runs in the lead in. All long runs for the month or so prior should be treated as a dress rehearsal for the real deal. 

5) Have options including liquid options , as the event goes on it becomes harder and harder to stomach food , it can be hard to have enough moisture in your mouth to chew. have easily chewed, moist ( I said it) options , have liquid options. 

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