HOW TO FUEL

Fuel Guides are written for specific sessions — to maximize the adaptations from carefully structured training. Single sessions often represent stepping stones and incremental progress on a longer journey towards a goal. Whether an athlete is training three times each week or several times every day, it’s important to apply an appropriate strategy for the aims of the individual. An isolated session is nothing without planning the long-term training load.

NAIL THE BASICS

Fuel Guides are written for athletes who already have a basic understanding of nutrition and the role of real food. Maurten products are not a replacement to real food; they are an extension, supported by science to meet the demands of endurance sport — before, during and after. Where possible, athletes should stick to normal eating patterns with real food. As with all elements of training, in the long-term, consistency matters. Consider a visit to a sports dietician to check if you have got the basics nailed.

DARE TO ADJUST

Fuel Guides are a starting point, but we are all different. Individual training and nutrition needs are highly nuanced — one size does not fit all. Body composition, sweat rate, climate, type of sport, training status, intensity and tolerance will all vary from one person to the next. And then it’s important to understand an individual’s sensitivity to ingredients such as caffeine as well. A Fuel Guide can be adjusted to suit your needs — to optimize the session — so that it delivers the right outcomes at that moment in the training journey.

SAME SESSION, DIFFERENT EXERTION

Each Fuel Guide represents a training session. The experience of that session will be different depending on the relative fitness and form of the individual. For example, an elite runner (RPE 8-9) could be above anaerobic threshold with a session of 5x5 minutes at 10k pace. For a different runner (RPE 6) — perhaps someone aiming for a 60-minute 10k race — 5x5 minutes would be a moderate, sub-threshold effort.

TRAINING RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Control the controllable

    The training period is when you get to know your body. When you learn what it’s capable of. It’s a process of working out the best way to race. Test and experiment in training to understand how your body responds to different circumstances, intensities and durations. Then bring that all together on the start line.

    It’s a simple mantra — what you do in training is what you do in the race. Test your race day protocol. The simplest trick is to mirror the race timings and plan your training nutrition around the on-course fuel stations — our Long Run fuel guide is a perfect example of this.

  • Tired, not empty

    Recovery starts before you finish a session. Maintain a fueling strategy to the end of training so that you don’t finish in a depleted state. With training complete, it’s then time for rapid rehydration and replenishment of glycogen stores. Feeling tired is appropriate. Feeling empty is not. To get the best out of the next session, recovering properly is vital — our Training Guides will help you optimise your hard training sessions.

  • Do you want to finish or perform?

    Science has shown that training our guts with certain amounts of sports nutrition decreases the likelihood of gastrointestinal distress on race day. GI discomfort is a significant inhibitor to performance. By fueling training with the right amount of carbohydrates per hour, our bodies can adapt and get used to it.

Q&A

To fuel your racing and training better it helps to have some general training and nutrition knowledge. Understanding what a session means will help to optimize fueling — improving both in-session performance and recovery.

GENERAL FUELING

Why should I use sports nutrition during exercise?

Gels are developed to optimize your intake and absorption of carbohydrates during higher intensity activity. They are designed to pass quickly through the stomach, to the intestines, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal distress. During low intensity exercise you do not need to use gels. Food works. As intensity builds, blood is diverted away from the stomach and digesting food becomes more challenging. This is when you can transition to gels.

How do I combine Maurten products to get the right amount of carbohydrates per hour for my sport?

The Maurten range of sport fuels can act like a modular system, enabling athletes to pick and choose their preferred format for the training and racing situation. Products can be combined to attain the desired amount of carbohydrates. Fueling should be considered before, during and after an activity. Load glycogen stores before, maintain performance throughout, avoid depletion and recover to go again next time.

  • Gel 100: 25 grams of carbohydrates
  • Gel 100 Caf 100: 25 grams of carbohydrates + caffeine
  • Gel 160: 40 grams of carbohydrates
  • Drink Mix 160: 40 grams of carbohydrates
  • Drink Mix 320: 80 grams of carbohydrates
  • Drink Mix 320 Caf 100: 80 grams of carbohydrates + caffeine
  • Solid 160: 40 grams of carbohydrates
  • Solid 160 C: 40 grams of carbohydrates

How can hot weather conditions affect my nutrition plan?

In hot weather your fueling plan is unlikely to change. However, hydration needs will vary as temperature and sweat loss increase, accelerating the risk of dehydration. Dehydration inhibits the body’s ability to regulate temperature. In general, it is suggested that performance capacity decreases when an athlete surpasses a 2% loss in bodyweight from fluid loss.

Hydration needs are highly personalized — heat, intensity, duration, body composition, fluid tolerance and prior training will all impact fluid loss. Training gives the opportunity to understand how your body responds to fluid loss during different conditions, intensities and durations. Try weighing yourself before and after training to refine a hydration plan. Remember that race day could be hot weather, so it’s important to be prepared for that.


The American College of Sports Medicine recommends replacing 150% of lost fluid soon after training or racing at a maximum rate of 1.2L per hour.

Why should I use sports nutrition with caffeine?

While studies have suggested that caffeine could promote alertness and reduce perceived effort, and that these are attractive properties in sport, caffeine can’t be said to enhance performance. Reported benefits are highly nuanced and tolerance to caffeine can vary greatly between individuals based on, amongst other things, body composition, dosage and timing

Caffeine effectiveness is dose-dependent. The response is highly individual and therefore it should not simply be considered that more is better. Caffeine is rapidly absorbed in the blood within 5 –15min, and peaks within 45–90 min (half-life 180–300min).

Developing a nutritional strategy for races or key sessions is complex. Caffeine absorption and metabolizing rate varies between individuals. There are two key factors that should be considered:

1) your body weight; and

2) your previous exposure to caffeine.

How should I start using sports nutrition with caffeine?

The Maurten Gel 100 CAF 100 represents a potent dose of caffeine — especially if you are not used to it. One portion is roughly equal to a standard cup of black coffee. For those new to caffeine, start by using a single Gel 100 Caf 100. Get to know how it feels and increase the dose as you become more confident in your own tolerance. As a general guide, for optimal effect the scientific recommendation is 3-6 mg of caffeine per kilo of bodyweight.

What’s the difference between Maurten Gel 100 and Gel 160?

Gel 100 and Gel 160 use the same patented Maurten Hydrogel Technology with the same ratio of fructose and glucose — 0.8:1. Gel 100 has 25 grams of carbohydrates and Gel 160 has 40 grams. Gel 160 is well suited to longer endurance races and sessions where fueling opportunities are less frequent. The larger format enables athletes to carry fewer sachets but still benefit from the same proven hydrogel performance. Both sizes are interchangeable, depending on the training or racing situation. It’s a system that enables athletes to fine-tune their fueling strategy.

RUNNING

What is a Fartlek training session?

Fartlek involves intermittently varying the pace of a training run — alternating between faster and slower or moderate pace at the preference of the athlete. Unlike an interval session, the duration of the changes in pace are often unstructured and determined by feel and terrain. Fartlek sessions tend to be a more accurate representation of changes in pace that might occur during a race. The session is also a good way for an athlete to learn how their body reponds to unpredictable changes in pace or effort over varying terrain. And to learn the importance of running on feel.

What is a progressive run session?

A progressive run is one that builds intensity throughout the session. The run begins at an easy, comfortable pace and becomes progressively faster. The pace at the finish should be closer to a tempo or race speed. The aim of this session is to teach race craft — to finish strong — and build stamina.

Do I need to fuel every training session with sports nutrition?

No. Not every session is a duration or intensity that requires sports nutrition and fueling. In general, training under 60 minutes can be achieved with the glycogen already stored in the muscles, supplemented with water. During harder interval sessions it can be helpful to take short sips of Maurten Drink Mix 160 in the rest and recovery phases of the workout. For workouts that don’t require in-session fueling the emphasis should be on adequate carbohydrate during the pre-exercise and warm-up periods.

What is interval training?

Interval running alternates between periods of hard effort and slow recovery phases. Unlike Fartlek running, the changes in pace (intervals) are normally well structured — evenly spaced throughout the session to specific timings or distances (if track-based). Interval training is usually a shorter session and can be done without running far from home. While training for 60 minutes or less doesn’t necessarily need specific fueling, to account for the intensity, it can be beneficial to sip Drink Mix 160 during the rest phases of interval training. This isn’t just for fueling the session, but to also ensure that you start the replenishment of glycogen stores before finishing — benefitting recovery ahead of the next workout.

What is a lactate tolerance session?

Typically a specific interval session used by middle-distance runners, the lactate tolerance session is performed 1-2 times weekly during the pre-competition and competition period. Such intervals typically range from 150-600m at 800-1500m race pace with 1-3 min recoveries. The correct training zone (generally considered to be a percentage of VO2 Max) will vary depending on the experience and previous training of the athlete. During lactate tolerance training an elite athlete will exercise at a much higher percentage of Vo2 Max than someone who is comparatively untrained.

CYCLING

What is a 40/20 session?

40/20s are a type of interval session, commonly used in cycling training. 40 seconds of hard effort (130% of functional threshold power) are followed by 20 seconds of rest or very easy riding (active recovery). Typically 40/20s involve 4x5 minutes of intervals with 10 minutes between each set. This session has a reputation for being tough so it’s important to consider all aspects of fueling — before, during and after.

What is sweetspot training?

Sweetspot training involves extended intervals, riding for 3x15 minutes at an effort equivalent to 85-95% of an athlete’s functional threshold power (FTP). 5 minute recovery periods between sets provide just enough rest to go again. These sessions are physically and mentally fatiguing. They require appropriate fueling before, during and after, as well as mental focus throughout to achieve the full sets. The closer the athlete is working to their FTP, the tougher the session. Sweetspot training is a highly effective method for attaining physiological adaptations and building stamina.

What are over-unders?

Over-under training sessions are structured interval workouts that alternate between specific effort peaks and valleys either side of an athlete’s functional threshold power (FTP). Exercising just above (over) FTP builds lactate, limiting performance. Reducing the intensity to just below (under) FTP conditions the body to process the lactate, even when the effort is still relatively high. Over-unders are an effective means of building FTP and simulating the sensations of racing.

What is an FTP Test?

Your functional threshold power (FTP) is a benchmark against which most bike training sessions are set. Knowing the FTP enables an athlete to train at the right level for their current ability. The FTP is the average number of watts that a cyclist can sustain for one hour and it provides a good indication of rider fitness. Attaining an FTP score requires a test. There are different methods, but the most accessible is a ramp test. In this test an athlete will complete a short warm-up and will then ride with regular increasing power output until the point of exhaustion — when the rider is no longer able to sustain the required power to continue the test. A Ramp Test will feel very easy to start with and then after a certain point will quickly become increasingly challenging. It takes a lot of mental focus to push to the point of absolute failure and get the best results from a test of this nature.

What is VO2 Max?

VO2 Max is the maximum oxygen consumption of an individual during intense exercise. The higher the number, the better the cardiorespiratory fitness and endurance of that person. A high number (some athletes can exceed 90) means that more oxygen can be delivered to the muscles during exercise.

Evidence-based carbohydrate guidelines

Muscle glycogen and blood glucose are the primary sources of energy for contracting muscles. An optimal dietary carbohydrate intake enhances recovery and optimizes glycogen stores for the next session.