Fueling Strategy: Hydration, Nutrition & Caffeine for a 6-Hour Race

Use shorter races to refine a fueling strategy so that when a long race comes you are ready.

Summary

Nutrition is challenging to provide guidance on or to follow. You might have had a successful race after a Grand Slam breakfast or completely struggled after consuming energy gels. What seems most logical is to develop a plan with some rationale and adhere to it over several races to evaluate its effectiveness. This plan is based on a few basic assumptions:

A six-hour race can be used as a basic metric to adjust for shorter or longer races.
Using a watch set with a timer to beep as a reminder for when to eat or drink, if you listen to music you can set your watch on vibration.
Having a few options for products to use. I frequently change mine, so I make sure to check the nutrition profile before incorporating new ones.
I usually change products when I grow tired of them or if others are on sale.

Hydration Strategy – Drink with Purpose

Goals

Prevent dehydration and heat-related fatigue
Replenish lost electrolytes, especially sodium
Avoid over-hydration or GI distress (barfing)

Pre-Race (24–48 hours)

Drink 2.5 to 3 liters of water daily
Add electrolyte mix (Nuun, Tailwind, LMNT) once or twice per day
Eat hydrating foods: watermelon, cucumbers, oranges
Avoid excess alcohol and caffeine

Race Morning

Drink 500–600 mL of water or sports drink 2–3 hours before start
Sip 200–300 mL with electrolytes 30 minutes before the start

During Race

Sip 150–250 mL every 20–30 minutes
Use drinks with 300–700 mg of sodium per liter
Take SaltStick FastChews or LMNT if you’re sweating heavily or in hot weather

Post-Race:

Rehydrate with 500–750 mL of fluids in the first hour
Choose drinks with both sodium and carbs

Nutrition Strategy - Fuel the Race

Goals:

Maintain energy
Support muscle function
Prevent bonking and gut distress

Nutrition Targets

180 to 250 calories per hour
30 to 60 grams of carbs per hour (up to 90 grams if trained)
Total over 6 hours: around 1,100 to 1,500 calories and 180 to 360g carbs

Recommended Fuel Options:

Tailwind Nutrition (hydration + fuel combo)
GU Energy Gels or GU Roctane
Nuun Energy Gels (with caffeine and electrolytes)
Spring Energy Gels (real food-based)
Clif Bloks or Honey Stinger Chews
Bananas, PB sandwiches, rice bars
Trail Butter for slower sections or long climbs

Tips:

Alternate between sweet and salty to avoid taste fatigue
Use foods you’ve tested in training
Drink calories (like Tailwind) if solid food becomes hard to manage

Caffeine Strategy – Mental Fuel for the Long Haul

Some people avoid caffeine because it can cause jitters or gastrointestinal issues. Others might overuse it, leading to its own problems, as excessive consumption can become counterproductive when your body can't process it quickly enough to be effective. With this in mind, here is my strategy.

Why Use Caffeine

Reduces perceived effort
Improves endurance and focus
Keeps you mentally sharp, especially late in the race

Total Dose

For first-time users, a dosage of 200 to 300 mg over a span of 6 hours is recommended. If you use it frequently during the week, increase the dose by 25%.
Distribute the dosage evenly — avoid taking a large amount at once unless you have prior experience with it.

Timing

30 to 45 minutes before the start: take 100 mg (pill, coffee, or gel)
Around Hour 2.5 to 3: take another 50–100 mg
Hour 5: optional final boost of 50–75 mg

Tips

Test caffeine in training runs first
Stay hydrated when using pills or chews; this plan takes that into account
Start low (50 mg) if you’re caffeine-sensitive

Race Day Timing Plan (Use Watch Beeps Every 30 Minutes)

Pre-Race (45 minutes before):

Drink 500 mL of water or sports drink
Take 100 mg caffeine (coffee, pill, or caffeinated gel)
Light snack (banana, toast)

Hour-by-Hour Race Plan

Hour 0 (Start): Begin sipping fluids immediately

Hour 0:30 (Beep): Take a gel or chews, sip water or Tailwind

Hour 1:00 (Beep): Fuel again with chews, banana, or drink calories

Hour 1:30 (Beep): Sip water, take a salt tab or small snack

Hour 2:00 (Beep): Fuel again — gel, PB sandwich, or drink

Hour 2:30 (Beep): Take 50–100 mg caffeine (Run Gum or chew)

Hour 3:00 (Beep): Fuel with banana, Tailwind, or Spring Gel

Hour 3:30 (Beep): Take a salt tab, hydrate

Hour 4:00 (Beep): Fuel again (Nuun Gel, Clif Bloks)

Hour 4:30 (Beep): Final caffeine dose (Run Gum or 1/2 pill)

Hour 5:00 (Beep): Fuel with drink or soft snack

Hour 5:30 (Beep): Final fuel push, hydrate

Hour 6:00 (Finish): Start recovery

Post-Race Recovery

Drink 500–750 mL of an electrolyte drink within an hour
Eat a recovery meal with protein, carbs, and some salt
Stretch, cool down, and reflect on what worked!

Recommended Products (By Category)

I do not receive any compensation for product recommendations. There are many excellent products available on the market, but these are the ones I currently use regularly. I definitely take price into account for each product, and some offer special deals either in-store or online, which is an important consideration for me.

Hydration

Nuun Sport / Nuun Energy Gels – nuunlife.com

Tailwind Endurance Fuel – tailwindnutrition.com

LMNT Electrolyte Drink – drinklmnt.com

Skratch Labs Hydration – skratchlabs.com

Nutrition

GU / GU Roctane – guenergy.com

Clif Bloks / Honey Stinger – clifbar.com, honeystinger.com

Spring Energy Gels – myspringenergy.com

Trail Butter – trailbutter.com

Caffeine

ProLab Caffeine Pills – prolab.com

Caffeine Bullet – caffeinebullet.com

Run Gum – rungum.com

Genius Caffeine – thegeniusbrand.com

Final Notes

Fueling is not only essential for completing the distance; it's crucial for maintaining strength, mental clarity, and finishing with energy. It also considers the need to drive home or reach an airport after the race. Our goal is not just to cross the finish line but to keep running beyond it, continue training, and prepare for the next race. I see this plan as a framework: test everything during training and adjust according to your body's needs and preferences, which can evolve over time as we progress through the race schedule.