Since we were young, we have been told that a balanced diet, with everything in moderation, is best for us. However, upon beginning a sport like ultrarunning, we have noticed that Nutrition has become paramount in daily life and while pursuing our goals.
While countless resources are available about what nutrition is ‘best’ for high-impact sports, it’s crucial to remember that each body is unique. Developing an individualised nutrition plan, in conjunction with other nutritional aids, can significantly enhance your body’s performance during training and on race day.
VOOM ambassadors Jon Shield and Gavin Dale are well equipped in what they personally need to excel in their sport and enhance recovery. Jons’ accolades include first places in exceptional races like the Jungle Ultra and the Ice Ultra. Gavin Dale was the Winner of Arc of Attrition 2023 and Winner of Salomon Golden Trail Series UK 2023.
What was your nutrition like when you first started running?
Jon Shield (JS): My nutrition has always been fairly good. I like good healthy food and I’ve not got a massive sweet tooth… but I just love my food so eat a lot. The good thing was when I started running I could manage my weight more effectively with less effort.
Gavin Dale (GD): I started off as a road runner, so at that point I was only using gels. Once I moved to trail running, I began eating anything and everything, but without any real awareness of what I should be looking for, or how much I should be having.
What were some of the attributes you were searching for when it came to nutrition?
JS: I look at everything in a complete way so I looked at giving myself energy pre run session to get the most out of the session, along with focus, hydration and then recovery.
Voom hit all these key aspects.
GD: The more serious I become with running, the more I’m looking for specific elements in nutrition. For me, that’s finding something that’s easy to take on at higher intensities, and a range of flavours / styles (especially for 100km+ races). A protein rich recovery drink is also a must for me – it’s a great way of getting a protein hit straight after a long race, when it can be difficult to consume anything solid.
What is an average day of nutrition when training like?
JS: A typical day of nutrition for me is gluten free porridge or gluten free whole grain toast, almond butter and banana. Usually this is early afternoon as I work night shifts. I’ll then drink a strong coffee or take an electro energy bar to fuel a treadmill workout of maybe 1h 15 mins if I’m back working later that evening. Depending on how I feel I might add some strength work after this or a separate run or bike session pre work later on. I’ll use a recovery shake typically after the first session and then usually have my main meal just prior to starting my night shift which is usually turkey/ chicken/bison/salmon/tuna with rice and mixed vegetables which is my staple evening meal.
GD: An average day during my training will consist of breakfast (oats, nuts and peanut butter), followed by a protein-shake smoothie after my morning run (usually full of fruit and spinach!). Then it’s a sandwich and frittata over lunch, and a snack before the evening’s run. Dinner is often a chilli or curry, loaded with as much veg, pulses and beans as I can get in there. Then a bowl of oats or something sweet to round things off!
How long did it take for you to understand what your body needed while training/racing?
JS: I think you never totally understand your body as it depends on the races you are undertaking. Shorter, higher intensity races are a lot easier to plan for and dial in than the longer races that might run over several days. I try and adapt my nutritional strategies accordingly but think there’s always things that can be tweaked slightly or that you can do slightly differently so it’s a never ending feedback loop.
GD: I’m still trying to understand it! Once I started training on a near daily basis, I noticed how I was almost constantly hungry. It’s easy to try and fill this with snacks, and it took me a while to appreciate that I needed to be adding a lot more to my main meals, as well as healthier snacks through the day.
I still find that my racing nutrition is changing as I try to sustain higher levels of intensity over longer distances. It’s a constant learning process.
Why do you think there is such a demand for natural, high-performance formulas produced locally?
JS: The local areas are heavily into sport and because of that competition becomes greater and everyone is pushing the standards of performance higher and higher. This creates a demand for people searching for the extra 1% to get that winning margin. Combine that with Voom supporting local events, having ambassadors who truly believe in the products whilst also seeing visible results. It’s a winning combination.
GD: It’s reassuring to know you’re using a product that isn’t just mass-produced somewhere thousands of miles away for the sole purpose of profit. I’ve met most of the Voom team, and it’s great to see how enthusiastic they all are about what they’re doing and how they can continue to develop.
What are your favourite VOOM products?
JS: Fusion is my favourite product for racing as it’s been a real game changer for me knowing I’ve got a something that can sustain me for an hour of aggressive racing mixed in 500ml of fluid providing 90g of carbs which is typically around what I try to fuel depending on my race. I also love the Beetroot Cocoa and the Recovery shakes.
GD: On shorter runs, the classic Pocket Rockets are my go to. The Fusion Fuel is great for efficient fuelling over longer distances, and I’m now incorporating the Sparta Fuel into my crew points. The Rapid Recovery Shake will always be my go to for post-race fuel.
What advice would you give those devising a nutrition plan for their next race?
JS: You have to test your nutrition in training to make sure you don’t get any surprises on race day. Your gut is trainable so you need to fuel during your training for your body to adapt. By doing this you allow your body to tolerate a greater amount of carbohydrates allowing the body to utilise more fuel to enhance performance.
GD: Train with your race nutrition! It’s no good using one thing in training and then switching for the race. Always have back up options – the stomach can be unpredictable and it’s good to keep some flexibility in what you have available.
About Voom Nutrition
We have been on a two-year mission to provide a tasty, portable and stomach-friendly alternative to sports gels, with twice the energy and zero mess.
Drawing on core expertise from 20 years working in nutrition product development, we considered the key areas of palatability, portion control, energy delivery, stomach comfort and handiness. In short, we wanted a highly functional product that was enjoyable to use. VOOM Pocket Rocket energy bars deliver on every level.
The ultimate test for our products is always: would we use them ourselves?
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