The Mile-20 Fuel Reset

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Use it when

Your long races fall apart in the last third. Your stomach turns, you get dizzy, or your legs go empty. The real cause is almost always the first two hours. You ate too little, too late, with a gut that had never practiced.

Step 1: Eat on a timer from minute 30

Elena got sober three years ago and replaced her evening drinking with 6 a.m. trail runs. Two years in, she ran her first mountain 50K. She ate when she felt hungry, about 25 grams of carbs an hour. At mile 20 she was nauseous and dizzy, and she dropped.

The next year she ate on a timer. Every 20 minutes from minute 30: one gel, or a few chews, or a cup of sports drink. About 20 grams each, 60 grams an hour.

Step 2: Train your gut like your legs

Sixty grams an hour will upset an untrained stomach. Elena used race fueling on every run over 90 minutes. She started at 40 grams an hour and added 5 grams each week. By week 6 she was at 60 with no problems. "I'd trained my legs for months and my stomach for zero days."

Step 3: Add salt in the heat

On warm days she added 300 to 600 mg of sodium an hour from salt tabs or a drink mix. She sweats heavily, so she stayed near the top of that range above 75°F.

Step 4: Reset before you drop

Her rule for race day: if she felt sick or dizzy, no decisions for 15 minutes. Walk. Sip 200 ml of cola or sports drink. Take a salt tab. Then decide. At mile 22 the next year she hit a rough patch, ran the reset, and was moving again by mile 23. She finished in 7:41.

If dizziness doesn't clear with food, fluid and walking, stop and get help from the aid station.

Try it this week

On your next run over 90 minutes, set a 20-minute timer and take 15 to 20 grams of carbs each time. Write down how your stomach felt. Add 5 grams an hour next week.