My Training & Nutrition Strategy Overview
I recently released a series of podcast episodes that cover the way I typically structure my nutrition and training for 100 mile ultramarathon events. In this series, I cover the four key phases of my training cycle: offseason, base development, speed work development, and ultramarathon long run development. With each of these phases, I touch on some of the training and nutrition inputs that I include. In short, I highlight what the training structure looks like, and how I structure my low carbohydrate approach around them. Due to these episodes being heavy on details, I am publishing the outline here for anyone interested in that resource as a stand alone, or to go along with the episodes.
For those interested, here are the episodes mentioned:
Base Building: How It Train & Eat
Speed Work Development: How It Train & Eat
Ultra Long Run: How It Train & Eat
Off Season
Training Structure
Focus on movement & fun
Running available, but unstructured
Strength
Upper Body
Push ups
Pull ups
Lateral pull downs
Overhead press
Banded pull aparts
Dumbbell rows
Core
Planks: front side
Leg raises
Cable twists: high & low
Hanging knee raises
Lower Body
Hex bar deadlift
Bulgarian split squats
Weighted lunges (forward/backward)
Kettlebell swings
Weighted glute bridges
Weighted tibialis raise
Weighted calf raise
Sled: push/pull (heavier)
Weighted hip abductor & adductor (machine, bench side plank, clam shells)
Mobility:
Ankle rotations
Dorsal & Plantar flexion
Hip: right leg on left thigh raise up 60 seconds
Static ankle dorsiflexion (back legs raised on bench block between feet dorsiflex 10 minutes)
Sit on bench, yoga block between knees, press inward
Forward and backward shoulder rotations
On back, legs 90 degree with feet on wall, hing outside of foot back and forth so knees move away and towards each other (3 minutes)
Nutrition Structure
Lowest carb input of the year
At times as low as 5% intake (similar to strict keto diet)
70-80% fat, 15-20% protein, 5-10% carbohydrate
Historic inputs:
Coconut oil
Olive oil
Canola oil
Sunflower oil
Butter or ghee
Lard or tallow
Full fat salad dressings
Fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb
Chicken and turkey (preferably with skin)
Fatty fish like salmon
Whole eggs
Bacon and sausages
Organ meats like liver
Full-fat cheeses (cheddar, brie, mozzarella, etc.)
Heavy cream
Sour cream
Full-fat yogurt
Cream cheese
Coconut milk (unsweetened)
Almonds
Macadamia nuts
Pecans
Walnuts
Chia seeds
Flaxseeds
Hemp seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard)
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Asparagus
Avocado
Eggplant
Bell peppers
Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
Coffee
Sample Day:
Training:
Lower Body
3 x 10 hex bar deadlift
3 x 10 dumbbell bulgarian split squats
3 x 10 dumbbell box steps
3 x 10 abductor machine
3 x 10 adductor machine
3 x 10 weighted tibialis raises
3 x 10 weighted calf raises
30 minute sled push pull (low intensity)
Nutrition:
Walnuts 3 oz
Eggs 6 large
Canola Oil 2 tsp
Olive Oil 10 tsp
Spinach 8 oz
Plain full fat yogurt 1 cup
Broccoli 2 cups
Salmon 5 oz
Heavy cream 2 tbsp
Sharp cheddar cheese 2 oz
SFuels Train 2 scoops
LMNT Chocolate ½ packet
Strawberries 1 cup
Totals: 2626 cal, 129.5g (19.7%) protein, 48.3g (7.3%) carbs, 206.4g (71%) fat
Base Building
Training Structure
Focus on zone 2 or base intensity as the primary target
Goals:
Build volume tolerance at base intensity
Improve pace at base intensity
Historic:
10-15 hours per week running at base intensity
Pace as low a six minute mile (weather, and course optimal)
Nutrition Structure
Carb input comes up from off season
Approximate targets of 10% carbohydrate
65-75% fat, 15-20% protein, 10-15% carbohydrate
Historic inputs:
Coconut oil
Olive oil
Canola oil
Sunflower oil
Butter or ghee
Lard or tallow
Full fat salad dressings
Fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb
Chicken and turkey (preferably with skin)
Fatty fish like salmon
Whole eggs
Bacon and sausages
Organ meats like liver
Full-fat cheeses (cheddar, brie, mozzarella, etc.)
Heavy cream
Sour cream
Full-fat yogurt
Kefir
Milk 2%
Cream cheese
Coconut milk (unsweetened)
Almonds
Macadamia nuts
Pecans
Walnuts
Chia seeds
Flaxseeds
Hemp seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard)
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Asparagus
Avocado
Eggplant
Bell peppers
Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
Potatoes (all kinds)
Beets
Honey
Apples
Melon (all kinds)
Sourdough bread
Coffee
Sample Day:
Training:
90 minute base run
Mobility routine
Ankle rotations
Dorsal & Plantar flexion
Hip: right leg on left thigh raise up 60 seconds
Static ankle dorsiflexion (back legs raised on bench block between feet dorsiflex 10 minutes)
Sit on bench, yoga block between knees, press inward
Forward and backward shoulder rotations
On back, legs 90 degree with feet on wall, hing outside of foot back and forth so knees move away and towards each other (3 minutes)
Nutrition:
Ground beef 73/27 (8 oz)
Olive oil 10 tsp
Macadamia nuts (2 oz)
Kefir 3.5% fat (8 oz)
Mixed berries (2 cups)
Avocado (1 cup mashed)
Beets (1 cup)
Brussels sprouts (1 cup)
Cucumber (1 small)
Yogurt plain whole milk (1 cup)
Eggs scrambled (4 large)
Milk 2% (1 cup)
Salmon (2 oz)
Sharp cheddar cheese (2 oz)
Honey (1 oz)
SFuels Life Bar
Coffee
Totals: 3551 cal, 145.9g (16.5%) protein, 122.4g (13.7%) carbs, 266g (67.5%) fat
Speed Work Development
Training Structure
Order of specificity
Framework:
Short Intervals targeting VO2max
Long Intervals targeting LT
Hybrid sessions combining intensities
Fast finishes
Surges
Nutrition Structure
Highest carb input of the year
60-70% fat, 15-20% protein, 15-20% carbohydrate
Historic inputs:
Coconut oil
Olive oil
Canola oil
Sunflower oil
Butter or ghee
Lard or tallow
Fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb
Full fat salad dressings
Chicken and turkey (preferably with skin)
Fatty fish like salmon
Whole eggs
Bacon and sausages
Organ meats like liver
Full-fat cheeses (cheddar, brie, mozzarella, etc.)
Heavy cream
Sour cream
Full-fat yogurt
Kefir
Milk 2%
Cream cheese
Coconut milk (unsweetened)
Almonds
Macadamia nuts
Pecans
Walnuts
Chia seeds
Flaxseeds
Hemp seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard)
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Asparagus
Avocado
Eggplant
Bell peppers
Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
Potatoes (all kinds)
Beets
Honey
Apples
Melon (all kinds)
Sourdough bread
Nutritional yeast
Coffee
Sample Day:
Training:
90 minutes: short intervals 8 x 2 minutes
30 minute recovery jog
Lower Body Strength
Muscular Endurance Program
6 x 10 forward lunge
6 x 10 box steps
6 x 10 jump squats
6 x 10 split squats
Nutrition:
Eggs (8 large)
Butter (1 oz)
Milk 2% (1 cup)
SFuels Chocolate Revival (½ scoop)
SFuels Race+ 2 scoops
Cabbage (1 cup)
Riced cauliflower (1 cup)
Spinach (8 oz)
Almonds (3 oz)
Sunflower oil (5 tsp)
Sweet potato (2 large)
Kefir 3.5% fat (1 cup)
Ground beef 73/27 (4 oz)
Nutritional yeast (2 rounded tbsp)
Avocado (1 cup mashed)
Honey (3 tsp)
Coffee
Totals: 3468 cal, 148.8g (17%) protein, 178.4g (27%) carbs, 222.9g (56%) fat
Ultra Long Run Development
Training Structure
Nutrition Structure
Lowest carb input of the year
At times as low as 5% intake (similar to strict keto diet)
65-75% fat, 10-15% protein, 15-20% protein
Historic inputs:
Coconut oil
Olive oil
Canola oil
Sunflower oil
Butter or ghee
Lard or tallow
Full fat salad dressings
Fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb
Chicken and turkey (preferably with skin)
Fatty fish like salmon
Whole eggs
Bacon and sausages
Organ meats like liver
Full-fat cheeses (cheddar, brie, mozzarella, etc.)
Heavy cream
Sour cream
Full-fat yogurt
Kefir
Milk 2%
Cream cheese
Coconut milk (unsweetened)
Almonds
Macadamia nuts
Pecans
Walnuts
Chia seeds
Flaxseeds
Hemp seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard)
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Asparagus
Avocado
Eggplant
Bell peppers
Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
Potatoes (all kinds)
Beets
Honey
Apples
Melon (all kinds)
Sourdough bread
Coffee
Sample Day:
Training:
4 hour long run
Mobility routine
Ankle rotations
Dorsal & Plantar flexion
Hip: right leg on left thigh raise up 60 seconds
Static ankle dorsiflexion (back legs raised on bench block between feet dorsiflex 10 minutes)
Sit on bench, yoga block between knees, press inward
Forward and backward shoulder rotations
On back, legs 90 degree with feet on wall, hing outside of foot back and forth so knees move away and towards each other (3 minutes)
Nutrition:
LMNT Chocolate (½ packet)
LMNT Watermelon (1 packet)
SFuels Life Bar
2 bottles deltaG ketones tactical (64g)
Coconut milk unsweetened (1.75 cups)
Salmon (8 oz)
Olive oil (10 tsp)
Sharp cheddar cheese (4 oz)
Walnuts (4 oz)
Strawberries (2 cups)
Apple gala (2 large)
Yogurt plain whole milk (2 cups)
Spinach (8 oz)
Eggs (2 large)
Totals: 4238 cal, 152.4g (16%) protein, 129.7g (16%) carbs, 301.7g (68%) fat, 64g exogenous ketones
Totals: 4238 cal, 152.4g (14.5%) protein, 129.7g (13%) carbs, 301.7g (65%) fat, 64g (7.5%) exogenous ketones
If you are interested in some additional support, I am currently onboarding for my group coaching package. It is designed for all abilities, and race targets that will help you better understand the training and racing process. It includes: access to my complete catalog of training plans from 5km to 200+ miles, weekly group meetings to help adjust your plan and cover questions/topics, recordings of meetings, office hours, future guest speakers, and a private forum for all members. Details can be found here.
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Janji: janji.com code: Bitter10
LMNT: drinkLMNT.com/HPO
deltaG: deltagketones.com Code: BITTER20
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