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GO Isotonic Energy Gel
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An Ultra Marathon is any foot race that is longer than a traditional Marathon length (26.2 miles). While any race over this length counts as an ultra, some of the most common distances are: 50K (31.07 miles), 100K (62.14 miles), 50 miles (80.47K) and 100 miles (160.93K). Most races are run in one day but some may become multi day events. Usually, 100 miles is the longest distance run in 24 hours.
Ultra running is arguably one of the toughest sports out there, you will be pushing yourself to your physical and mental limits.
Like any long-distance race there are three phases of your nutrition to consider for Ultra Marathon running- pre, during, and post.
Pre-ultra you will be making sure your glycogen stores are fully topped up (this is where you get your energy from) usually through ‘carb loading’, and that you are properly hydrated.
In an Ultra you may be running for anywhere between 10-24 hours depending on the event. For these events in race fuelling is absolutely crucial.
Post-race your nutrition will focus on recovery, replenishing lost glycogen and electrolytes, and repairing damaged muscles. In a multi-day event this can be the most crucial stage, you must recover from the stage you’ve just completed whilst also preparing for the next day.
For more about Ultra Marathon Nutrition see our Nutrition Guides.
Energy gels are one of the most popular race fuel products on the market, especially for ultra running when you will likely have to carry a lot of your kit yourself. Energy gels are perfect to store in the pockets of your running vest.
You can read more here about energy gels and how and when you should use them and how they could benefit your performance.
If you’ve decided to include Energy Gels in your Ultra Marathon Nutrition plan (we highly recommend you do), here are some things to consider:
Calories & Carbs: These are always important to consider, for an ultra you may want the calorie and carb content of your gels to be higher than for a regular marathon. In significantly longer races many athletes can benefit from a higher carb intake of around 60-90g per hour. If you’re going to up your carb intake it is important to do this gradually during training to avoid GI issues and carb overload.
Using varied carb sources are also important, Energy Gels tend to use a dual carb blend, for example a Maltodextrin & Fructose blend. This ensures better and faster carb absorption whilst avoiding stomach upset.
Electrolytes: Replenishing your electrolytes is vital for staying hydrated, some people will use hydration drinks or hydration tablets for this, but some gels also have added electrolytes (like Sodium & Potassium) and can save you carrying extra nutrition.
Caffeine: A lot of Energy Gels have a caffeinated option available. Caffeine is a stimulant which enhances focus, for some people this can be useful near the end of a long race for a final boost.
It is always important to consider the other products that you might be using in conjunction with your energy gels as these may contain some of the same ingredients or have similar nutritional content, you don’t want to overload.
This will vary from person to person depending on your nutritional requirements and the nutritional contents of your chosen gels. It’s suggested that ultra runners will benefit from a carb intake of 60-90g per hour. If you’re following this guideline then we recommend opting for a higher carb gel rather than upping the amount of gels you take.
This can be a real issue for runners. A lot of people will find their one favourite gel and stick with it, whilst this is completely fine to do it can cause flavour fatigue.
An easy way to avoid this is by finding a range of gels you like that has several different flavours that you can switch between. Most gels come in a variety of flavours, for example the SIS GO Isotonic Gels & the Torq Energy Gels both come in a large range of flavours.
Varying your nutrition can be even more important during an ultra, you will be running for a LONG time and if you stick with the same Lemon & Lime gel for the entire race you will likely get a bit sick of it.
As we mentioned before, you don’t need to get all of these from your energy gels, but do consider the contents of any other nutrition you use and how it might interact with your gels.
Even if your energy gels contain electrolytes, it’s still important to sip water throughout your race to stay properly hydrated. Many energy gels also need to be taken with water to aid digestion.
We’ve put together a list of just a few Energy Gel options that we think are ideal for Ultra running. These gels have some of the highest calorie and carb content you will find currently on the market, and we think incorporating any of these into your ultra nutrition routine will set you up for success.
Tackling an ultra marathon is a serious feat, and having the right nutrition strategy can make all the difference between finishing strong and falling short. Energy gels offer a compact, efficient, and proven way to fuel your body over the long haul, providing the carbohydrates, electrolytes, and even caffeine needed to keep you moving through the toughest miles.
Whether you’re aiming for a sub-10 hour 50K or grinding out a 100-mile mountain challenge, choosing the right gel (and the right combination of gels) is key. Focus on carb content, electrolyte levels, and flavour variety, and always trial your strategy in training.
