When to use this
The 8-12 training weeks before a goal race where the athlete will fuel mid-race — not race week itself.
- An athlete gets nauseous or crampy whenever they try to fuel on long runs.
- The goal event needs 60+ g of carbohydrate per hour and the gut has never practiced it.
- A runner is using gels or chews for the first time this season.
Advanced lab
Progression targets past the sheet
The sheet shows the three phases. The hourly targets, the product logic, and the back-off rule are here so the progression can be planned instead of guessed.
High hourly targets are built for long-course endurance racing, not 5K or XC efforts. Youth athletes rarely need more than the low end of these ranges — individualize with a sports dietitian before chasing big numbers.
Evidence sources
These references support the handout’s general education. Individual medical, supplement, laboratory, or injury questions should be handled by the appropriate qualified clinician.
- de Oliveira EP, Burini RC, Jeukendrup AE.(2014) Gastrointestinal complaints during exercise: Prevalence, etiology, and nutritional recommendations.
- Jeukendrup AE. (2017) Training the gut for athletes. Sports Medicine, 47(S1):S101-S110.
Where to go next
ToolMatch fuel to the eventCheck whether the goal race even needs mid-race carbs before training for them.
PrintableStack it with the loadA trained gut plus a proper 72-hour load is the full endurance setup.
GuideFix the nervous stomachFor athletes whose gut trouble is anxiety-driven, start with the Calm Stomach Guide.
