When you’re on a trail, nutrition is a full-on lever that’ll let you go all the way and perform. Not just because it gives you energy, but because it shapes your consistency, clarity, and ability to handle the effort over time.
The importance of adapting your nutrition to the distance
The longer the distance, the more complex the energy challenge.
It’s no longer just about “eating regularly,” but about structuring a precise nutrition plan, calibrated according to duration, intensity, terrain, and your digestive capacity under effort.
Each format demands a specific nutritional response:
- In short distances, the challenge is fluidity: avoid the slump without messing up digestion.
- In medium distances, you need to anticipate the gradual drop in reserves and avoid energy crashes.
- In ultras, the strategy becomes global: managing timing, variety of intake, hydration, etc.
This should help you avoid these mistakes:
- Starting without a clear plan
- Only consuming the same type of product (risk of saturation and nausea)
- Repeating the same nutrition scheme for all distances
- Sticking to your plan no matter what, without adjusting based on how you feel
👉 To dig deeper, you can check out our article: Trail nutrition: which plan to choose?
And to back you up for real, we developed, in partnership with MX3, three nutrition packs, tailored to the distance.
What nutrition plan for your distance?
For short trails: up to 30 km
For short formats, often intense, the main goal is to avoid energy drops without messing up digestion.
The short distance Trail pack was designed exactly with this in mind. It includes:
- 8 energy gels (4 neutral flavor, 4 citrus)
- 1 tube of 15 electrolyte tablets
- 1 Raidlight 350 mL flask INCLUDED
Estimated intake for 3h of effort:
- 100 to 120 g of carbs
- 400 to 490 kcal
- Hydration covered for 1.5 L of water
Recommended plan:
- 1 gel every 30 to 40 minutes
- 1 electrolyte tablet in 500 mL of water per hour
Ultra-compact format, this pack easily fits into a belt or a small-volume vest.
For medium formats: from 30 to 60 km
Once you pass the 5h effort mark, balancing steady energy intake and digestive comfort becomes key.
The medium distance Trail pack meets these needs, providing carbs in several solid and liquid forms with:
- 10 gels (5 neutral flavor, 5 citrus)
- 8 energy bars (4 varied flavors)
- 1 portion of mentholated isotonic drink (40 g)
- 1 Raidlight 350 mL flask INCLUDED
Estimated intake for 8h of effort:
- 435 g of carbs
- 2,074 kcal
Recommended plan:
- 1 gel every 30 to 40 minutes
- 1 bar every 1h30 to 2h
- 1 dose of isotonic drink in 500 mL of water during effort
Alternating gel / solid / drink boosts absorption, delays nausea, and helps you keep steady without losing steam.
For long formats and ultra: beyond 10h of effort
On an ultra, nutrition becomes a strategic pillar of the race. You have to anticipate muscle fatigue, loss of appetite, digestive issues, and include a recovery mindset. We offer you the Ultra-trail nutrition pack :
- 12 gels (6 neutral, 6 citrus)
- 12 energy bars (strawberry, olive, chocolate-salt, honey-almond)
- 6 protein bars (chocolate-hazelnut, spicy cashew)
- 1 portion of mentholated isotonic drink (40 g)
- 1 Raidlight 350 mL flask INCLUDED
Estimated intake for 12h of effort:
- 665 g of carbs
- ~4,060 kcal
- ~40 g of protein
- On average: 55 g of carbs/hour over 12h
Recommended plan:
- 1 gel every 1h30
- 1 energy bar every 1h30 (alternating)
- 1 protein bar every 4 hours
- 1 dose of isotonic drink every 2 hours in 500 mL of water
- To be complemented with race aid stations or partial meals depending on conditions
This pack is designed to last the distance, prevent burnout thanks to a variety of formats, while including a recovery aspect, essential for ultras.
In short
In trail running, a solid nutrition plan isn’t a detail: it’s a key factor for performance and enjoyment. Adjusting your intake to the distance means avoiding classic mistakes, gaining consistency, and above all, building confidence out on the trail.
