When you run a trail, nutrition is a key lever that helps you go the distance and perform. Not just because it provides energy, but because it determines your consistency, clarity, and ability to withstand prolonged effort.
The importance of adapting your nutrition to the distance
The longer the distance, the more complex the energy challenge becomes.
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 requires a specific nutritional response:
- Short distance: the challenge is fluidity – avoiding dips in energy without upsetting digestion.
- Medium distance: you need to anticipate the gradual drop in reserves and prevent an energy crash.
- Ultra distance: the strategy becomes global – timing, variety of intake, hydration, etc.
This should help you avoid these mistakes:
- Starting without a clear plan
- Relying only on one type of product (risk of saturation and nausea)
- Repeating the same nutritional pattern for all distances
- Sticking to your plan at all costs, without adjusting to your sensations
👉 For more details, check out our article: Trail nutrition: which plan to adopt?
And to support you practically, we have developed, in partnership with MX3, three nutrition packs tailored to different distances.
Which nutrition plan for your distance?
For short trails: up to 30 km
In short formats, often intense, the priority is to avoid energy drops without disturbing digestion.
The Short Trail Pack was designed exactly with this in mind. It includes:
- 8 energy gels (4 neutral, 4 citrus)
- 1 tube with 15 electrolyte tablets
- 1 Raidlight 350 mL soft flask FREE
Estimated intake for 3h effort:
- 100–120 g carbohydrates
- 400–490 kcal
- Hydration covered for 1.5 L water
Recommended plan:
- 1 gel every 30–40 minutes
- 1 electrolyte tablet in 500 mL water per hour
Ultra-compact format, this pack easily fits into a belt or small-volume vest.
For medium formats: 30 to 60 km
As soon as you go beyond 5 hours of effort, the balance between constant energy intake and digestive comfort becomes essential.
The Medium Trail Pack meets these needs, providing carbohydrates in various solid and liquid forms with:
- 10 gels (5 neutral, 5 citrus)
- 8 energy bars (4 assorted flavors)
- 1 portion of isotonic mint-flavored drink (40 g)
- 1 Raidlight 350 mL soft flask FREE
Estimated intake for 8h effort:
- 435 g carbohydrates
- 2,074 kcal
Recommended plan:
- 1 gel every 30–40 minutes
- 1 bar every 1h30–2h
- 1 dose of isotonic drink in 500 mL water during effort
Alternating gel / solid / drink improves assimilation, delays nausea, and helps you stay on pace without dropping.
For long formats and ultras: beyond 10h effort
In ultras, nutrition becomes a strategic pillar of the race. You must anticipate muscle fatigue, loss of appetite, digestive issues, and integrate a recovery logic. We suggest 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, spiced cashew)
- 1 portion of isotonic mint-flavored drink (40 g)
- 1 Raidlight 350 mL soft flask FREE
Estimated intake for 12h effort:
- 665 g carbohydrates
- ~4,060 kcal
- ~40 g protein
- On average: 55 g carbs/hour over 12h
Recommended plan:
- 1 gel every 1h30
- 1 energy bar every 1h30 (alternating)
- 1 protein bar every 4h
- 1 isotonic drink dose every 2h in 500 mL water
- To be supplemented with race aid stations or partial meals depending on conditions
This pack is designed to last over time, prevent nausea thanks to variety, while including a recovery dimension – essential for ultras.
In trail running, a solid nutrition plan is not a detail: it is a key factor of performance and enjoyment. Adapting your intake to the distance helps you avoid common mistakes, stay consistent, and above all, gain confidence on the trails.
