"Whether you're lining up for the 2 Valleys Trail (22km), stepping up to the 5 Valleys or 7 Valleys, or taking on the full 180km 13 Valleys Ultra, getting your race-day nutrition right can make a huge difference."
Overview
Whether you're racing the 22km 2 Valleys Trail or taking on the full 180km 13 Valleys Ultra, a well-practised nutrition strategy can make a huge difference. This guide covers how to fuel for each distance, including carbohydrate intake, hydration, electrolytes, aid station planning and recovery. You'll also learn how to train your gut, calculate your individual nutrition requirements and test your race-day fuelling before heading to the Lake District.
Whether you’re lining up for the 2 Valleys Trail (22km), stepping up to the 5 Valleys or 7 Valleys, or taking on the full 180km 13 Valleys Ultra, getting your race-day nutrition right can make a huge difference.
With long climbs, technical Lake District trails and potentially hours on your feet, your fuelling strategy needs to match the distance you’re racing. From carbohydrates and hydration to electrolytes and recovery, here’s how to build your 13 Valleys Ultra nutrition plan.
1. Match your fuelling strategy to your race distance
Each race in the 13 Valleys series presents a very different challenge, so your nutrition plan should change with it.
2 Valleys Trail – 22km
For many runners, one or two Pocket Rocket Energy Bars alongside water and electrolytes may be enough. However, don’t overlook fuelling just because it’s the shortest race. The climbs and technical Lake District terrain can significantly increase the energy demands.
5 Valleys – 55km
Once you’re racing for several hours, consistent carbohydrate intake becomes increasingly important. Start fuelling early and aim for a steady intake rather than waiting until you feel hungry or low on energy.
7 Valleys – 110km
At this distance, nutrition becomes a major part of race strategy. You’ll need to think about carbohydrates per hour, hydration, electrolytes and incorporating different flavours and textures to avoid flavour fatigue.
13 Valleys Ultra – 180km
The full 13 Valleys Ultra requires a long-term fuelling strategy that can keep you moving through the day and potentially overnight. Combine sports nutrition with more substantial foods available at feed stations, while paying close attention to hydration, sodium intake and what your stomach can tolerate after many hours of running.
2. Get your carbohydrate intake right
Under-fuelling is one of the easiest ways to make a long race much harder than it needs to be.
For longer endurance events, carbohydrate intake will typically fall somewhere around 30–90g per hour, depending on race duration, intensity, experience and individual tolerance. Higher carbohydrate intakes need to be practised rather than suddenly introduced on race day.
Use your long training runs to test your target carbohydrate intake and find the combination of drinks, bars, chews and other foods that works for you.
This is particularly important for the 5 Valleys, 7 Valleys and 13 Valleys Ultra, where you’ll be fuelling consistently for many hours.
3. Train your gut before race day
Your legs aren’t the only thing that need training for an ultra.
Practising your nutrition strategy during long runs can help you understand how much carbohydrate and fluid you can comfortably tolerate while moving. It also gives you the opportunity to test different products, flavours and textures.
Don’t wait until you’re 60km into the 7 Valleys to discover that your planned race-day nutrition doesn’t agree with you.
Nothing new on race day.
4. Don’t underestimate hydration and electrolytes
Late September in the Lake District can deliver almost anything, from relatively warm conditions to driving rain and strong winds on exposed fells.
Your fluid and electrolyte requirements will depend on factors including temperature, race intensity, sweat rate and how much sodium you lose through sweat.
Rather than relying on a single number for the entire race, build a flexible ultra running hydration strategy that you can adjust as the weather, terrain and your pace change.
For longer distances in particular, hydration and electrolyte management should be considered alongside your carbohydrate intake rather than treated separately.
5. Use the 13 Valleys aid stations strategically
The 13 Valleys Ultra feed stations provide opportunities to top up on VOOM sports nutrition alongside more substantial savoury food options.
Use them as part of your overall race strategy, but don’t rely entirely on aid stations. Carry enough tried-and-tested nutrition to cover the sections between checkpoints, particularly when you could be running for well over an hour without support.
Knowing roughly what you plan to eat, drink and collect at each feed station can also make your stops quicker and more efficient.
6. Mix sports nutrition with real food
During a shorter trail race, bars, chews and carbohydrate drinks may provide everything you need. Over 110km or 180km, however, many runners find that variety becomes increasingly important.
Alternating sweeter sports nutrition with savoury or more substantial foods can help prevent flavour fatigue and make it easier to continue eating deep into an ultra.
The key is finding the balance that works for your stomach and testing it in training.
7. Think about recovery before you finish
Recovery nutrition shouldn’t be an afterthought.
Continue fuelling during the final stages of your race rather than reducing your intake simply because the finish line is getting closer. Once you’ve finished, carbohydrates can help replenish glycogen stores while protein supports muscle repair and recovery.
This becomes particularly important after the longer 5 Valleys, 7 Valleys and 13 Valleys Ultra distances.
8. Practise your complete race-day nutrition plan
The best ultra running nutrition strategy is one you’ve already tested.
Use long training days on hilly and technical terrain to practise:
- Your carbohydrate-per-hour target
- Fluid and electrolyte intake
- Sports nutrition versus real food
- Carrying and accessing your nutrition
- Fuelling between aid stations
- Eating when tired
- Post-run recovery nutrition
Treat these sessions as a dress rehearsal for race day. By the time you arrive in Keswick, your nutrition plan should feel familiar.
Calculate your race-day nutrition with VOOM
Rather than guessing how much carbohydrate, fluid or electrolytes you need, use VOOM Nutrition’s free sports nutrition calculators to start building your personalised plan.
Carbohydrate Calculator
Work out your carbohydrate-per-hour target and estimated fuelling requirements based on the duration and intensity of your session.
Electrolyte Calculator
Estimate your fluid and sodium requirements based on factors including conditions, duration and your individual sweat profile.
Protein Calculator
Calculate your post-exercise protein target to support recovery after training and racing.
Nitrate Calculator
Explore a dietary nitrate protocol for endurance performance and your build-up to race day.
Bicarb Calculator
Sodium bicarbonate is more relevant to shorter, higher-intensity efforts than a 180km ultra, but the calculator can help if you’re also racing shorter events alongside your endurance training.
Use the VOOM Nutrition calculators to work out your numbers, then test them during training before race weekend.
Try your 13 Valleys race nutrition before race day
Want to know what VOOM nutrition will be available at the 13 Valleys aid stations?
You can claim a FREE VOOM Taster Pack with code 13V and try the products during training before race weekend.
That means you can arrive in Keswick already knowing what works for you, rather than experimenting during the race itself.
Get your numbers. Train your gut. Practise your plan. Then enjoy the trails.
Frequently asked questions
The 13 Valleys Ultra is a 180km ultramarathon through the Lake District, taking runners across valleys, fells and lakeside trails. The distance and challenging terrain mean careful pacing, nutrition and hydration are essential.
Aim to consume carbohydrates consistently from early in the race rather than waiting until you feel hungry or low on energy. Many ultra runners target somewhere between 30–90g of carbohydrate per hour, depending on their experience and gut tolerance. Your strategy should be tested thoroughly during training.
A combination of sports nutrition and real food can work well over 180km. Energy bars, chews and carbohydrate drinks provide convenient fuel, while savoury and more substantial foods can provide variety during the longer stages of the race. Practise everything you intend to eat beforehand.
There isn't one hydration target that works for every runner. Your requirements depend on your sweat rate, sodium losses, pace and weather conditions. Build a personalised hydration and electrolyte strategy during training and adjust your intake as conditions change.
Yes. The 13 Valleys Ultra has feed stations along the route, giving runners opportunities to replenish food and fluids. However, you should still carry enough nutrition to fuel yourself between stations rather than relying entirely on what's available.
Use your longest training runs to practise your complete race-day nutrition strategy. Test your carbohydrates per hour, hydration, electrolytes, sports nutrition and real food, including eating while tired. By race day, you should already know which foods and products work best for you.
