What’s All this High Carb Fueling about ?
is David Roche right ?
By Sean Clifford · · Nutrition
You know that feeling when you’re deep into an ultra, legs screaming, mind wandering to why you ever thought this was a good idea? Lately, more runners are turning to high-carb strategies to push those walls further back.
You know that feeling when you’re deep into an ultra, legs screaming, mind wandering to why you ever thought this was a good idea? Lately, more runners are turning to high-carb strategies to push those walls further back. It’s become a real game-changer in the world of ultra trail racing, especially with voices like David Roche out in the States leading the charge. He’s smashed records at races like Leadville 100, slurping down 120-150 grams of carbs an hour, and suddenly everyone’s wondering if this could be the edge we’ve been missing !
Think about it – not so long ago, the trend was all about going low-carb, training your body to burn fat like some kind of efficiency machine. Runners like Zach Bitter swore by it, holding the American 100-mile record on a keto-style diet back in 2019. But fast forward, and even Bitter’s flipped the script, experimenting with high-carb blocks in his training and seeing real gains in performance and recovery. It’s a proper turnaround, driven by fresh science showing that cranking up those carbs during long efforts can keep you going stronger, with less damage to the muscles and quicker bounce-back the next day.
You might be questioning is it all a trend but the evidence is stacking up. A 2020 study on elite mountain marathoners found that taking in 120 grams of carbs per hour cut down on muscle damage and made the effort feel easier compared to lower doses. They weren’t just finishing fresher – their bodies were holding up better under the hammer. Another bit of research from the same year backed this, showing high-carb intake during a trail marathon helped runners recover their high-intensity running capacity within 24 hours, while those on 60 or 90 grams struggled more with fatigue and soreness. It’s not magic; it’s about maxing out how much fuel your gut can process and send to the muscles before things go south