What’s the best nutrition plan for performance? How should you manage your intake during an ultra-trail, regardless of the terrain? Mathieu Blanchard shares his core principles for optimizing energy from the first to the very last mile.

Mathieu Blanchard and näak have been a team since day one. From testing prototype energy bars during his first UTMB in 2018 to winning on the world's most hostile terrains, from Alpine peaks to the ice deserts of the High North, he has established himself as one of the world's elite ultra-endurance athletes. We’ve grown together. With the näak team, Mathieu is home.

Today, he’s sharing the habits he has battle-tested in the field. A quick note: Mathieu emphasizes that these are personal insights rather than universal rules. They are a blend of lived experience and miles of trial and error. Feel free to take what resonates with your own practice, whether you’re preparing for your first 20km or an Ultra XL.

PRE-RACE:

TIP #1BY MATHIEU BLANCHARD: "DON’T NEGLECT LIPOLYSIS*"

*Lipolysis is the process by which the body converts stored fats into available energy.

"There’s a big 'trend' around carbohydrates right now. Many runners focus solely on carbs-per-hour. Some even claim that lipolysis (burning fat for fuel) is no longer useful. I’m convinced of the opposite; I think it’s a fad and that lipolysis will soon regain its rightful place. That’s why I train it year-round. How? By training on an empty stomach most of the time.However, regardless of the session, intervals or long runs, I always carry a flask of Drink Mix and some Waffles, Gels, or Purees, to eat if I feel like it. Sometimes I come home and I’ve eaten everything; other times, I haven’t touched a thing. It’s about listening to my sensations and ensuring my two 'internal factories', the one that creates fuel from carbs and the one that produces energy from fats, are both running at full capacity on race day."

TIP #2 BY MATHIEU BLANCHARD: "SPECIFIC AND TARGETED GUT TRAINING"

"Early in my career, I had to 'train my gut' to help my stomach process race nutrition. Now, I eat more based on feeling. For my major goals, my gut training is specific and localized. Four, three, and two weeks before the race, I do 3-day volume blocks (alternating trail and bike). On the final day of each block, I simulate my specific race nutrition plan. For 6 to 8 hours, I consume around 80g of carbs per hour. With the fatigue from the previous two days, it mimics race intensity even at a base endurance pace. If it passes under those conditions, it’ll pass on race day."

TIP #3 BY MATHIEU BLANCHARD: "FOLLOW THE SCANDINAVIAN DIET DURING TAPERING"

**The Scandinavian Diet: Also known as the 'dissociated diet,' this strategy involves a low-carb phase (D-6 to D-3) to deplete glycogen, followed by a high-carb 'super-compensation' phase (D-3 to D-1) to maximize energy stores for race day.

"Between 10 and 3 days before an ultra, I follow a diet similar to the 'Scandinavian Diet.' The idea behind this protein-and-lipid-heavy model is to fill up on micronutrients, reactivate lipolysis one last time, and crucially, avoid gaining 2 or 3 kilos before the race. During tapering, I drastically reduce exercise, but my appetite spikes. I’m at home, pacing around, and all I want to do is open the fridge! This diet helps me control my weight. Then, from 3 days before the race (Day-3), I reload heavily on carbs: hearty breakfasts, and portions of quinoa, rice, or sweet potato at every meal."

DURING THE RACE:

TIP #4 BY MATHIEU BLANCHARD: "START WITH A LIGHT STOMACH"

"I like starting races with a light stomach! Even if I manage stress well, pre-race nerves always impact digestion. I prefer to play it safe by eating less a few hours before the start, even if it means compensating for that slight energy gap during the first hour of the race. Avoid 'panic carb-loading', glycogen stores don’t fill up in the final three hours! For example, at the Maxi-Race (93km), I started on an empty stomach. It’s very personal, but it works for me."

TIP #5 BY MATHIEU BLANCHARD: "A RITUAL AT THE START LINE"

"This is a little ritual. Since I know I won’t consume much solid food during the race, relying instead on Drink Mix, Gels, and Purees. I treat myself to one last solid 'win' on the start line, a Waffle just three minutes before the speaker lets the pack loose. I usually grab a random flavor from the variety pack to let myself be surprised! At the Maxi-Race, I remember it was 4:40 AM and the waffle was Maple Syrup!"

TIP #6 BY MATHIEU BLANCHARD: "EAT EARLY AND EAT A LOT"

"If you ask me where the 'key' nutrition moment is in a race, I’ll tell you: the first hour. I start fueling during the very first flat section. Many runners don't, which I think is a mistake. I consume nearly 120g of carbs (500 kcal) in that first hour. Why? Because the start is often fast and frantic. I maximize my intake early to preserve my glycogen stores as long as possible. My body uses the immediate energy I provide instead of tapping into the reserves I’ll desperately need much later."

TIP #7 BY MATHIEU BLANCHARD: "ANTICIPATE VIA A NUTRITION PLAN"

"To avoid improvising, I use a clear framework, like the näak Nutrition Calculator. It’s not a rigid rule, but a roadmap. Relying on it allows you to anticipate hunger and avoid the 'bonk.' If you wait until you feel hungry to eat, it’s already too late: hypoglycemia is just around the corner. In 2018, for my first UTMB, I made this mistake. I was eating only when I felt like it. After 5 hours, the 'feeling' disappeared, and the rest of the race became a long, painful struggle."

TIP #8 BY MATHIEU BLANCHARD: "MANAGE YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE"

"I love coffee and drink it daily. I used to do a full caffeine detox 10 days before a race, but I’ve evolved. Research shows that sudden withdrawal can be more traumatic for a body accustomed to it than beneficial. Now, I don't change my intake before a race. During the race, however, I avoid high-dose caffeine capsules which can cause gut issues. I limit myself to 3 or 4 Caffeinated Gels total, usually opening the first at dawn to respect my natural circadian rhythm.."

TIP #9 BY MATHIEU BLANCHARD: " OPT FOR SAVORY AT ASSISTED STATIONS

"Sports nutrition is mostly sweet. Having savory options at aid stations helps break that 'sugar fatigue' that hits after several hours. For me, Sweet Potato Purees, and the Salted Soup Drink mix as well as the BOOST™ Drink Mix 60 Salted Cucumber, work perfectly to provide energy while resetting my palate."

POST-RACE:

TIP #10 BY MATHIEU BLANCHARD: "RECOVER WITH PROTEIN"

"My main advice is to enjoy yourself and eat as much as you need. But be vigilant about protein intake, as it’s what allows for muscle reconstruction. When you have several big goals in a season, full and fast recovery is crucial. I stick to what I do year-round: a protein recovery shake after every race. I’m convinced I’m actually starting my recovery while I’m still running, thanks to the protein found in Näak Drink Mix and gels."

As you can see, a nutrition plan is deeply personal. Mathieu has shared his secrets, but they may not work exactly the same way for you. It is vital to get to know your own body and learn to listen to it. A nutrition plan for a race in the desert heat will not be the same as one in the snow. Nutrition is a personal laboratory: experiment, listen, and always test your strategies in training!