My Nutrition Strategy

At the end of March, I’ll be attempting something huge!

Cycling 1000km in 10 days while climbing the UK’s three national peaks.

Just writing that feels daunting (but also exciting), but challenges like this are where we grow the most.

And to give myself the best chance of completing this beast, I need to be on point with my nutrition.

Here’s how I’m planning to do it.

How I Worked Out My Nutrition Goals

As always with my nutrition strategies, I kept it simple.

I plugged my age, height, and daily activity into an online calculator to get a rough idea of what my body needs to stay fueled.

My goal is performance, not body composition, so I aim to maintain my body weight.

With my basal metabolic rate, three strength sessions a week, and general daily movement like steps, my baseline came out to 3000 calories per day.

From there, I broke it down into macros:

• 150g protein

• 413g carbohydrates

• 83g fat

  
  

This is my starting point for most days.

But since my training load varies, I adjust my intake when I’ve got long runs, rides, or swims.

On those days, I add 90-100% of the calories recorded on my Whoop from the session to my 3000-calorie baseline.

This keeps me from slipping into a calorie deficit, which is a recipe for fatigue, poor recovery, and subpar sessions.

I try to follow an 80/20 rule for my food choices.

About 80% of the time, I focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods—things like fruits, veggies, proteins.

These are the foods that fuel me properly, give me essential nutrients, and keep my digestion running smoothly.

The other 20%? That’s where ice cream and flapjacks come in.

When the calories are high like after long endurance sessions, sometimes you just need easy, high-calorie foods to hit your targets.

Fueling During Long Sessions

This is where things get a bit more specific.

During long rides or runs, I aim to get 50-60g of carbs per hour to keep my energy levels steady and avoid hitting the dreaded “bonk” (trust me, I’ve been there before—it’s not fun).

I stick to carbs that are easy to digest, like gels, fruit, or even sweets, and I make sure to avoid too much protein, fat, or fiber during these sessions—they can slow digestion and make things uncomfortable.

Hydration is just as important, so I always carry plenty of water with electrolytes to replace what I’m sweating out.

Right now, I’m doing 8 training sessions a week, combining strength and endurance, with some double sessions (morning and evening training).

Recovery is just as important as the training itself, so I make sure my nutrition supports that.

Lessons Learned Along the Way

This isn’t my first big challenge, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that getting your nutrition right makes all the difference.

You can’t just wing it and hope for the best—planning ahead, listening to your body, and adjusting as needed are key.

I’m not perfect, and there are days when I miss the mark, but consistency over time is what counts.

With this plan in place, I’m confident I’ll be fueled and ready to take on the road, the climbs, and whatever else Cycle for Sanctuary throws at me.

If you’ve got a big challenge coming up or just want to improve your nutrition for training, feel free to ask questions or share your tips!

Thank you for reading!

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