Snowdonia is considered one of the hardest ultra-trail races in the world. Simply finishing the grueling race is an achievement. Yet, Keith Wigley of Elite Trail Team not only finished, but managed to secure 3rd place in the 100k with a time of 12 hours and 18 minutes.
Running this distance requires a lot of energy.
And a plan.
To stay fueled through the race, Keith had a smart nutrition strategy that involved proper loading, fueling, and recovery. Here’s exactly what he did it — and what you can learn from it for your next race.
Race Day Breakfast: Simple, Effective Carb Loading
Keith’s day started with rice pudding, honey, and a banana. He also sipped Nrgy Drink 45 continuously up to the start line. Just before the race began, he took an Nrgy Gel 45—the first of many.
Why this approach?
Carbohydrate-rich breakfasts help refill glycogen stores, ensuring that energy levels are topped off when the race begins. But not all carbohydrates are equal.
Research from Dr. Tim Podlogar shows that a combination of glucose and fructose improves carbohydrate absorption, which means more energy availability.
Another important factor? The breakfast must be low in fiber and fat. These can cause GI distress during exercise, a problem that is common with endurance athletes.
Rebecca Dent, the team’s High Performance Dietitian explains,
“It’s important that athletes consider not just their in-race fueling, but also how and what they eat before a race to get them to the start line full of energy and without the risk of GI distress. The Nrgy Drink 45 is an easy way to top up carbohydrate levels and it’s familiar to Keith, so his stomach would accept and process it easily.”
Also read: Race-Day Breakfast Ideas
The Fueling the Ultra: Strategy Built on Course Knowledge
Fueling for an ultra-trail starts isn’t just about numbers. It’s also about logistics.
Take too much nutrition and you weigh yourself down. Too little, and you risk running out of fuel.
That’s why knowing the course is critical. Runners must know how long it will take them to get from one aid station to the next so they can plan how much nutrition to carry.
Keith had an advantage here. He had run the Snowdonia 100k twice before and also had done multiple recce runs, so he knew the route, terrain, and exactly where he’d need to push harder.
Working with ETT Performance Director Doug Stewart, Keith used this knowledge to break the race into 4 sections of approximately 3 hours each.
- Start to Glan Dena, the first crewed checkpoint (23.4 km)
- Glan Dena to Capel Curig, where runners had access to a drop bag (50.9 km)
- Capel Curig to Bron-y-Fedw, a crewed checkpoint (80 km)
- Bron-y-Fedw to the finish (103.9 km)
The pacing and fueling plan was designed for sustainable effort, but would allow him to push harder towards the end if needed.
Consistent Fuel Targets Across All Sections
For each section, the plan was the same: 90 g of carbohydrates per hour. That meant:
- Half a serving of Nrgy Drink 90
- One Nrgy Gel 45
To turn this plan into reality Keith’s crew left 3 flasks of Nrgy Drink 90 at checkpoints. Sometimes the Nrgy Drink 90 was premixed with water. Sometimes the flasks contained just the powder and Keith would mix it with water along the way. Each checkpoint also had three Nrgy Gels 45.
Finally, at every crewed checkpoint and at Capel Curig (where Keith could access his drop bag), he drank an additional bottle of Nrgy Drink 90. This brought his hourly fuel intake to 100 g of carbohydrates per hour.
This strategy allowed Keith to have a steady intake of Nrgy Drink 90 while he ran, with boosts of Nrgy Gels 45 about once an hour. It was both simple and flexible.
“This strategy also gave me a lot of flexibility around when I would have my hourly gel, so there was no stress about having to eat during a tricky technical part, for example.”
For more detailed guidelines, read Fueling Guide
Mixing It Up to Avoid Flavor Fatigue
Keith’s favorite Nrgy Gel 45 flavor is Strawberry, but he only used it for half of his gels.
By mixing up the flavors, Keith was able to avoid flavor fatigue—a problem where athletes get tired of the taste of their fuel. It can make it hard to continue with the fueling strategy, leading to inadequate energy.
For more, read: How to Prevent Flavor Fatigue
Caffeine for the Final Push
Caffeine also played a role in Keith’s nutrition plan.
Nrgy Gels 45 come in caffeinated versions, and these made up one-quarter of Keith’s total gels. He used the Mango-flavored ones which contain 65 mg of caffeine per gel.
However, during the last leg of the race, he took a Coffee Amarena gel which has 130 mg of caffeine. This helped him with the final push where he moved into 3rd place and secured his place on the podium.
Also Read: How Caffeine Helps Endurance Performance
Hydration Strategy for a Warm Day
This year’s Snowdonia race was warm, so Keith adjusted accordingly. His hydration goal was to drink 900–1000 ml of fluid per hour.
By getting some of his carbohydrates from the Nrgy Drink 90 mix, Keith was able to stay on top of both hydration and energy needs simultaneously.
However, Keith did something a bit different: diluting the Nrgy Drink 90 with extra water.
“To optimize his fueling, Keith diluted the Nrgy Drink 90 so he could get 45g of carbs every hour from fluid, alternating with gels, so there was no taste fatigue and the strategy would be easy to execute while running.”
When he ran out of Nrgy Drink 90, he’d refill the flask with plain water from aid stations and refill points along the way.
Recovery Began Immediately
Right after crossing the finish line, Keith drank a Regen recovery drink. One serving contains 30 g of protein, 50 g of carbohydrates, and sodium.
This formula meant that Keith was able to immediately start repairing muscles, replenishing glycogen stores, and replacing sodium lost through sweat in the heat.
Keith wasn’t very hungry after the race. But later?
“I must have had a very slow burrito some time later… then ate four crumpets just before bed.”
Key Takeaways: What Worked and Why
- Practice Nutrition in Training: Keith tested different fueling strategies on long training runs before Snowdonia. He landed on the 90 g/h + top ups because it worked — no gut issues, just steady energy.
- Hydrate for the Conditions: Keith adjusted his fluid and electrolyte intake based on the conditions instead of sticking to a general plan.
- Make It Easy: The simple plan meant Keith’s crew knew exactly what he needed at each station. They could refill his bag quickly and efficiently to save time. It also gave him peace of mind that nothing would be forgotten.
- Variety Matters: Gels, drinks, caffeine, different flavors — variety matters, especially in ultra-distance races. Flavor fatigue is real, and your gut will thank you for options.
- Know your course: Keith used his course knowledge to estimate how long each section would take and how much fuel to carry. If you can’t recce, use elevation profiles and race videos to plan.
- Time your caffeine: Save caffeinated fuel for later sections when the mental and physical fatigue hits hardest.
By combining science-based nutrition with detailed pre-race preparation, Keith stayed fueled through nearly 12.5 hours of racing, improving his 2023 finishing time by 46 minutes. His result reflects how ultra running is becoming increasingly professional and competitive.
Great job, Keith!
Need help planning nutrition for your next race? Use our fueling calculator to estimate your energy needs and start building your strategy.