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==Objectives for Fueling==
* '''Carbohydrate for the brain.''' Without sufficient blood sugar, mental functioning degrades. This can impact mood, creating depression, or cognitive reasoning, which impairs judgment. In some cases it can reduce motor skills, making trail running harder.
* '''Carbohydrate for [[Muscle|muscle ]] function.''' Muscles require both carbohydrate and fat to function, but it is the carbohydrate that is normally the limiting factor. Authorities estimate most people have about 2,000 Calories of stored carbohydrate ([[Glycogen]]).
* '''[[Protein]] to protect muscles.''' Consuming [[Protein]] has been shown to protect the muscles from damage during exercise and to improve recovery. [[Protein]] and carbohydrate together have also been shown to improve endurance more than carbohydrate alone.
* '''Fat for muscle function.''' The human body contains more stored fat than needed for even extreme endurance runs. However, I suspect that our bodies have a limited rate at which body fat can be burned, so consuming fat may be beneficial.
I can't emphasize enough the need to work out what works for you as an individual. Here is a protocol for experimentation.
* Try a fuel on a short run at target race pace. If it doesn't work on a short run, it is unlikely to work at longer distances.
* Next, try on a longer run, ideally when running at or near your target race pace. For [[Long Run|long runs ]] for marathon training, doing the last few miles at race pace is a good proving time for fuel.
* Finally, try the fuel on a race and see how it works. It is best to avoid a fuel when racing that you've not tried before. However, few of us train at the ultra distances we race at, so it is hard to experiment in training for this type of race. In that situation, go with what appeals at the time, but be cautious.
* Carry a [[Portable Pharmacy]] with Gas-X and anti-acids, as sometimes things go wrong.