I don’t know what it is that possesses us to enter an ultra endurance event. Is it an inherent human characteristic to test the limits of our physical and mental capabilities? Or is it the pull of a simpler existence, the quest for a mind cleared by a singular focus?
Whatever your reasoning, one thing is for sure, your path won’t be straightforward and will be sure to test the mind, body and soul.
This year we’re proud to welcome a new fuelling partner into the Pan Celtic race series family.
Styrkr – which means ‘strength’ in Old Norse – makes “dual-carbohydrate drink mixes, dual-carb gels and quad-blend hydration salts” that are “engineered to help everyday athletes reach their endurance goals.”
Launched in 2021, not only have they already established an impressive roster of athletes, we feel a strong connection with their approach and their attitude to endurance sport.
Fuelling yourself for any endurance task is vital but even more so when the effort exceeds that of a single day, during which you may find yourself running off of limited or sometimes non-existent recovery.
One of the first things to slow down during a sustained effort is your digestive system. As you become fatigued your blood is redirected to your aching muscles rather than to your intestines.
There is much heated debate on the topic of high carb versus high fat diets in the ultra arena and we know that there is no straightforward answer. Fuelling your body effectively can mean something different to everyone and can change drastically depending on physiology and diet.
We stand by the belief that real food is still the best fuel source for your body but for rather obvious reasons, setting off on your voyage with twelve tins of beans strapped to your beloved steed can prove somewhat counterproductive.
STYRKR’s dual-source, carbohydrate rich products are specifically aimed at endurance athletes, providing an effective way to fuel your effort between feeds whilst saving you weight and improving efficiency.
They aim to improve performance by introducing innovative supplements that are specifically designed to give athletes more energy and combat fatigue, whatever your diet. Styrkr has been designed to give you extra without having to drastically compromise on your fuelling strategy which is especially beneficial when every second, minute, hour or day are critical. They have stripped out all the unnecessary added ingredients like colourants and preservatives usually found in most sports fuelling supplements and work only with the important ingredients that our bodies need, making them pH-balanced, easy on your stomach and 100% Vegan.
This is particularly relevant to long-distance events where athletes are commonly unsupported and have to compromise how much fuel to carry. Often they are in remote settings with long periods of time between chances to restock.
We have all been there, slumped on the curb of a local corner shop, shovelling down crisps, chased by a chocolate milkshake and a fistful of Haribo.
These images have become iconic and synonymous with the sport (think Lael Wilcox top tube fries) and we know from experience how the golden arches of a famous fast food chain can play tricks on a sleep deprived mind, appearing like a mirage.
Managing your energy levels and supplying your body with constant fuel not only improves performance but also improves morale, allowing your mind to focus on the path ahead with less distraction and doubt.
Hydration should be a key focus when fuelling an ultra endurance effort as the moment you become dehydrated your body loses the ability to effectively absorb energy from food. The subsequent decrease in blood volume in your body leaves your muscles unable to contract properly, affecting everything from digestion through to increased heart rate and cramping.
Rehydrating with water alone can cause bloating, reducing the desire to drink and leaving fluids inefficiently replaced. Their SLT05 supplies quad-blend electrolytes lost in sweat – sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium – to continually rehydrate and revitalise, allowing you to sustain maximum power and avoid any unwanted muscle irritation.
In order to fuel effectively, focus on the road thirty minutes ahead and consume energy ahead of time.
Think about the terrain – if you know there’s a monstrous mountain pass approaching, make sure you eat in advance to give you energy to climb it. Likewise, for a tricky descent where riding ‘no hands’, rummaging through pockets for that emergency snickers might not be the best course of action.
Their online Fuel-Tool is designed to remove the uncertainty from your journey, offering hourly guides based on multiple selection and outlining suggested calorie intake from other sources.
This clear and lucid format is made to take with you (tape it to your toptube) as a trusty and informative companion. Try it now or get in touch with them, they’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to!
With any adventure there will be much to overcome. You won’t always get it right and we can’t promise you will enjoy every fork in the road, but with the right fuel and mental strength you can make memories to savour for a lifetime.
They also offer great all over body protection and recovery creams to help those aching muscles at the end of a long day.
Our journey starts within.
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STYRKR has been kind enough to offer our entire community a 25% off discount code to test all their fuelling products for yourself.
Simply use code pcr-25m3d-sdw4 at checkout to get your 25% off.
