View Full Version : Fueling on a speed hike
[QUOTE=matthew.d.kirk][QUOTE=Dogwood]I hope we get to see the data from Anish's hike. I wonder what the grand finale will look like. I was pretty gassed by TN/NC as my book details. By then, bigger miles were out of the question. Fueling (or lack thereof) was a big strategic blunder and I own that.
Matt, can you explain with some detail what you think you could have done better and how you went wrong in regards to fueling? How would you approach food differently for your unsupported speed hike?
matthew.d.kirk
09-22-2015, 16:16
Sure, it's simple. I should have carried more food for each day, period.
Okay, I'll go into more detail, but as a heads up: these numbers are highly subjective and should be treated as an experiment of one. As far back as a self-supported sub 6 day BMT hike in 2009 (http://matthewkirk.blogspot.com/2009/06/5d23h16m.html), I knew I needed to carry a minimum of 4000+ calories/day. How/why I regressed to a formula of 3500/day four years later when gearing up for a hike 10X in duration, I don't know. Perhaps it had to do with the false dietary assumptions (blogged about later) on weekend training hikes in spring of 2013 (i.e. if I can get by for this 2-day 80-mile hike on 7,000 calories, it should work for 30X as long?) Food/water easily accounts for half the pack weight for many hikers. I was definitely getting surgical with weight at this point as I erred on the lean side of things. If I did it over again, I would bite the bullet and start with a 4-5# heavier pack with 5000+ calories/day. As a 6'2, 155# male, I didn't have any fat reserves to tap into.
As for what specifically to eat: I feel like I mailed myself a good balance of fat/protein/carbs (vegetarian), just not enough. I started eating meat as early as 4 days in because of the limited selection of protein sources at certain resupply points along the trail (for supplemental calories, which I became increasingly dependent on the further south I hiked). There's a list of food items I purchased for my mail drops on my blog, as well as in the back of my book. I went heavy on oil due to its high caloric content and preferred coconut oil for 2013 AT hike, although I had good success with flax oil on the BMT in 2009. I was an unsponsored public school teacher, so I skimped a bit on quality($) of oil. I would strongly suggest organic unrefined extra virgin oil, however!
Okay, that's a start anyway. Good question, hope the answer helps.
Matt,
Interesting that you were eating about 100 calories per mile. Based on your weight I would target 155 per mile which is most exactly what you stated. (1 calorie per pound per mile.). I'm surprised you didn't have problems earlier in your trip
matthew.d.kirk
09-22-2015, 17:34
Matt,
Interesting that you were eating about 100 calories per mile. Based on your weight I would target 155 per mile which is most exactly what you stated. (1 calorie per pound per mile.). I'm surprised you didn't have problems earlier in your trip
Malto, that seems like a valid formula... Remind me to consult with you first next time. :) starvation is quite the painful brain fart...
Just Bill
09-22-2015, 17:45
A very thin looking Anish just posted a pic of herself doing her best impression of a signpost...despite ample supply of quality dark chocolate.
I'd have to think (generally speaking) Jurek was fairly well fed... and fairly skinny at the finish.
Jen mentioned the simple exhaustion of attempting to chew enough calories... though don't recall any notable weight loss?
I wonder a bit if it's just part of the deal (especially unsupported)... and if at some point you're simply fighting an unwinnable battle on an FKT.
Though I agree Malto's formula still seems the closest to viable.
Joey's follow up blog has some very interesting posts about dealing with and even training to use less calories... I'll have to see if he's in a place he can log on or comment at some point.
Though I did think once or twice on my initial read though his book that it would have been helpful to have introduced Matt to Malto's namesake... I think he once mentioned experimenting with that stuff too. I like it simply because it's nice to have so many drinkable calories, and nothing more space efficient than powder. I don't drink milk, but I sometimes wonder if Nido is a good fit along those lines too.
Though the packaging and waste generated is a bit of a downside- those peanut butter squeezers Anish has look durn handy too.
Many thanks for that explanation including the why's, how's, and what you could have done better and what you learned. This is the type of answer I expected from you. I was also interested as a pesce vegetarian LD hiker myself. Two thumbs up.