SÈV ENDURANCE GUIDES
ENDURANCE FUELING
GUIDE
A practical starting point for building, testing and refining your training and race-day fueling plan.
LONG RUNS & TRAINING
Build a steady fueling rhythm for longer sessions, quality training and changing conditions. START HERE
RACE DAY & HIGHER INTAKE
Turn a tested training strategy into a race-day plan and progress towards higher carbohydrate intakes. START HERE
NEW TO FUELING
Fueling is a skill. Begin with a simple rhythm your body can tolerate, understand and repeat.
START SIMPLY
Choose one repeatable cue - time (for example, every 30–45 minutes), distance (every 4–6 km), or a familiar landmark on your regular route - and follow it consistently.
LEARN YOUR BODY'S RESPONSE
Repeat the same approach across several sessions. Notice how your energy, stomach and appetite respond before changing the plan.
BUILD FROM THERE
When the rhythm feels comfortable, extend it gradually as sessions become longer or harder. Use the duration guide to choose your starting range.
LONG RUNS & TRAINING
Long sessions turn a guideline into a strategy you can trust. They are where timing, flavour, hydration and tolerance become familiar.
SET THE RHYTHM
Decide your timing before you start. For example, every 30 minutes when aiming for 50 g of carbohydrate per hour. Carry enough for the whole session and take the first gel before your energy begins to fade. Catching up is much harder than staying ahead.
TEST THE DETAILS
Practise the flavours, fluids and carrying system you intend to use on race day. Conditions change what feels comfortable, so rehearse in heat, cold and at race effort.
REFINE ONE THING AT A TIME
If the plan needs work, change one variable at a time: timing, quantity or hydration. Then repeat. Small, controlled adjustments make it easier to understand the effect of each change.
RACE DAY & HIGHER INTAKE
Race-day fueling should feel familiar. Begin with the strategy you have tested, then match it to the event, pace and conditions.
USE YOUR PROVEN PLAN
Start early and follow the timing, products and fluids rehearsed in training. Race day is for executing a familiar plan, not introducing a new one.
MATCH THE DAY
Check the forecast, course profile, aid stations and expected duration. Carry enough to protect the plan if the event takes longer than expected.
STAY AHEAD
Fuel/hydrate before fatigue or thirst begin to dictate your decisions. Follow the schedule you rehearsed, then make calm adjustments if conditions change.
PLAN CAFFEINE
Caffeine can reduce perceived effort, but timing and tolerance vary. Each Maple Espresso gel provides 50 mg of caffeine - make the most of it and take it early, don't wait until the last gel.
Remember, it is part of your total caffeine intake for the day and practise the timing in training before relying on it in a race.
CAFFEINE IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN OR PREGNANT WOMEN. (132 mg/100 g)
HOW MUCH CARBOHYDRATE DO YOU NEED?
Your body stores carbohydrate energy as glycogen. Usually, we have a limited amount of that lasts 60-75 minutes while running. Without repleneshing that reserve we bonk (aka Hit the wall), and that is when we start to feel tired and sluggish.
On a long effort over 60 minutes, a well-practised carbohydrate plan helps keep energy available to your muscles as the hours go by.
For many longer sessions, one SÈV gel every 30–45 minutes is a practical place to begin. That provides approximately 33–50 g of carbohydrate per hour. As duration and demand rise, established guidance extends towards 60–90 g per hour.
Emerging research in gut-trained elite trail runners has tested 120 g per hour. Compared with lower intakes, this was associated with lower markers of muscle damage and better recovery of high-intensity running capacity 24 hours later.
These higher intakes are built in training. To get there, increase gradually, use an appropriate glucose–fructose strategy (such as SÈV's 1:1 ratio) and give your gut time to adapt before relying on the plan on race day.
FUEL FOR THE WORK AHEAD
Duration, intensity, conditions and individual tolerance all influence your needs. Use these ranges as starting points, then refine them in training.
UP TO 60 MINUTES
For an easy session under an hour, most athletes can rely on the meal or snack they had beforehand. If the session is hard, early in the morning, or begins several hours after eating, one SÈV gel 30–60 minutes before can help you arrive ready and stay fueled to the end. Drink fluids according to the conditions you are training in.
1–2.5 HOURS
This is where an in-session rhythm begins to matter. Start around 30–60 g per hour. One SÈV gel every 30–45 minutes delivers approximately 33–50 g per hour. Remember, take the first gel on time so it is before your energy starts to fade, then keep the spacing consistent.
OVER 2.5 HOURS
Long events need a plan practised in training. Build towards 60–90 g per hour as duration and demand rise. Experienced, gut-trained athletes may progress towards 100–120 g per hour. T this requires repeated practice and a carefully planned glucose–fructose strategy, but will help ensure sufficient energy to push hard throughout, and a faster recovery afterwards.
THE COMPLETE GUIDE
BUILD YOUR RACE-DAY FUELING PLAN
Get the complete SÈV Endurance Fueling Guide, including carbohydrate targets, gel schedules, a progressive gut-training plan and a printable race-day worksheet.