Hi,
In American ultrarunning, The Feed HPT athlete David Roche is an anomaly. The affable competitor and coach smashed the Leadville 100-mile course record last year by more than 16 minutes. Incredibly, this was his first attempt at the race distance.
But even more notable is his unbound happiness on and off the race course, and his relentless pursuit of the ultimate fueling strategy.
Read on for David’s unique ultrarunning origin story and the fueling strategy he claims is a definitive advantage.
Near Death
David’s portal into ultrarunning was a near-death experience.
David, 36, was struck by a car while cycling in April of 2024 and thrown 100 feet into a metal fence, suffering a broken wrist, concussion and lacerations. He has been very public about how the experience made him extremely aware of the impermanence of life.
This traumatic accident instigated David’s need to go big. Just four months later, he won the Leadville Trail 100, catapulting himself into the record books.
Student of the Sport
David obviously possesses the physical attributes and mental toughness necessary to win the most grueling ultrarunning events. But he also diligently studies exercise physiology, particularly nutritional strategies.
David constantly researches the fueling and recovery protocols of WorldTour bicycle racing, which he considers the ultimate lab for human performance. He also draws equally useful information from experiments on himself and his coaching practice.
His dedication to finding the best nutritional and hydration strategies enables him to process large amounts of carbohydrates and fluids while racing.
David’s High-Carb, High-Fluid Routine
David consumes astonishing amounts of carbohydrates and fluids while trail running, especially given the jarring terrain.
“In racing, I am for 120-150 g of carbohydrates an hour, plus a liter of fluid per hour, with 1500 mg of sodium,” David explained.
This impressive amount of carb and fluid intake is only possible because David practices gut training by regularly consuming a high volume of fluid while running. And he does it in a manner that mimics racing.
“I practice consuming the same amount of fluids (with electrolytes) per hour as the race, which can be a liter per hour. And I down it all at once. I’m training my tolerance for that fluid load in my gut as I run,” David said.
Western States 100
David has his sights set on the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, the world’s oldest 100-mile trail race.
The iconic run starts in Olympic Valley, California, and ends 100.2 miles later in Auburn, California. He wants to win the race and set a course record, so he’s been training diligently while refining and practicing high-carb fueling.
You can follow his training, which includes glimpses of his fueling and hydrating strategies on his “Road to the Western States 100 Mile” video series.
David’s Favorite Products
David has experimented with so many nutritional support products for fueling, hydration, and recovery. Through his dedicated efforts, he has determined a few go-to staples that reliably keep him going.
We’ve bundled six of David’s go-to staples so you can sample his proven favorites without hassle. Let his comprehensive research and experimentation help your next training effort or race.
Grab the David Roche Pack today, and get a 10% Feed credit as a bonus.
Happy trails,
The Feed.
Link to David’s video series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slJbyR4rn0k
