Energy

George

balance

Panos

in ultramarathon

Roniovannis,

Takis

Skoulis,

and Konstantin

Introduction

cise

is a huge

energy

expenditure

by the athlete.

To meet

these extremely
high nutritional
demands,
the athlete
must be continuously
supplied
with adequate
nutrients
throughout
the race (7).
The aim ofthe study was to investigate
the energy balance ofa runner
during a very successful
ultramarathon
race as well as the manner
whereby
his needs of energy
and nutrients
are met.

Methods

In this study we shall consider

the energy
balance
of
the Greek ubtramarathon
runner
Yannis
Kouros
during
the Sydney-Melbourne
race (960 km). The race was held
from April 12-17,
1985. Yannis
Kouros
was the winner
by a large margin
(24 h 40 mm ahead ofthe second runncr). He covered
the distance
in 5 d 5 h 7 mm.
Y Kouros

teristics,
chobogical
participated

is now

functional

32 y old.

capacities,

Some

and

physical

psy-

traits are shown

in Table
1. Since
1983
in 20 international
ultramarathon

he has
races,

1 shows

most

charac-

important

winning
in 19. In these competitions,
56 world records and holds 7 course
Figure

ofhis

Kouros
records

the Sydney-Melbourne

has broken
(8).

route

topogra-

phy and weather

conditions.
It also describes
pertinent
details ofthe athletes
effort: distance
covered
daily, average speed, and time ofrest and sleep in the course of the
race.
During
the first 48 h ofthe
race, Kouros
covered
463
km (world record).
In the course ofthe race, specifically
after the first 6 h,
every 15 mm and until the end of the race, Kouros
ate
small amounts
ofGreek
sweets (kataifi,
mebomakarona,
baklava,
pesteli,
loukoumi)
or chocolate
(about the size
of half a matchbox).
Alternatively,
he ate small quantities ofdried
fruit and nuts, always with -50 mL of water
976

Am

J C/in

Nuir

or fruit juice (orange

or lemon juice and very often a
thirst quenching
drink (Gatorade#{174}). He also consumed
small quantities
offresh
fruit, such as pear, melon, watermelon,
grapes, apple, bananas,
plums,
pineapple,
dates,
and raisins. The nutritional
regimen
used by Kouros
before and during the race was set exclusively
by the runner
himself.
Adherence
to the regimen
was the responsibility
ofone
ofthe authors
(TS).
Every 30 mm after the first 6 h, Kouros
replaced
sweets
and fruit with a small biscuit soaked in honey orjam.
He
consumed
a small amount
of roast chicken
only on the
fourth day ofthe race. He drank coffee only every morning. Kouros
also took one pobyvitamin
tablet every noon
and evening.
In addition,
he took 500 mg vitamin
C cvcry 12 h as well as one protein
tablet twice a day.
During
the first 6 h of the race, Kouros
drank
only
small amounts
ofwater
or drink every 10 or 15 mm, depending
on weather
conditions.
Energy needs were calculated
on a 24-h basis and ineluded energy needs during rest.
Energy expenditure
during the race was calculated
assuming that Kouros
was functioning
below his anaerobic
threshold,
which was taken as 85% of his V02 max (9)
and corresponds
to 53.3 mL/kg or 4.85 rn/s as estimated
by the Davies and Thomson
equation
(10) in agreement
with data presented
by Novak et al (1 1).
Kouross
average
speed
was below
his anaerobic
threshold
(Fig 1). His respiratory
quotient
(RQ) at the
speed of2.7 rn/s and 2.5% inclination
on a treadmill
was
0.83, which corresponds
to 4.83 kcab min - L oxygen
consumed.
To calculate
energy expenditure
during
the
remaining
days, a figure of 4.8 kcal - min L O2 consumed was used.
Energy
needs during
rest and sleep were estimated
taking into consideration
the athletes
resting metabolic
-

rate (12).

Energy intake was calculated

the US Agriculture
handbook

From the Department

Aristotelian

Hellenic
2

University

Sports Research

Address

ofSports
ence,

reprint

Medicine,
Aristotelian

of Physical
of Thessaloniki,

Institute,

requests

Department
University

using the food tables

456 (1 3) and from data

Education

and Sports Science,

Thessaloniki,

Olympic

Center

to GP Rontoyannis,

ofPhysical

Greece

ofAthens,
Assistant

Education

of Thessaloniki,

and the

Greece.
Professor

and Sports Sci-

Thessaloniki

54006,

Greece.

l989;49:976-9.

Printed

in USA.

1989 American

Society

of
in

for Clinical

Nutrition

Downloaded from ajcn.nutrition.org by guest on July 27, 2014

The energy
needs
in recreational
and competitive
sports as well as the various energy sources involved
have
been extensively
investigated
( 1 2). Especially
interesting are the energy demands
and fuel homeostasis
in prolonged
muscular
effort (3-6)
and in particular
in cxtremely
prolonged
muscular
activities,
such as ultramarathon races.
A consequence
of such an extremely
prolonged
exer-

N Pavlou

ENERGY
TABLE
I
Kouross
physical characteristics,
psychological
traits

functional

BALANCE

properties,

IN ULTRAMARATHON

126.3

max

L/min

VO2 max 4.0 L/min

or62.5
mL.kg
min
Maximum
heart rate 180 beats/mm
Oxygen pulse: 22.2 mL/beat
Very mature person capable ofenduring
extreme

the handbook

Food
and

by Pennington

Values
Church

ofPoriions
(14).

hardship

Commonly

Used

Results

The
mated
(40.7%

average
at 2.3

02 uptake
throughout
L/rnin
(57.4%
V02

the race was estimax),

1.63 L/min

VO2 max),
1 .6 L/min
(39.5%
(43.5%
VO2 max), and 1 .2 L/min

V02

max),

1 .74

void

mm
(30.3% V02 max)
for the first, second,
third, fourth,
and fifth days of the
race, respectively.
During the last 5 d ofthe effort he averaged 1.76 L/min
(44% VO2 max).
Daily energy expenditure
ranged from 7736 to 15 367
kcal/d
while
energy
intake
fluctuated
from
7800 to
1 3 770 kcal/d (Table
2), demonstrating
a successful
energy balance
despite the fact that energy balance
was not
achieved
within any given day.
Daily carbohydrate
intake
(Table
2) averaged
95.6%
of total energy intake ( 10 560 kcab) whereas
protein
and

Couise
topography
Distance

SYDNEY

100

Spring

500

Uphill

30#{176}C
+

26#{176}C +

dl

Average

(mm)

I
100

FIG I . The
details

900

drop

(8-10#{176}C)
winds

opposing

r r a

Rain

Winter
conditions

weather
615

km

780

km

915

d3

d4

d5

8.3
(2.31)

8.07
(2.24)

8.9
(2.47)

6.21
(1.72)

II

60

30

I 15

111111
75

960

i n

d2

Sleep(min)

temp.

km

30

800

I e

Autumn
463

11.74
(3.26)

c)

BOURNE

F Ia

Drizzle

weather

,_

700

course

Gradual

Summer

weather

600

Plateau
4

270 km

pertinent

continued

MEL

400

.
hilis

60%

Distaie
covered
days(d)

Distance(km)

frequency

Very few studies

have been reported
concerning
energy cost in ultrarnarathon
races (1 5, 16). During
the 24h Crystal
Palace race (1 5) in 1977, the first- and secondplace winners
covered
a distance
of25 1.5 and 234.5 km.

Contin.
4

ground

Temperature

Humidity

300

Level

uphili1

Weather

urination

200

Contin.

conditions

This

CANBERRA

Rotd

20 mm.

Discussion

(km)

coildilions

Rest

every

even after termination

of the race for several days, especialby at night, then gradually
returned
to normal.
It must
be pointed
out that Kouros
experiences
similar problems
at almost every competition.

L/

till

II

10 I to

15

10

60 10
10

30

20

60

11111
I

10 I

15

90

10

km

10

15 10
10

90

30 20 120

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

960

1985 Sydney-Melbourne
ofhis effort during

race topography,
the race.

road and weather

conditions

during

the race, and

Kouros

Downloaded from ajcn.nutrition.org by guest on July 27, 2014

lipids contributed
on average
1.4% (1 77 kcal) and 3%
(333 kcal), respectively.
Fluid intake throughout
the race averaged
19.3 L (Table 2) with a range offrom
14.3 to 22.0 L/d.
Daily energy expenditure
(Table 3) per kilometer
coyered per kilogram
ofbody
weight was fairly constant
and
averaged
0.88 kcal/kg
(0.86-0.90).
It must be noted that Kouross
weight at the end of the
race was lower than his weight
at the start by a mere
0.5 kg.
Throughout
the race, Kouros
felt relatively
well, cxcept for a few hours after 0300, when he felt tired. During
his effort he was afflicted
with severe constipation.
No
serious
health problem
was detected,
however,
particularly in the musculoskeletal
system
or with thermoregulation.
Another
fact deserving
attention
is that Kouros,
after
the first 24 h of the race, showed
an excessive
urination
frequency.
He initially
urinated
every 3 h but gradually,
especially
on the second
day and thereafter,
he had to

and

Height 171cm
Body weight 64 kg
Body fatness
8%
E

977

RUNNING

978

RONTOYANNIS

TABLE
Kouross

daily and total energy

balance,

distribution

in food, and water

Estimated
energy
intake

Carbohydrates
%

Lipids

3375
1981

98.0
92.2

13502
7923

20
53

1.3

180

22

0.7

477

50

2.3

88
200

22.0

5.5

3074

96.8

12297

27

1.9

243

40

1.3

160

22.7

1758

90.1

7032

56

6.5

504

66

3.4

264

14.3

3014

96.4

12058

30

2.2

270

43

1.4

172

18.3

1 674

221

152

8919

165

9780

135

7736

Sh

45

2536

Total

960

55 079

at a corresponding

550

138

55 970

13 340

estimated

energy

intake

of 5500

kcal

cost

of

(16).

The distance
of27 1 km covered
by Kouros
on the first
day of the race was longer by 20 km than the distance
covered
by the winners
of the 24-h Crystal
Palace race,
with an energy expenditure
bower by 5000 kcab. This can
be attributed
mainly
to the fact that Kouross
body
weight was 8 kg less than that ofthe winner ofthe Crystal
Palace road race as well as to more efficient running
(0.88
vs 0.95 kcal.kg
.min).
It must be noted that Kouros
rested for 1 h and that he has been the world record
holder since 1985 for 24-h road races with 286 km (8).
Energy expenditure
decreased
during
the second
day
(Table 2) and was fairly stable during the remaining
days
of the race. At the same time, the distance
covered
daily
decreased
and his VO2 during
the effort also decreased,
also

observed

by

other

investigators

( 15,

The reduction
of the distance
covered
on the second,
third, fourth, and fifth days ofthe race is a good indicator
of the athletes
increasing
fatigue. This period is characlonger

rest

periods,

enabling

the

athlete

to

maintain
a fairly constant
running
economy
(Table 3). It
is interesting
to note that the athletes
running
economy
during the second day was noticeably
higher.
Kouros
ability to maintain
a higher average
speed as
compared
with other athletes
is perhaps
a result of his
continuous
supply
of nutrients
during
the race, as cvidenced by the data collected.

TABLE 3
Kouross daily average
(economy
ofrunning)

energy expenditure
during the race

per kilometer

550

53 362

covered

Time in the race

Dayl

Day2

Day3

Day4

Day5

5h

56.68

55.2

56.8

57.4

56.24

56.38

0.88

0.88

There
rectness

0.89

0.86

0.89

kca/

186

are some
of his

diet

reservations,
and

kca/

however,

its consequences

3.2

734

about
on

19.2

99.7

the corhealth

be-

cause of the almost

exclusive
dependence
on carbohydrates, especially
monoand disaccharides,
in conjunction with the deficiency
in protein
and lipid intake.
Human
capacity
for sustained
effort, as in ultramarathon races, is certainly
closely related to the runners
abibity to maintain
adequate
muscle glycogen
stores and normal blood glucose bevels ( 19, 20). The conditions
for the
above seem to be fulfilled
by food and liquids
of high
carbohydrate
content
ingested
by the athlete
( 19, 20).
The optimum
carbohydrate
content
of food and liquids
that an ultramarathon
runner
needs during
his effort is
not exactly known,
however
nor is the ratio ofsimple
to
complex
carbohydrate.
In any case,
a reduction
of
Kouross
dependence
on carbohydrates
with a sirnultaneous increase
ofprotein
and lipids in his diet seem necessary. A conjecture
deserving
investigation
is that a carbohydrate
content
of 60-65%
of total caloric
content
is
perhaps
adequate
to meet the energy
needs of Kouross
effort.
Besides,
consumption
of complex
carbohydrates
in
food during
the several days of an ultrarnarathon
effort
seems, to a certain
degree, to offer better results than ingestion ofsimple
sugars. This is because
complex
carbohydrates
seem to entail faster gastric emptying
than do
simple sugars (2 1), maintain
relatively
bower glucose and
insulin
bevels in blood (22), have superior
muscle glycogen regeneration
capability
(23), and facilitate
bowel
function
(24), which could help with the severe constipation that plagued
Kouros
during his effort. Complex
carbohydrates
moreover
are plentiful
in food (bread,
cereals, vegetables,
fruits) together
with other nutrients,
eg,
vitamins
and minerals,
essential
to the athletes
effort
(25).
Optimum
food content
in simple
and easily digested carbohydrates
during
prolonged
physical
effort is
unfortunately
not known.
It would
be advisable,
however, that solid food for ultramarathon
runners
contains
mainly
complex
carbohydrates
while soft drinks supply
simple
sugars (eg, glucose)
in amounts
not exceeding
25g/L.

Ifwe
0.897

assume

a minimum
Kouross

1.5 g. kg .d
(7),
3.47% ofhis
average

daily

daily protein
requirement
dietary
needs are -95
calorie

intake.

of
g or

Downloaded from ajcn.nutrition.org by guest on July 27, 2014

energy

kca/

100.0

18 595 and 13 603 kcal, respectively.

Similarly,
during
the Beijing to Hong-Kong
road race (-3000
km), the
only runner
to complete
the distance
averaged
55 km/d

kcal.km.kg

H2O

13770
8600
12700
7800
12500

10741

kcal/km

Proteins

15367

by

the race

kea/

193

which
was
17, 18).

during

kca/

270

a daily

intake

k,n

respectively,

nutrient

Estimated
energy
expenditure

Distance
covered

terized

AL

Dayof
the race

with

ET

ENERGY
Kouross

ingestion

oflipids

sumption,
with a calorie
daily
calorie
intake,
has

runners
ciably

was negligible.

value
been

(26) and possibly

IN ULTRAMARATHON

Lipid

con-

certain

requiring

advantages,

several

and moreover
vitamins,
while

ensure
making

an

6 h of his effort

be considered

during

the

successful
performance

and

his effort

drinking

Sydney-Melbourne

race,

because
both the athletes
remained
substantially

Finally,

regarding

the

athletes

and

weight and
constant.

Annals

JR.

Nutrition

Rontoyannis

GP,
Kouros

9. Bunc
anaerobic

ofthe

and
10.

adult

New

York

Skoulis

Athlitiki

Suckert

male

R,

Med

very

running
14.

frequency,

Current

KL,

physical

activity

and

i,

Masironi

health.

WHO

No. 6. WHO,

Nutritive

Davies
energy

16.

Chan

AT,

13th

ed.

sports

value

Church

R,

L,

Baltimore:

Office,

AN.

1975.

Food

Philadelphia:

Habitual

Washington,

(US

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Lippincott,

CTM, Thomson
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DC:

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Euri Appl Physiol 1980:45:245-54.

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K. The

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Saltin

B.

i AppI

Physiol

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M,

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of maximum

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glycogen

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Mosora

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A, Lef#{234}bvre P. Glucose
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C. Costill DL, Fink NJ. Effects of preexercise
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Urban

which so often develops

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should probably
be ruled out because
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medical
history.
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urination
seems unrelated
to the athletes
drinking
and food intake
habits. A more probable
cause may be damage
to the unnary bladder
because
of microtraumas
from continuous
pounding
against the prostate
gland in the course of running, which (injury)
takes some time to heal.
13

l976;29(5):206-l

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epidemiological

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Yannis

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water

is considered

urination

8.

At that

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energy

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exertion.

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in the

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time he was running

uphill
intense.
Kouross
habit regarding

sustained

studies.

Brotherhood
1984:

adequate
eating
eas-

as correct.

during

979

physiological.

chological
7.

of run-

icr and food more palatable.

A proposed
similar
feeding
pattern
is customary
in road cyclists
consuming
about
6,300 kcab a day and taking 6-8 meals a day (27).
Ofcourse,
in no case can Kouross
decision
to abstain
from solid food or sugar-containing
drinks
during
the
initial

supply

marathon:

espe-

days

RUNNING

1977:81-91.

ning effort, because

the athletes
meals can be small in
volume
and high in energy
content.
The huge number
of daily meals, which
Kouros
has to take, can thus be
appreciably
reduced
supply
of fat-soluble

fuel

approaching
30-35%
of
applied
by bong distance

offers

in ultramarathons

BALANCE