Nutrition practices and race experiences of ultra-marathon athletes in the marathon des sables, a qualitative analysis

Introduction Participation in ultra-endurance running events, or ultramarathons, has grown substantially in recent decades. These events often take place in challenging environments, such as deserts with extreme heat, which place considerable physiological and psychological stress on participants. Combined with high training demands and limited access to nutrition and hydration, such activity can have short- or long-term health consequences. Objective To qualitatively examine the nutrition practices and experiences of five ultra-endurance runners in their preparation for, participation in, and recovery from the self-sufficient multi-day ultra-marathon situated in the Sahara Desert (the Marathon des Sables) to support professionals in their understanding of such experiences and, ultimately, their development of appropriately supportive recommendations. Methods This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews ( n = 3 per participant) and reflexive thematic analysis to examine the experiences of five ultra-endurance runners. The resulting transcripts were thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke's framework to identify common practices in nutrition and training approaches. Results Common dietary practices included a reliance on unprocessed foods before the event and dehydrated foods during the event, while the recovery period was much more relaxed and lacked any specific dietary approach. Gastrointestinal symptoms varied between participants, ranging from mild discomfort to nausea and vomiting which impacted race performance. Though not an initial aim of this research, it became apparent that ultra-endurance running is accompanied by extreme psychological challenges which impacted race performance, highlighting the interaction between nutritional practices and psychological responses during the event. Discussion: Findings from this exploratory study suggest that while commonalities exist in both the physiological and psychological experiences of ultra-endurance runners, there remains a high degree of diversity in athletes' experiences. This highlights the need for further research and collaborations across disciplines to develop a holistic approach to support optimal ultra-endurance preparation, performance, and recovery.