2024 Ultrabalaton — pre race

Project document

Updated April 30th 2024

Located around the largest lake in Central Europe, The NN Ultra Balaton is a grueling 210-kilometer ultra run. The race usually takes place in late April or May when the weather in Hungary seems perfect for running with the team.

Lake Balaton is a gorgeous freshwater lake in the middle of Hungary, and a popular tourist attraction for its natural beauty. You will run tirelessly through endless small villages and towns as you plough through this tiresome ultra marathon.

0. Sponsors

• Time and date.com
• Kjeldsberg Eiendomsforvaltning
• Heimdal fondene
• No Worries alochol free IPA from Lervig
• The Shack
• Notar
• Run4.no
• Nordvik Sandefjord

1. Overview

• Distance: 211.5 km
• Elevantion gain: 2500 m
• A to B
• Race web site: link
• Race start: Friday May 3rd 2024, 07:00
• 138 finishers in 2023
• Course record: 16:27:54 (average pace: 4:41 min per kilometer)

2. Aid stations

Not relevant. I have own support.

3. Support / crew

• One person with car and one person at bicycle
• Belej-Fekete Bálint (first name: Belej)
• Virág Fodor (first name: Virág)

4. Gear

4.1 At start line (07:00)

• Underwear (type: classic)
• Shorts (RUNNING MERINO SHORT SHORTS MAN from Devold)
• Socks (mid size)
• Shoes: Altra Vanish Carbon
• Tape (K-tape at nipples)
• Long sleeve wool shirt (RUNNING MERINO 130 ZIP NECK MAN from Devold)
• Bib number belt
• Hat (from Precision Fuel & Hydration)
• Watch
• Mittens (…if cold) (INNERLINER MERINO from Devold)

5. Pre race food and hydration plan

• Three days prior to race start, start the carb loading period. Aim for 8 gram carbs per kg bodymass (73kg x 8g =) 584g.
• Avoid processed food, eat clean.
• Use PH Drink Mix to hit the carb target.
• Reduce fat and reduce protein.
• Do not attend social dinner. If needed, make sure to eat before — and have someting simple at the dinner.
• Eat the same breakfast, lunch and dinner for each of the three days prior to race (including race day breakfast)
• Do not overdo any carb depletion period prior to carb loading period — (e.g. PSMF, protein-sparing modified fast (diet)). Eat as normal.

5.1 Tuesday (T-3)

Breakfast

• 100g banana (0.5g fat, 1g protein, 22g carbs, 1mg sodium)
• 65g oat meal (4g fat, 6.6g protein, 36.5g carbs, 590mg sodium)
• 250ml orange juice (0.5g fat, 2.5g protein, 25g carbs, 0mg sodium)
• 250ml coffee (black no sugar) (0g fat, 0g protein, 0g carb, 0mg sodium)

Snack:

• PF 30 Chew (0g fat, 0g protein, 30g carbs, 0mg sodium)

Lunch:

• 500ml soda (0g fat, 0g protein, 56g carbs, 30mg sodium)
• 315g chicken noodles (15g fat, 6.1g protein, 34g carbs, 2800mg sodium)
• PF 30 Chew (0g fat, 0g protein, 30g carbs, 0mg sodium)

Snack:

• PF 30 Chew (0g fat, 0g protein, 30g carbs, 0mg sodium)
• 100g banana (0.5g fat, 1g protein, 22g carbs, 1mg sodium)

Dinner:

• 500ml soda (0g fat, 0g protein, 56g carbs, 30mg sodium)
• 269g pasta with tomato sauce(1.9g fat, 8.4g protein, 47g carbs, 1500mg sodium)
• PF 30 Chew (0g fat, 0g protein, 30g carbs, 0mg sodium)

Snack

• PF 30 Chew (0g fat, 0g protein, 30g carbs, 0mg sodium)
• 100g banana (0.5g fat, 1g protein, 22g carbs, 1mg sodium)

Evening:

• 500ml soda (0g fat, 0g protein, 56g carbs, 30mg sodium)
• PF 30 Chew (0g fat, 0g protein, 30g carbs, 0mg sodium)

→ Total: 2500ml liquid, 22g fat, 26.6g protein, 526.6g carbs, 4983mg sodium

5.2 Wednesday (T-2)

Same as Tuesday.

5.3 Thursday (T-1)

Same as Tuesday but replace 500ml soda (0g fat, 0g protein, 56g carbs, 30mg sodium) at Evening meal with 500ml PH1500 (0g fat, 0g protein, 7.5g carbs, 750mg).

→ Total: 2500ml liquid, 22g fat, 26.6g protein, 478.1g carbs, 5733mg sodium

Beware of fluid target at the day before and race day (only drink till thirst, and do not force down).

5.4 Friday

04:30 — breakfast

• 100g banana (0.5g fat, 1g protein, 22g carbs, 1mg sodium)
• 65g oat meal (4g fat, 6.6g protein, 36.5g carbs, 590mg sodium)
• 250ml orange juice (0.5g fat, 2.5g protein, 25g carbs, 0mg sodium)
• 250ml coffee (black no sugar) (0g fat, 0g protein, 0g carb, 0mg sodium)
• 500ml PH1500 — finish by 06:45 at latest. (0g fat, 0g protein, 7.5g carbs, 750mg sodium)
• 2 x Electrolyte capsules (0g fat, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 500mg sodium) — under discussion. Could be that I skip this additional step to take my total pre-race breakfast sodium level down to 1341mg (at 1000ml liquid)

06:45 — PF30 gel (0g fat, 0g protein, 30g carbs, 0mg sodium)

→ Total: 1000ml liquid, 5g fat, 10.1g protein, 121g carbs, 1841mg sodium

07:00 — race start

• Make sure to pee (several times) before race.

6. Race fuel and hydration plan

6.1 Main targets

• Carbs (grams per hour): 75
• Rel. sodium to liquid (mg/liter): 1000

6.2 Products

• PF Gel (30g carbs)
• PF Gel Caf. (30g carbs)
• PF Chew (2 pcs in one pacakge) (30g carbs in total)
• PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix. One scoop per 250ml (in 250ml softflask, 15g carb / 250mg sodium)
• Water in 250ml softflask
• Chicken nudles (from First Price) (34g carb / 2800mg sodium)
• PF Electrolyte capsules (250mg sodium per pill)

6.3 The plan

Some notes:

• I will use 250ml softflask
• Before earing the Chicken Nuddles, make sure to flush mouth with water before eating real food to get rid of the sweat.

7. Race strategy

• Aim for 4:40 min per kilometer

8. Pack list

8.1 Clothing

• Altra FWD Expererience US 11.5 — for backup only
• Altra Vanish Carbon US 11.5
• beanie, PF&H
• buff, Heimdal
• buff, timeanddate.com
• buff (RUNNING MERINO 130 HEADOVER from Devold)
• bandana (3 pcs) — for ice if needed
• cap, PF&H
• cap, Heimdal
• cap, Notar
• socks (2 pcs)
• gloves/mittens: merino wool (INNERLINER MERINO from Devold)
• gloves/mittens: water proff
• hand warmers wool
• #gimerfaen hoodies (2 pcs) for crew
• long sleeve sleeve wool shirt (RUNNING MERINO 130 ZIP NECK MAN from Devold)
• long sleeve sleeve wool jacket (NIBBA PRO MERINO JKT HOOD MAN from Devold)
• race bib belt
• shorts (RUNNING MERINO SHORT SHORTS MAN from Devold)
• sun cap/hat
• t-shirt (RUNNING MERINO 130 T-SHIRT MAN from Devold)
• t-shirt, the Shack
• t-shirt, No Worries
• underwear, classic (3 pcs)
• wind/rain resistant jacket (RUNNING MERINO JKT MAN from Devold)
• wind/rain resistant pant

Misc.

• 250 ml soft flask (48 pcs.)
• 500 ml hard plastic (1 pcs.) — buy on site and use as a shaker for mixing sports drink
• antibac gel (100 ml) —for traveling
• banana — buy on site
• chicken noodles — buy before travel
• crutches
• deposit fee (5000 HUF) in cash for timing chip — ATM in Budapest
• deciliter measure
• dental floss
• ear plugs
• face mask
• soda — buy before travel
• fork — for eating the chicken nuddles
• flag
• funnel
• ice cubes — buy on site if needed
• Imodium
• pasta with tomoate sauce — buy before travel
• K-tape
• lavendel oil — to calm down nights before race
• passport
• PF&H chews
• PF&H Drink mix
• PF&H electrolyte pills
• PF&H gel
• PF&H gel caf
• pillow (own used pillow sheet)
• reading glasses
• sponges
• Sun glasses
• Sun protection balm
• Sun protection cream
• Sun protection spray
• thermos — for having hot water for the chicken nudles
• toothbrush
• toothpaste
• towel
• Visa Business card
• Water (12 liter) — buy on site
• wet wipes (without alcohol)

Electronics

• Airpods
• Apple Watch — for monitoring sleep prior to race
• bath weight — to weigh me before the race
• Battery bank
• Coros Apex 2 watch
• Food weight (gram weight)
• GoPro Hero 12 camera
• gorilla pod/stand
• Iphone
• Macbook
• Petzl Bindi headlamp
• Petzl IKO Core headlamp — check that this is ok
• tripod
• temp and rel. hum measurement
• USB-A socket
• USB-A to Apple Watch cable
• USB-A to Coros cable
• USB-A to Petzl Bindi cable
• USB-A to USB-micro cable
• USB-C socket (35 W)
• USB-C to lightning cable
• USB-C to USB-C cable
• VJI Osmo Pocket 3