Spartathlon Refreshment Guide
How to Create Your Own Plan
We want to help you have an easy-to-follow nutrition plan for Spartathlon. We envision a system where you know in advance what you will carry, how much of each item you will consume per hour, and how you will adapt to the daytime heat or nighttime cooling.
The foundation is Perpetuem, pure water consumed separately, and electrolyte replacement. You can supplement this with Hammer Gel and pre-arranged additional supplements as needed. We will adjust the quantities to your individual needs and encourage you to test the entire setup during long training sessions.
Here’s what your hourly nutrition might look like
| Product | Quantity applicable in your personal plan |
|---|---|
| Perpetuem | Based on the dosage guide and your individual needs; for example, 1 or 1.5 full servings |
| Hammer Gel | 1 serving as needed, included in the hourly energy intake |
| Endurolytes | Typically 2–4 capsules |
| Endurolytes Extreme | As an alternative to Endurolytes, typically 1–2 capsules |
| Anti-Fatigue Caps | 2 capsules in the pre-arranged plan; according to the manufacturer's guide, from the two-hour mark |
| Endurance BCAA+ | 2 capsules in the pre-arranged plan |
| Pure water | Adjusted to conditions, your thirst, and your tested fluid requirements |
Choose the Endurolytes variant that suits you best. The number of capsules differs because Extreme has a more concentrated formula.
Supplements are an optional part of your plan. The total amount planned for 17–34 hours must be reviewed in advance, along with your other preparations and their overlapping ingredients. It is not advisable to automatically multiply the upper value of the hourly dosage by the total race time.
How much Perpetuem do you need?
To determine your hourly quantity, refer to the Perpetuem dosage guide. In addition to your body weight, your fitness level, running pace, and digestive tolerance also matter.
One full serving per hour might be suitable for you, while another person might find 1.5 servings works best. Let's fine-tune this based on your experience from long training sessions. Also, check the packaging to see how many scoops constitute a full serving.
If you also consume Hammer Gel, its energy content will be added to that of Perpetuem. The two together will make up your planned energy intake for that hour.
Mix it to a consistency you can comfortably consume
Perpetuem can be used as a thinner drink or a thick, gel-like mixture. For Spartathlon, we recommend a more concentrated preparation so that you can cover a larger portion of your fluid intake with pure water.
Use enough water to achieve a consistency that is easy for you to consume. You can even prepare it with about 1 dl of water if you have tried this with the measured powder quantity and tolerate it well. Consume the hourly Perpetuem in two portions, about half an hour apart, accompanied by separate water.
You can use a half-liter mineral water bottle, a Hammer Flask, or the soft flask of your running vest. For multi-hour concentrates, mark in advance how much represents one hour so you can track your consumption during the run.
The concentrated preparation and consumption with separate water are also described in the Hammer Usage Guide.
Why might this help delay flavor fatigue?
After many hours, you might find that the initially pleasant taste becomes less appealing. This can also make consistent nutrition difficult.
With a smaller quantity of flavored mixture, you can drink more pure water, encountering the same flavor less frequently. This can help keep your nutrition acceptable for longer periods.
The water used for the concentrate also counts towards your total fluid intake. You'll need to plan for separate drinking water alongside it, as the small amount of mixing water only covers a portion of your hourly needs.
Pay attention to storage in the heat
Preferably, receive freshly mixed Perpetuem from your support crew. Do not keep the mixed product in the heat for long periods: proper cooling or pre-measured dry servings may be necessary. For multi-hour sections, plan this just as you would the quantity you carry with you. Perpetuem preparation and storage information
When should you take Hammer Gel?
Hammer Gel is easy to carry, making it a simple supplement if you need extra energy alongside Perpetuem. Consume it with water, according to your plan tested during long training sessions.
This recommendation builds on the established Hammer system. Stick to your pre-prepared nutrition; adding new drinks or gels offered during the race will make it harder to track your total intake. Using a different brand is not a problem in itself, but untested composition and quantity can make your nutrition uncertain.
Follow electrolyte replacement from the start
Your personal plan can be based on 2–4 Endurolytes or 1–2 Endurolytes Extreme per hour. Let's adjust the choice to your sweating rate, expected conditions, and previous experience.
In high heat, you may need higher intake. However, 6–8 normal Endurolytes or 3–4 Extreme per hour is already an elevated dosage: for a long race, we plan this only after checking the full composition and total quantity with individual sports medical or sports dietetic consultation. Good experience during a hot training session alone does not justify applying the same dosage for 17–34 hours.
Take the capsules at the agreed-upon intervals. If you miss a dose, adjust the subsequent plan; do not try to make up for the deficit with a large quantity at once.
If your strength falters, review your entire nutrition plan
Weakness or sluggishness can easily be mistaken for a lack of energy. Similar feelings can be caused by dehydration, an imbalance in fluid and electrolytes, and overheating. These can occur together, so the feeling of fatigue alone does not tell you what you are lacking.
If you then consume more gels one after another while the original problem persists, your strength will not necessarily return. Carbohydrate intake exceeding what is tolerable can lead to a feeling of fullness, nausea, or other digestive issues.
In such cases, it's worth reviewing the previous hours with your support crew. Did you take the planned Perpetuem? How much water did you drink, and did you miss an electrolyte dose? Did you also pay attention to cooling?
This brief check can help you identify where you deviated from your plan. However, do not try to guess the cause of sudden malaise by taking additional capsules or gels.
Adapt to actual conditions day and night
In daytime heat, you may sweat more intensely, leading to greater fluid and sodium loss. Meanwhile, heat stress can also affect your digestion, making it harder to tolerate your usual Perpetuem quantity.
In such situations, external cooling, a pace adjusted to conditions, and consistent nutrition are especially important. If necessary, also modify your hourly energy intake according to your actual tolerance. Heat alone does not mean your energy needs are lower.
With the nighttime cooling, your sweating may decrease, and the tolerability of nutrition may improve. At this point, it may be justified to reduce the fluid and electrolyte amounts set for daytime heat. If you previously reduced Perpetuem due to digestive issues, you can gradually return to your tested hourly dose.
On a warm, humid night, you may still sweat a lot. Therefore, adjust any changes to the actual cooling and your own condition. There is no constant, inverse relationship between carbohydrate and electrolyte amounts, and it is not advisable to make up for a daytime deficit with a large dose all at once.
Consume pure water steadily as well
The necessary fluid amount is influenced by your body size, pace, sweating, and weather. Your plan developed during long training sessions should provide guidance, but also pay attention to your thirst and well-being. A minimum of 5-7 dl per hour is recommended. Never drink more than 1 liter in an hour!
Drink water in smaller portions. Do not force yourself to drink the planned quantity if you don't need it under the given circumstances. Excessive drinking can be dangerous, and this cannot be prevented even with electrolyte capsules.
Anti-Fatigue Caps and Endurance BCAA+
If you have already tried these supplements, your personal plan may include 2 Anti-Fatigue Caps and 2 Endurance BCAA+ per hour. The manufacturer's usage guide for Anti-Fatigue Caps recommends hourly dosing during exertion from the two-hour mark.
Hammer offers Anti-Fatigue Caps to support fatigue processes during long exertions. Endurance BCAA+ is a supplementary amino acid source. Their effect on performance may vary individually; consistently maintain your basic nutrition plan even with these.
You can organize the agreed-upon doses into labeled, moisture-protected hourly packs or dispensers, along with the electrolyte capsules. Anti-Fatigue Caps usage, Endurance BCAA+ usage
Fully Charged among occasional supplements
You can count on 2 Fully Charged capsules occasionally, every 3–4 hours, if you have already tried this. We can plan it mainly for the night section, when maintaining alertness becomes more important.
Include its caffeine content in your total intake, along with caffeinated gels and other sources. Do not try to compensate for strong drowsiness or unsteady movement with more and more supplements. Fully Charged manufacturer's guide
Energy Surge, Tissue Rejuvenator, and vitamins
Energy Surge can be included in your plan as an occasional supplement, for example, before a pre-selected difficult section. Use the quantity indicated on the label and already tested in training. Maintain your regular energy intake alongside it.
Plan the Tissue Rejuvenator in the pre-arranged daily amount, without automatic hourly dosing. We treat it as a product intended for joint and connective tissue support; we cannot promise pain relief or injury-free performance from it.
Include Vitamin C or Race Caps Supreme in your package only if it fits into your own plan. For these, you must also consider ingredients from other products, and it is not necessary to add them to every hourly dose.
Prepare your hourly packs
Organize the capsules into labeled, moisture-protected bags or dispensers. Clearly mark packages containing different electrolyte amounts so your support crew knows which one to give.
Separate occasional supplements from your hourly basic packs. This reduces the chance of accidentally taking a dose planned for later too early or repeatedly.
How to calculate the Perpetuem needed for 17 - 34 hours
Multiply your hourly dose by your planned completion time.
| Planned time | 1 full serving per hour | 1.5 full servings per hour |
|---|---|---|
| 17 hours | 17 servings | 25.5 servings |
| 34 hours | 34 servings | 51 servings |
This is a stock calculation example, without reserves. Adjust the actual quantity based on your personal plan, the use of Hammer Gel, and the expected weather. Prepare a separate reserve in case a section takes longer than planned.
Always plan until the next aid station
Plan to meet your support crew at the locations permitted by the current year's rules. Check how long it will take you to reach the next such point, and carry your nutrition for that duration, with adequate reserves.
If a three-hour section follows, calculate with three hours' worth of personal basic nutrition. For a longer section, multiply the hourly quantities similarly, and also arrange for Perpetuem storage.
Plan the first approximately 80 kilometers particularly carefully. Check the exact location and cutoff time of the first two support points in the current race materials. Start nutrition from the very beginning; with pre-prepared packs for the first meetings, you can reduce stop times.
Also pay attention to your cooling
In hot weather, your body increases blood flow to the skin and sweating to dissipate the heat generated during running. This increases the strain on your circulation, making the same pace feel harder, and your digestion may also worsen.
At aid stations, cool your head, neck, and upper body. You can use water or a wet cloth; meanwhile, be careful to minimize water getting into your shoes.
External cooling can mitigate heat stress. Alongside it, you still need adequate fluid intake. Drink water at a temperature you tolerate well; pleasantly cool drinks can also be suitable.
Protect your feet from soaking and chafing
In rain or with regular splashing, your socks and shoes can remain wet for extended periods. Soaked skin is more vulnerable, making chafing or blisters more likely.
Before the start, you can apply a thin layer of Sudocrem or a skin-protective cream for running on clean, dry feet, according to the instructions for use. Test the chosen cream with your socks and shoes during training. This is supplementary protection; it does not in itself solve the problem of continuously soaked footwear.
Your support crew should have a towel and dry spare socks, and another pair of shoes if needed. If you get soaked, dry your feet at an appropriate point, inspect sensitive areas, then put on dry socks.
At the first burning, stinging sensation, address the area. An early adjustment or sock change can help prevent further chafing. Sudocrem usage information, blister prevention
If you experience a worsening headache, repeated vomiting, confusion, unsteady gait, or unusually severe pain, seek help from the race medical staff. In such cases, instead of automatically taking more water, gel, or capsules, your condition needs to be clarified.
The information in this article provides guidance for assembling your nutrition plan, but your own experiences and needs may raise further questions. If you are unsure about anything, or would like to discuss how to apply the recommendations to your own race, feel free to contact us!
We are happy to help you navigate dosing and product usage. Write to us even with a single question, so we can clarify anything unclear to you already during your preparation.
