How Nathalie Eklund fuels for long gravel races: lessons from Traka and Unbound

"As gravel races get longer, faster and more competitive, nutrition has become one of the most important performance tools available to endurance athletes.

For me, fuelling is no longer something I think about only on race day. It is something I practise throughout the year, just like endurance training, intervals and recovery. The goal is simple: maintain energy, hydration and focus for as long as possible.

Traka 360: when everything comes together

This year I raced Traka 360, covering around 320km in just over 12 hours.

My fuelling target was 100g of carbohydrate per hour from start to finish. To achieve that, I relied primarily on PF 30 Gels, PF 30 Caffeine Gels and PF Drink Mix in both my hydration bladder and bottles. I used three caffeine gels across the race — the first around 10 minutes before the start, then one every 3 to 4 hours after that.

I also picked up a banana at the final feed station. On races this long, some real food alongside gels and drink mix makes a real difference. Hunger becomes a factor, not just energy availability.

What stands out most from Traka, though, is not the numbers — it is how smooth the day felt.

I felt calm, in control and able to make good decisions throughout. When your fuelling is working, you almost stop thinking about it. Instead of constantly reacting to low energy, dehydration or cravings, you can focus entirely on racing.

That was the biggest takeaway. Nutrition was not something I was fighting against on the day. It was supporting me all the way to the finish.

Unbound 200: when small problems become big problems

A few weeks later I lined up for Unbound 200.

The plan was similar: 90 to 100g of carbohydrate per hour using PF 30 Gels, PF 30 Caffeine Gels, PF Drink Mix, PF Chews, a Veloforte Bar and an OTE Oat Bar.

Unfortunately, Unbound became a reminder that even the best fuelling plan still needs execution.

Around the two-hour mark I started experiencing stomach issues. At the same time, I discovered a problem with the drinking system on my hydration bladder — for a large portion of the race I was not getting anywhere near the fluid intake I had planned.

Looking back, I probably consumed less than half my intended carbohydrate intake.

The result was not just lower energy. It affected everything. Decision-making became harder. Recovery from efforts slowed. The race gradually became about survival rather than performance.

What I am most proud of from Unbound is not the result. It is that despite crashes, mechanicals, nutrition issues, hydration problems, extreme heat and cold, and riding through severe storms with torrential rain, lightning and thunder over more than 325km — I never stopped solving problems and moving forward.

Unbound reinforced something I already knew but had not fully felt until that day: on long races, nutrition and hydration are not small details. They are the performance.

Carbohydrates matter. Electrolytes matter too.

One reason I have stayed with Precision Fuel & Hydration is that their approach goes beyond carbohydrate intake.

For me, hydration and sodium are equally important. I tend to lose a lot of salt when I sweat and have historically been prone to cramping, particularly during long races in warm conditions. Both Traka and Unbound were raced in heat, where maintaining fluid balance is critical.

It is easy to focus exclusively on carbohydrate targets. But if hydration and sodium intake are not keeping pace, performance can still fall apart deep into the race.

Having a clear electrolyte strategy alongside my fuelling plan is what keeps me consistent in the final hours. That is one aspect of Precision's approach I genuinely value — the focus is not just on energy delivery but on the complete picture of endurance performance.

How I fuel my training

I train between 22 and 27 hours per week and use carbohydrates during almost every ride. The only sessions I do not actively fuel are one-hour recovery rides.

For interval sessions I typically consume 70 to 100g of carbohydrate per hour, depending on duration. For longer endurance rides, I aim for 70 to 90g per hour.

One of the biggest changes I have made over the years is treating training nutrition with the same seriousness as race nutrition. I want my race-day strategy to feel entirely familiar. Nothing should be new when the pressure is highest.

Training the gut

Just like fitness, the gut can be trained.

Right now, 70 to 80g of carbohydrate per hour feels very comfortable for me. I am actively working towards consistently tolerating 100g or more, and exploring whether I can benefit from intakes closer to 120g per hour during my biggest races.

The goal is not simply to eat more. It is to create another performance advantage.

In endurance racing, the athlete who can continue fuelling effectively deep into the race is often the athlete who keeps performing when others fade.

Why I use Precision Fuel & Hydration

I have used several nutrition brands over the years, including Maurten, Neversecond and SiS. What made me stay with Precision is that everything feels practical and easy to execute.

I like the neutral taste. During races lasting 8 to 12 hours or more, flavour fatigue becomes very real — I find it much easier to keep consuming products that are not overly sweet. I like the consistency of the gels. I appreciate the focus on electrolytes and hydration alongside carbohydrates. And I like the simplicity of the system: it is easy to know exactly how much carbohydrate and sodium I am taking in and to build a race plan around those numbers.

At the highest level, nutrition should not create uncertainty. It should remove it. That is what Precision Fuel & Hydration helps me do".

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