Spartan race 21km


(Jeff Ryan) #1

Hi guys,

I recently completed the spartan race and completely failed but managed to finish lol.

I lost energy 5ks into the race and cramped not long after in my calves.

The few reasons why i failed was:

  • i decided to drop to 800 calories a day only eating my protein intake. Reason why i decided to go on a deficit is that i got carried away with keto and decided to do side experiment to see if i can last with only getting my protein intake from real foods. I felt amazing with my 45min workouts even training at night. So i got cocky with keto. However i did up my calorie intake to 2k cal two days before.

  • second was i forgot to supplement myself with electrolytes 2 days before. Was meant to but i forgot :confused:

A month before the race i weighed 80kg but managed to lose 10kg. Some of the weight loss was due to decreased weight resistance training, going strict keto by keeping my protein at 1g per lean body mass. Also mixed of fasting and eating only to get my protein intake.

My normal weight is 80kg @ 10% bf whilst doing 5 days of weight resistance training per week and consuming 2.5k cals a day.

My experience doing strict keto and fasting felt like was my downfall. I felt so lean that i didnt have enough fat to carry me through the race. Yes i do know i failed in the electrolytes department and that was a big mistake.

I would like to know if had taken electrolyes would i had a better experience in finishing the race? Or was i just way too lean?

Thanks in advance


(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #2

Stephen Phinney suggests a cup of bone broth about half an hour before the start time: he says it’s long enough beforehand to get you hydrated and get the electrolytes circulating, but not long enough to make you want to urinate. At ten percent body fat, you should have plenty of calories in stored fat for a long race. But I wouldn’t restrict calories during the run up to the race; you want your BMR up and you want to be in full fat-burning mode. Dr. Phinney has a number of comments on low-carb performance that he generally includes in his lecture on low-carb living. Any one of the versions of that lecture that he has given in the last two or three years (available on the Low Carb Down Under YouTube channel) should be helpful.


(Jeff Ryan) #3

Thanks Paul.

Yes i cant believe i totally forgot about bone broth. My body fat percentage was at 10% at 80kg but i lost 10kg so i would of beem sitting closer to 5% body fat.

Yes i did a mini side project with calorie deficit so next time i need yo stay focus on my goals.

Will read up on him. Thanks for the info.