A breakdown of recent guidance on carbohydrate and sodium targets for multi-hour endurance efforts, outlining practical strategies to fuel and improve recovery.
On September 18, 2026, Sports Infos Ski Nordique published “Manger quoi pendant un effort de plus de 3 heures ?” to offer fueling guidance for endurance efforts lasting more than three hours. The publication provides a practical framework for athletes managing nutrition during prolonged sessions. Rather than reporting a new clinical trial, the article translates existing endurance nutrition science into actionable steps. It clarifies how to mix carbohydrate sources and manage sodium intake during long training runs and races.
The primary guidance establishes distinct carbohydrate targets based on the duration of the event. For efforts lasting two to three hours, the article recommends approximately 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour. When sessions extend from three to six hours, the suggested target increases to 60 to 90 grams per hour. This progression acknowledges the higher energy demands of sustained endurance work.
Athletes aiming above roughly 60 grams per hour are advised to combine glucose and fructose. This approach relies on established sports nutrition rationale regarding intestinal absorption. A single carbohydrate source is generally limited to approximately 60 grams per hour. By consuming multiple transportable carbohydrates, athletes can increase their intake without overwhelming a single absorption channel.
This dual-source strategy can support intakes approaching 90 grams per hour during ultra-endurance exercise. The underlying framework stems from Asker Jeukendrup’s 2014 Sports Medicine review. Utilizing different intestinal transport pathways allows total carbohydrate delivery to rise safely above the ceiling associated with glucose alone. This scientific foundation helps explain why older single-source nutrition plans often cause gastrointestinal distress.
Beyond carbohydrates, Sports Infos Ski Nordique addresses electrolyte replacement during long sessions. The article provides a reference range of approximately 300 to 600 milligrams of sodium per hour during prolonged efforts. This target is particularly relevant in hot conditions where sweat losses increase significantly. However, the publication clearly treats this figure as a planning range rather than a universal prescription.
The article emphasizes a critical point regarding exercise-associated hyponatremia. This dangerous condition can result from excessive consumption of plain water and the subsequent dilution of blood sodium. It is not caused simply by sodium loss through sweat alone. Broader endurance guidance confirms that overdrinking remains a primary risk factor for athletes.
To manage this risk, experts advise athletes to avoid excessive drinking and use thirst as an important safeguard. Consuming sports drinks does not make unrestricted fluid intake safe. Athletes must balance adequate fluid replacement with the real dangers of overhydration. Adjusting intake based on environmental conditions and personal thirst is a fundamental aspect of safe endurance training.
To support these intake goals, the guidance suggests a mix of food formats. The practical strategy involves combining liquid and solid nutrition during long efforts. Athletes can alternate sweet liquids and gels with solid foods like bars or dried fruit. This varied approach helps athletes avoid relying exclusively on concentrated syrups for hours at a time.
Incorporating solid foods serves a specific purpose for prolonged exercise. The practice reduces the risk of flavor fatigue and gastrointestinal aversion during long events. Relying solely on liquid nutrition can eventually cause athletes to stop eating altogether due to stomach discomfort. A mixed menu keeps the palate engaged and supports consistent fueling across multi-hour efforts.
Endurance fueling advice is increasingly moving away from a rigid model of simply taking a gel every hour. Modern recommendations favor flexible food formats, multiple transportable carbohydrates, and individualized tolerance testing. The practical implication is that athletes can comfortably combine commercial sports drinks with familiar solid foods. As long as you track your total hourly carbohydrate intake, the exact format matters less than your ability to digest it.
Higher carbohydrate targets are most relevant to demanding efforts where maintaining pace or power is essential. They are less automatically relevant to easy recreational outings or lower intensity sessions. Athletes whose gastrointestinal systems have not been trained to handle concentrated fuel do not need to force high intakes. Context is everything when applying these sports nutrition principles to a training plan.
Furthermore, these published recommendations represent an informed summary of current endurance nutrition practice. The guidance from Sports Infos Ski Nordique is a media piece, not a formal clinical guideline. It effectively gathers the established science and packages it for the everyday competitor. Recognizing this distinction helps athletes view the numbers as practical reference points rather than unbreakable medical rules.
These fueling figures are practical guidance bands rather than rigid guarantees of improved performance. Every athlete processes carbohydrates differently under the stress of endurance exercise. Increasing intake too quickly can cause bloating, nausea, cramping, or diarrhea. This is particularly true if the athlete has not practiced the higher intake strategy during routine training.
The glucose and fructose recommendation does not dictate that every product must use a precise commercial formulation. While multiple transportable carbohydrates are necessary for higher intake, no single brand is proven superior. Athletes have the flexibility to source their fuel from various products that meet the basic dual-source criteria. The key is finding a combination that sits well in the stomach over several hours.
Athletes must practice their complete fueling plan during training blocks before race day. This preparation should include testing the quantity, timing, texture, and concentration of all planned carbohydrates. Attempting an aggressive 90-gram per hour strategy for the first time in competition is a frequent cause of gastrointestinal failure. Training the gut is just as important as training the muscles for a long race.
The recommendation of 300 to 600 milligrams of sodium per hour requires careful application. Several physiological and environmental factors influence an athlete’s actual requirements. These variables include individual sweat rate, body size, fluid intake, and exercise intensity. Temperature and humidity also play a significant role in determining appropriate replacement levels.
Managing hydration requires a delicate balance between replacing losses and avoiding dangerous blood dilution. Drinking according to thirst remains an important element in preventing exercise-associated hyponatremia. The outdated advice to replace every gram of estimated sweat loss has shifted toward more measured hydration strategies. Thirst serves as a reliable biological indicator to help athletes avoid the dangers of excessive fluid consumption.
Athletes with specific medical histories should approach these broad guidelines with caution. Individuals with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, or medication-related fluid restrictions face different physiological boundaries. Those with a history of exercise-associated hyponatremia must be particularly careful with aggressive fluid plans. In these specific cases, consulting a qualified clinician is necessary before adopting a high-carbohydrate or electrolyte-heavy routine.
Translating this nutritional guidance is essential for ambitious endurance athletes aged 35 to 65. Our demographic balances high performance goals with a serious need for sustainable training and predictable recovery. The margin for error narrows as we age, making precise fueling a critical tool for longevity in the sport. Under-fueling a long weekend run does not just ruin that session, as the resulting fatigue easily compromises the following week.
Hitting my forties brought a harsh reality check. The track workouts were not getting slower, but the days after them felt significantly heavier. Instead of forcing my old Tuesday and Thursday intensity schedule, I looked at the data on Masters athletes and muscle protein synthesis. I pushed my second hard session to Friday, allowing an extra forty eight hours of low intensity recovery. My total weekly volume stayed the same, but the quality of my intervals skyrocketed.
Proper fueling during multi-hour efforts directly supports this need for structured rest. Consuming 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour reduces the immediate catabolic stress on your body. This makes achieving your baseline nutrition for recovery much easier to manage once the workout ends. Finishing a four-hour session properly fueled ensures you bounce back faster for the next workout.
Older athletes must treat carbohydrate and sodium intake as structural support for their entire training calendar. Implementing the dual-source strategy allows you to hit high energy targets without wrecking your digestive system. Avoiding gastrointestinal distress means you actually absorb the nutrients you consume during a race. This foundational understanding is vital when evaluating new concepts like the practical limits of endurance fueling.
Hydration management also plays a profound role in how our bodies handle physical stress over time. Overdrinking plain water dilutes blood sodium, leaving an athlete feeling lethargic long after the run finishes. By adhering to a sensible electrolyte management protocol, you maintain better physiological equilibrium. Relying on thirst and a moderate sodium target prevents the systemic shocks that delay muscular repair.
In our experience, veterans of endurance sport succeed by managing these compounding details. We test liquid and solid food combinations during long distance days to find what works reliably. We accept that optimal performance requires patience, careful observation, and a willingness to adjust the plan based on conditions. By taking fueling as seriously as pacing, older athletes can sustain their training intensity for years to come.
Following proven carbohydrate and sodium guidelines allows older athletes to sustain power during multi-hour efforts while protecting their long-term recovery.
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