"What helps me is that I write four or five sentences after every run that I do so I can keep a diary of everything." - Tom Evans
Elite runners often have access to detailed testing, structured nutrition plans and carefully selected products - but for most runners, it’s not that simple.
For Tom Evans, the key difference isn’t access. It’s approach.
Rather than chasing a perfect plan, he believes amateur runners should focus on understanding their own bodies - building a strategy through experience, observation and small adjustments over time.
Because when it comes to fuelling, what works for one runner won’t always work for another.
We asked Tom for his advice to runners who don't have elite-level access to help with their training. Here's what he said on his podcast, The Ultra Sound...
"It's a good question because something like Morton is great but it can be a little bit out of reach.
"I think that's where every runner is an individual - just because one person does one thing that doesn't mean that everyone has to do it in the same way.
"I think you find what works for you, and what works for you might be something that is different for me.
"Not everyone has access to testing to know that, say, 120 grams of carbs per hour is where you need to be, and it's possible to crash hard if you don't know what you need.
"So the everyday runner is not going to go to the lab to find out how many carbs they need exactly.
"It can get expensive, but then again if running is something that you're putting lots of time and effort into, and you've already identified that you're having stomach issues for example, then testing might be something worth considering.
"But apart from that it is just trial and error."
There will be times that you will feel like you didn't feel that good during a run, or actually you did feel good, and what helps me is that I write four or five sentences after every run that I do so I can keep a diary of everything.
"Then it's possible to identify what worked and what didn't work, so you approach the next run with confidence of what you should need."
