UNBOUND STORIES: FUELING THE FLAME

Words by James Ion - Photography provided by Chris, Anna and David and Tanya

This week’s focus: Nutrition strategies from the endurance frontline

At Unbound Gravel, one of the most revered ultra-endurance events in the cycling world, performance isn’t dictated by strength or speed alone. Success is equally determined by the quiet hours spent dialling in a nutrition strategy that works when the pressure is high, the body is weary, and the finish line is still hours away. As part of our Unbound Stories series, we’ve been following the journeys of three unique riders: Chris Fowler, David and Tanya Konshak, and Anna Ferguson, each approaching the challenge with different backgrounds, goals, and philosophies. This week, we focus on how they fuel the ride, the lessons they’ve learned, and the tweaks they’ve made to go the distance.

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For David and Tanya Konshak, who take on the course as a tandem team, nutrition must be as precise as their pedalling rhythm. With two bodies relying on one bike and one shared momentum, there’s no room for error. Their fueling strategy is built on a high-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate foundation, anchored by a daily diet rich in steak, whole eggs, and simple staples like rice and sweet potatoes. But come race day, the approach shifts toward performance-first fueling. In their hydration pack, they rely on Neversecond C90 High Carb Drink Mix to maintain a steady stream of carbohydrates and electrolytes. Their bottles are filled with Kenetik Ketones, providing a clean-burning energy source to help them sustain long efforts, and they supplement with BodyHealth PerfectAmino to ensure their muscles get the essential amino acids needed for repair and recovery.

Their go-to snacks on the bike reflect this balance of efficiency and satisfaction. Neversecond Energy Gels, both the C30 and C30+, are their primary carb delivery system during hard efforts. For more substantial bites, they prepare rice cakes based on Feed Zone Portables recipes, portable, savoury, and packed with just enough carbs to bridge long gaps between aid stations. When cravings call for protein, American Wagyu beef jerky fills the gap, offering a flavorful and satiating hit of fat and protein that fits within their usual eating habits. They’ve also been refining the timing of gel intake and the balance between ketones and amino acids, recently landing on a strategy of 60 grams of carbs per hour as the optimal threshold for sustained performance without overloading the system.

Anna Ferguson, on the other hand, brings a different kind of energy to her approach, equal parts self-deprecating honesty and hard-earned wisdom from the amateur-pro lane. “A bike race is just an eating contest on two wheels,” she quips, and after some trial by stomach, she’s come to understand just how true that is. Solid food is mostly off the table for Anna during races. Her gut simply doesn’t tolerate it at this pace. After what she calls a regrettable series of experiments, she’s found a reliable combination in gels from Precision Fuel and Maurten, which she affectionately refers to as “space goo that works.” She mixes these with high-carb drinks from Skratch and Maurten and keeps a stash of Skratch Sour Cherry Chews on hand, the only thing she claims still feels like a treat five hours into a race.

Gut training, she says, has been the biggest game changer. It’s not glamorous, but it’s the difference between finishing strong and finishing queasy. Salt testing has also been a revelation. As it turns out, Anna is a super salty sweater, something that used to sabotage her efforts mid-ride until she understood the need for a tailored electrolyte plan. Off the bike, she focuses on carbs, protein, and more carbs. Though she was vegan for years, she gradually introduced fish, dairy, and eggs back into her diet, not for any philosophical shift but out of necessity. Tofu, she discovered, wasn’t cutting it when it came to hitting protein goals and keeping recovery on track. She’s quick to point out that macros aren’t about restriction, they’re just a loose framework. For her, it’s more about eating enough rice and less about tracking every gram.

Chris Fowler’s approach brings yet another perspective, blending a clean, high-protein routine with bursts of strategic indulgence when it matters most. Off the bike, Chris sticks to a low-carb diet centred on lean proteins like chicken and beef, alongside plenty of vegetables. He avoids breads and desserts unless they’re made with alternatives like almond flour, and snacks on trail mixes or mixed nuts to stay satiated without a sugar crash. But as race day nears, the philosophy changes. Carb loading takes priority, and he doesn't hold back. In the two days before Unbound, he aims for between 800 and 1,000 grams of carbs per day, a monumental intake that he tackles with enthusiasm. Rice forms the base of his pre-race plates, often accompanied by buffalo tenderloin and vegetables tossed in soy sauce for flavour and ease of digestion.

During the event, Chris keeps it simple and steady with isotonic gels and bars to ensure consistent fueling. He tucks away a few comfort items, chips, the occasional Snickers bar, and even pickle juice, to break the monotony and keep things interesting at drop bag points. Post-race, he’s already dreaming of lemonade and non-alcoholic beer, ideally washed down with a pizza the size of a manhole cover.

Across these three riders, the differences are striking: steak versus chicken, jerky versus gels, rice cakes versus gut training, but the common thread is unmistakable. Each of them has invested the time to understand their bodies and what works under stress. They’ve practised, refined, and adapted their strategies not just for performance but for the long haul. Because when the Flint Hills stretch endlessly ahead, when the heat rises and the legs begin to fade, it’s the quiet work done at the table that keeps the wheels turning.

Unbound might be an eating contest on wheels, but it’s one where every bite, every gram of carb, and every sip of electrolyte counts. And in the words of Anna, perhaps the most important rule of all is this: don’t race with what you haven’t aced. Your stomach, like your legs, deserves rehearsal too.

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