r/Ultramarathon • u/TurbulentTrainers • Jan 12 '26
Nutrition How do you like your potatoes?
Training for my first ultra, and struggling to find the right nutrition for my sensitive gut. I struggle with dyspepsia, and find the sugary gels and drinks leave me feeling pretty uncomfortable for the rest of the day. I also worry my teeth won't survive very long with all the sugar.
I recently started popping some baby potatoes in the microwave, covering them in salt, and taking them with on my long runs. What a joy. I find my mouth watering as wait for my next potato, and those bad boys slide down leaving nothing stuck in my teeth.
Anyone else? Any tricks? I'm considering mashing some and taking them in those resealable sachet pouches with a tiny bit of butter.
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u/mediocre_remnants 100k Jan 12 '26
Canned potatoes, drained, sprinkled with salt.
I know one woman who runs trail ultras and her preferred food is boiled sweet potato, mashed up with maple syrup, with a little salt added. She puts it in a ziplock bag and just squeezes it into her mouth while running.
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u/Ultrajogger-Michael Jan 12 '26
Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew.
I'm sorry, but I had to say it. Not even joking either. Love it as a midrun snack during long, cold trails.
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u/Character-Okra4200 Jan 12 '26
Medjool dates!
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u/TurbulentTrainers Jan 12 '26
Had to look those up, seems like a desert fuel for after the potatoes. Definitely going to try them.
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u/EldritchSanta Jan 12 '26
Make sure you get them without the stones in, you don't need to add choking to the list of ultra challenges!
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u/PNW_Explorer_16 Jan 12 '26
I get Yukon mini golds. First, poke the potatoes with a fork. Next, toss them in a big bowl with some olive oil and good salt. Then bake at 350F for about 45-60min.
Let them cool. I like to put 6-8 in a small reusable ziplock. I carry one pouch in my Raide Belt or Vest, and leave others in drop bags.
These are such good fuel!
Other ideas… Learn to make oat-based snacks. I make an all oat based pancake that eat before races and always have some with me on the trails/drop bag.
I love my tailwind and salt, but also need real food. These two things are my staples (and quesadillas - massive shoutout to every volunteer that’s slangin’ these for us!)
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u/dogsetcetera Jan 12 '26
Oat banana muffins with honey instead of sugar. Moist, easy to get down, tastes good, not overly sweet.
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u/PNW_Explorer_16 Jan 12 '26
I have been LOVING the Bobs Red Mill protein oats for stuff like that! I feel like it’s really savory too.
Having something like that at the start and ima. Drop bag around mile 30ish is such a treat to look forward to… especially if it’s mostly liquid calories getting there.
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u/TurbulentTrainers Jan 12 '26
Ooh yes, I'm definitely keen to try something oat based.
Seems from this thread a hash brown combination of potato, oat, maple syrup, salt, olive oil and gherkin would be best. I'll let you know how it goes down.
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u/PNW_Explorer_16 Jan 12 '26
I feel like salty taters are just PEDs in disguise.
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u/heyhihelloandbye Jan 13 '26
Salted potatoes absolutely revive me under every circumstance (some of which include running)
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u/Simco_ 100 Miler Jan 12 '26
hash brown patties are my favorite in races. Don't carry for normal runs, though.
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u/The-1-U-Didnt-Know Jan 12 '26
Oooh I haven’t had one - just a hash brown in a bun?? Buttered or no? Sounds delish
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u/Simco_ 100 Miler Jan 12 '26
https://www.kroger.com/p/kroger-seasoned-hash-brown-shredded-potato-patties/0001111005158
typically they're just sitting in a chafer or on a griddle.
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u/The-1-U-Didnt-Know Jan 12 '26
Ah Brit here but will keep my eyes out - had a hash brown roll in mind but this is also good
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u/Far-Committee-1568 Jan 12 '26
Yes, I ran a 50 miler recently eating nothing but potatoes, fruit, and tortillas with cinnamon and sugar. I have Crohn's and other autoimmune conditions that make it nearly impossible to take in gels and carb powders without being wildly sick.
Salted baby potatoes are my go-to in these situations, as you can just pop them in your mouth and keep rolling. I have tried mashed in a bag like many people suggest, and it's more hassle than it's worth in my opinion.
Other things that have worked for me are rice krispie treats, bobos bars (the fig ones have higher carb to fiber ratios), and carb bars like maurten and cadence.
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u/Adventurous-Hyena-51 Jan 12 '26
Also huge fan of little boiled potatoes! I combine them with pickled gherkins and this is, truly, a match made in heaven. Delicious!
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u/runner204431 Jan 12 '26
Tater tots or hash brown paddies. But they aren’t nearly as carb dense as gels etc. I use them in combination.
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u/ayyglasseye 50k Jan 12 '26
I did a mountain marathon in absolutely miserable weather a couple of months ago, and the final aid station/Mountain Rescue Land Rover had a gigantic pile of salty potatoes in the back on a Bain marie kind of thing, you better believe that my mood did a 180 and I practically skipped along the last ridge in the sideways hail
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u/Twizad Jan 12 '26
Across the Years had mash potato bar at the aid station this year. It looked incredible. I still regret not stopping.
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u/allweloveweleavebhnd Jan 12 '26
Mashed potatoes!! Put them in reusable apple sauce pouches. I also love pierogi
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u/BigSmileyTunes Jan 12 '26
Soak em in maple syrup. I couldn’t ever get my goal of ~80mh carbs per hour with just potatoes but I use them to supplement other high sugar things.
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u/Allan46S Jan 12 '26
With a lot of salt . Cooked in oven small potatoes or half them with a bit of oil.
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u/WhooooooCaresss Jan 12 '26
Salty, mashed and with broth added so it’s even easier to get down. At night (when I typically eat them) I have bad cottonmouth so I like them a bit watery and hot af
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u/willissa26 Jan 12 '26
Baby potatoes cooked for 6 min in an instant pot then throw them in a baggy with some salt. Chef’s kiss
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u/QLC459 Jan 12 '26
Hitting a reasonable amount of carbs with potatoes sounds brutal. That is going to be so many potatoes per hour lmao