Fueling in Winter
What’s up everybody — Kevin Bolger here. I wanted to talk about something I think a lot of us mess up this time of year: fueling in the winter.
Winter has always been a bit tricky for me if im honest and has taken some time tor me to keep my fueling routines.
It’s cold. The skiing is good. You don’t feel as sweaty as you do in the summer. Maybe the pace feels a little slower. And before you know it, you’re halfway through your session and your drink belt is still full and your gels are untouched.- and you get home and devour a box of cookies or bag of candy because you forgot to fuel during training.
I fall into this trap a bit more than I’d like to admit
You just don’t feel as thirsty or as hungry in the cold, or feel like stopping because its cold.
But here’s the deal — you still have to eat.
The Winter Fueling Trap
In the summer it’s obvious. You’re hot, you’re sweating, you’re crushing fluids and Gels. In the winter, those signals aren’t as strong. So it’s easy to under-fuel without even realizing it.
And honestly? I think more people bonk in the winter than in the summer. That could be a hot take?
When you consistently under-fuel:
You feel flat in workouts
Recovery takes longer
You’re more likely to get sick
Race weekends feel way harder
Even if training volume is a little lower, your body is still working hard. The general goal of 60–90 grams of carbs per hour still applies. It can feel like a lot in the winter, but it’s just as important — especially if you’re racing back-to-back weekends. With some weekends maybe even being 3 races
If you come home from training under-fueled, it’s tough to catch back up. Recovery becomes an uphill battle.
What Helps Me
1. Make Your Drink Warm
I mix my drink mix with warm water before I head out.
It’s easier to drink
It actually helps keep you warm
My gels stay softer too
If it tastes better and feels better, you’re more likely to finish it.
Simple as that.
2. Fuel in fun ways
When I trained in Norway, there were huts on the trails that sold cinnamon rolls and coffee. Honestly, that made eating during long sessions motivating hah— you actually looked forward to it. Planning a loop with a stop in the middle or at the end of the session is nice!
What I Actually Eat
Here’s what a normal day might look like for me.
Normal Training Day
(2 hours in the morning, 1.5 in the afternoon)
Morning:
1 Maurten 320 drink mix (80g carbs)
2 Maurten 100 gels (25g each = 50g)
That’s about 130g during the morning session.
Afternoon:
1 Gel 160 (40g carbs)
In the summer, I’ll usually do even more.
Sprint Race Day
Before the qualifier:
1 Maurten 320 CAF (80g)
1 Gel 100 CAF (25g)
After the qualifier:
Recovery shake (61g carbs, 29g protein)
Rice pudding
Gummy bears
BANANA
Then I refill the drink belt with another 320 (80g) and keep taking gels between heats.
When I write it out, it sounds like a lot. But sprint days are intense. You’re burning through fuel fast, and you need to keep topping it up.
Bottom Line
Winter makes it easy to forget to eat and drink.
But under-fueling adds up fast. One light session isn’t a big deal — but doing it day after day is. and especially when its cold your body is working in overtime to keep warm so you need to feed the furnace!
So even if you’re not that thirsty…
Even if you’re not that hungry…
Even if it’s freezing out…
Eat anyway. Drink anyway. Stay ahead of it.
Your body will thank you later.
