What Makes Active Root Ideal for Multi-Day Challenges?

With a growing rise in popularity of multi-day ultra-marathon challenges such as the Cape Wrath Ultra and Dragon’s Back Race, these unique adventures bring with them the logistical issue of how best to organise your fuelling and hydration. At Active Root we have a number of ideal solutions designed to be flexible and can be tailored to your requirements. Perhaps you’re taking on an organised event this summer, or planning your own multi-day adventure? From running, to cycle tours and hiking expeditions, we’re here to help you fuel and hydrate day to day.

Ginger Power

At Active Root, all of our nutrition products are made with natural root ginger, a scientifically proven solution to combat bloating, nausea, and stomach discomfort during exercise. Including ginger into a fuelling strategy for athletes can shift their focus from digestive issues to optimal performance.

The ginger in Active Root products not only helps calm your stomach, but is also packed with anti-inflammatory compounds that can help sore muscles recover faster. A natural painkiller, ginger supports blood circulation, activates the digestive system and stimulates blood flow which can help avoid stomach issues and nausea. Ginger is often used to ease stiff and sore joints too. Research indicates that supplementing with ginger post-workout can help with muscle pain and support your body with recovery.

Fuel Your Fun

With flexible fuelling and a variety of tasty options, there’s no need to worry about flavour fatigue over a multitude of days. Our range includes everything from Energy Chews to mix-your-own Energy Gel, giving you plenty of options. If you have access to a fridge on overnight stops, you can make up your Sports drinks or Gel mix the night before, leaving one less thing to think about in the morning. 

Our Energy Gel Mix comes as a powder, which you simply mix with water in a Soft Flask to turn the powder into its gel form. One 170ml Soft Flask can hold between the equivalent of 1-4 gel servings. Carrying one or two soft flasks provides you with up to 8 gel servings, with the benefit of the ability to customize your intake. Mixing it with water yourself also allows you to control the viscosity of the gel. You can have it as runny or as thick as you like! The pouches that Gel Mix come in are recyclable, coupled with the use of reusable soft flasks for consumption, means that there is less waste when compared to the use of conventional gel wrappers, which is ideal on a multi-day adventure.

Our range of Drink Mixes are also a convenient option for multi-day challenges. If you’re having a kit bag transported between overnight stops, a larger pouch could be utilised in order to make up drinks at the start/end of each day. If you need to carry everything on your back, our sachets provide an option to top up on the go, particularly handy when there’s access to fresh water. Our Sports Drink Mix contains 40g of carbs per serving from slow-burning cane sugar, providing a steady stream of fuel to power you through extended periods of physical exertion. Our unique formulation includes 567mg sea salt, helping to replace vital electrolytes lost through sweat.

Trail Tale

Recently I undertook a self-planned challenge to complete 96 miles of the West Highland Way over three and a half days. This iconic route takes you from the outskirts of Scotland’s biggest city Glasgow, alongside the shores of Loch Lomond and into the rugged terrain of the Highlands, finishing in Fort William. As Scotland’s first designated long distance trail, the West Highland Way is now a very well-trodden path, however with over 14,000 feet of elevation over its entirety, it’s far from an ‘easy’ option. Inspired by those who run the route in under 35 hours as part of the official West Highland Way Race (taking place in June every year), I wanted to experience the highs and lows of this epic trail at a slightly gentler pace!

Some unseasonably warm conditions made for a much more challenging endeavour than I anticipated (but no rain at least!), so I was grateful for my stomach-settling ginger-based nutrition and hydration options, especially useful for keeping nausea at bay. It was also important that I recovered well at the end of each day in order to get up and go again the next day, so the anti-inflammatory and muscle soothing properties of ginger certainly made a difference. My go-to Active Root products for an adventure like this included Sports Drink Mix sachets (in each flavour, but caffeinated Green Tea was a particular favourite on this occasion!), Electrolite Drink Mix sachets, Energy Gels and Energy Chews. I carried what I needed each day in my running pack, and topped up supplies at the end of each day ready to go again the next. For this adventure, a motorhome allowed for family support at the end of each stage, with campsites booked in advance. My daily distances were 22 miles, 31 miles, 28 miles and a final stage of 15 miles.

I truly had an incredible adventure and would definitely recommend considering a multi-day challenge; whether you plan it yourself or you take on an organised stage race. With the help and support of Active Root products, your own adventure awaits!