Review of Expedition Foods at Marathon Des Sables

We had a quick catch up with Ian Ayling, who took part in the Marathon Des Sables (MdS) 2024.

Ian Ayling (IA): I have to say the Expedition Foods I took worked great and I enjoyed the meals and never felt hungry despite being limited in what I could take due to weight and having to carry everything for the race. My personal favourites were the Chilli Con Carne with Rice, Chicken Tikka with Rice and Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice, both in terms of taste and how they filled me up, although Beef and Potato Hotpot was also very good.

Expedition Foods (EF): Did you eat your meals hot or cold?

IA: Due to tiredness and also eating out on the course a couple of times, I had some of the meals cold (well, warm, as nothing was cold out there) and it really didn’t detract from the experience. I had read before that some people didn’t take a stove to save weight and your food was absolutely ok for this strategy - just took a bit longer to be ready.

EF: Could you share some tips for future ultramarathoners?

IA: One lesson I have from the race that it is as much about personal management as it is about physical endurance - how you manage your feet (finished without any blisters), energy levels, your hydration, and obviously your nutrition all contribute to the experience. The portion sizes and taste from you guys definitely helped me with this process and would happily endorse and recommend for anyone doing MdS or other multi-day activity.

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