No-Cook Nutrition Helps Conquer Ultramarathon

The course description is deceptively simple: keep the ocean on your right. For 226 kilometers.

Rachel Belmont did exactly that in November 2024, completing Brazil's Extremo Sul - the world's longest beach ultramarathon - in 38 hours and 32 minutes. She finished third among women and became the first American to complete the race in its nine-year history.

"That race was just so gnarly," Belmont says. "I can't believe I did that."

The Challenge: 140 Miles of Self-Supported Running

The New York native and travel nurse, now based in Oregon, has built an impressive resume of extreme endurance events: Badwater 135, the Jungle Ultra in Peru, Marathon des Sables. But Extremo Sul presented something different, a true test of ultrarunning nutrition strategy and self-reliance.

Between six aid stations spread across 140 miles, runners face stretches of 20-plus miles with no support, no crew, and no course markings. Just sand, wind, and ocean.

"You're going without aid sometimes for 20 plus miles," Belmont explains. "I was scared I would run out of water more than anything. I could go for a while without food, but water you go through quickly."

What Makes Extremo Sul Uniquely Demanding

The race demands serious preparation. Runners carry mandatory gear including: an emergency blanket, two headlamps with spare batteries, and enough food and water to survive between remote checkpoints. Weather shifts rapidly - Belmont encountered rain, wind, and temperatures that dropped significantly after dark.

The isolation is total. No cell service. No beachgoers. Just washed-up whale bones and, at one point, a shipwreck looming out of the darkness.

The Psychology of Ultra-Distance Running

The mental toll compounds the physical challenge. "Your depth perception is all screwed up," Belmont recalls of night two. "I was surrounded by bright flashing red lights from windmills, and it just messes with your head. I started having visions. It didn't even look like a beach to me."

For endurance athletes pushing beyond 100 miles, proper nutrition becomes as much a psychological tool as a physical one. When the body is depleted and the mind is struggling, having reliable, easy-to-consume fuel can mean the difference between finishing and dropping out.

Ultrarunning Nutrition Strategy: Why No-Cook Meals Matter

For her nutrition approach, Belmont had two drop bag opportunities at checkpoints three and five. In each, she packed a RecPak alongside her other supplies. The strategy was deliberate and addressed a critical challenge with traditional backcountry meals.

"Unlike a lot of the freeze-dried food companies, you don't need hot water. That's what makes it so special," Belmont says. "You just need cold water and it's a meal shake on the go. 40 grams of protein, significant amount of carbs and fat. I haven't been introduced to another company that has something so unique."

The Advantage of Liquid Nutrition for Endurance Athletes

At each drop bag checkpoint, she'd sit for 30-40 minutes, change socks, eat whatever substantial food she could stomach - pasta, mashed potatoes from the aid station, and drink a RecPak before heading back into the wind. With the next aid station potentially four to five hours away, high-protein meal replacement that required no cook system was essential.

"You could use these in Death Valley or in the freezing cold and you don't need to take time to heat up water," she adds. "It's just super accommodating."

Overcoming the Final Miles

The last 15 miles tested everything. Belmont's quads had seized around mile 100, forcing her to walk for 20 miles before recovering at the final checkpoint. Proper fueling - including caffeine, salts, and complete nutrition helped her recover enough to pick up the pace for the finish.

"I told myself I wanted to try and make the podium at this race, but I didn't know if it was possible," she says. "Beach running is hard. You don't really know what the competition's like." She ended up finishing third among women and became the first American to complete the race in its nine-year history.

When asked what next year will bring, Belmont answered, “I have some big plans that I am not talking about publicly, but it will be the hardest thing I have ever done. But first, she's recovering. "I'm happy with everything I've done," she says. "You definitely find out a lot about yourself out there."