Pro trail runner shares how gaining weight made her faster
"I have noticed my fitness has flown up," says Davis
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British trail runner and medical doctor Elsey Davis recently revealed how intentionally gaining weight has played a crucial role in her journey to regain energy, speed and overall well-being. The strategies she used may be beneficial to many athletes facing similar challenges; a former competitive marathoner who switched to trails, she now holds the women’s record for the legendary Bob Graham Round.
Davis, who experienced a slump in performance and energy levels post-season, discovered that low estrogen levels were at the root of her struggles, and shared the changes she made to recover on social media. “A low level for me is an indicator that I likely had relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S)/overtraining syndrome,” Davis explained.”I suspect restarting work this summer and racing a lot meant that I had, without meaning to, been slowly burning myself out under fuelling and over-training.”
Recognizing the potential dangers, Davis decided to prioritize her health over conventional (and incorrect) notions of athleticism, challenging the prevailing belief that lighter means faster. “Relative energy deficiency in sport affects everyone differently and recovery time can vary,” Davis explained. “I’m still not out of the woods but I think because I have experienced RED-S before, I caught the signs early so things improved relatively quickly for me.”
Tackling overtraining syndrome early is essential
Davis made strategic changes to address her energy deficiency, acknowledging the importance of fuelling for bone health, brain function, fertility, and muscle and joint health Focusing on proper fuelling became her primary goal, leading to weight gain of 3 kg over a month. “This is scary for an athlete in a world where previously lighter has always been associated with faster,” Davis said. “However, I know the dangerous long-term effects of being in this state and that it has no longevity.”
Davis observed positive outcomes within weeks of embracing this unconventional approach. Her resting heart rate dropped, her heart rate variability (HRV) increased, her sleep quality improved and an overall sense of well-being returned. She emphasized that despite (or because of) training less and gaining weight, her fitness levels experienced a remarkable boost, showcasing the importance of strong fuelling in achieving optimal performance.
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Deliberate fuelling choices
The key changes in Davis’s approach included meticulous planning of nutrition as an integral part of her training regimen.” I began planning it a little more as though it was an element of my training plan that had to be accounted for,” she said.”So I would know what training I was doing that day and I would ask myself: how am I going to fuel this before/during/after?”
Davis eliminated fasted training, focused on fuelling any exercise lasting over an hour with carb-rich drinks or snacks, and ensured a prompt intake of protein and carbs within 20 minutes post-exercise.
Nutrition for Athletes:
Overrated:
Expensive Supplements
PreWorkout
Fancy Hydration Drinks
Highly Processed “Convenient” FoodsUnderrated:
Breakfast w Protein
Packing your Lunch
Eating Before Practice/ Training
Eating After Practice / Training
Drinking 100 oz of water per day— Justin Kegley (@coachkeg) January 18, 2024
Increased breakfast portions
Davis increased her breakfast size to provide an ample energy boost to kickstart her day. The runner shared her breakfast routine, which usually included a substantial bowl of porridge with peanut butter, protein powder and berries, and now had the addition of toast. “This can be two breakfasts, before and after training, if you train early,” she said.
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Constantly available snacks
Davis swears by maintaining a steady supply of snacks to avoid hunger, particularly during workdays, when food might be scarce. She shared snack ideas for athletes, including nuts, crackers with cream cheese or hummus, full-fat yogurts, and teacakes or crumpets with butter.
“I made sure I had lots of snacks to hand and didn’t really allow myself to get to the point of hunger. This was especially true for days at work when I’d often run out of food by midday and spend the rest of the day fairly hungry,” Davis said. “A high-protein snack before bedtime also became a consistent part of her routine.”
Davis also emphasized the importance of professional support for individuals facing similar challenges and recommended seeking help from experts who’ve dealt with athletes who have RED-S.
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