Courtney Dauwalter has become a prominent figure in the world of ultrarunning, capturing the hearts of fans not only with her incredible athletic achievements but also with her unique and relatable approach to training, nutrition, and life. Her distinctive style, often sporting baggy basketball shorts and a loose-fitting T-shirt, coupled with her cheerful demeanor and love for beer, nachos, and candy, sets her apart in a sport often associated with strict discipline and rigid routines. But don't let her laid-back attitude fool you - Dauwalter is a fierce competitor, deeply attuned to her body, and possesses a wealth of knowledge gained from years of experimentation and pushing her limits on the trails.
A Glimpse into Dauwalter's Journey
Since dedicating herself fully to her running career in 2017, Dauwalter has achieved remarkable success. In 2018, she clinched victory at the Western States 100-miler, followed by another impressive win at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) in France in 2019. Even the challenges of 2020 couldn't slow her down, as she conquered Big's Backyard Ultra, running an astounding 283.3 miles in 56 hours and 52 minutes. In 2024, she continued her success with a wire-to-wire win in late February at the Transgrancanaria 126K, defending her title. She also won the Mount Fuji 100-miler for the second time on April 27, placing third overall, proving that she is not slowing down.
A Day in the Life: Training and Fueling
Dauwalter's training typically involves spending several hours on the trails near her home in Golden, Colorado. When it comes to nutrition, she emphasizes enjoying life to the fullest, eating and drinking what sounds and tastes good without excessive worry. A typical training day for Dauwalter might start with two cups of coffee with French vanilla creamer and a handful of dry cereal, preferably a sugary variety like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. After a gym session focused on hip activation, glutes, and core exercises, she embarks on a run lasting two to four hours, during which she fuels with Tailwind Nutrition (lemon or naked flavor) in her hydration bottles and Honey Stinger waffles or chews. On shorter runs, she might opt for no fuel at all.
Lunch is often a quick and easy affair, consisting of vegetables and hummus or fruits from the fridge. Dinners usually include plenty of vegetables. Dauwalter doesn't adhere to strict diets or track her food intake, believing that everyone should navigate their own path and find what makes them happy. She also doesn't have a rigid training plan, preferring to listen to her body and adjust her runs accordingly. Some days she might head out with a fully stocked hydration vest, only to cut her run short for various reasons.
Nacho Enthusiasm: Experimentation and Creativity
Dauwalter and her husband share a love for nachos and enjoy trying them at different restaurants. Inspired by a memorable experience with pulled pork nachos at a brewery, they began experimenting with their own nacho creations at home. On Thanksgiving, they decided to "nacho" the holiday, combining Thanksgiving foods on chips with melted cheese. The result was a hit, featuring blue corn chips, Colby Jack cheese, ground turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes, fried onions, dried cranberries, gravy, and jalapeños. Dauwalter even finds herself contemplating new nacho ideas during her runs, considering possibilities like breakfast nachos, dessert nachos, and Mediterranean nachos with feta and olives.
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Her preferred nacho toppings include cheese, fresh jalapeños, pico de gallo, guacamole, and ground beef. Beyond that, she encourages using whatever leftover or random veggies are available in the fridge, emphasizing that nachos can be a great way to clean out the refrigerator.
Race Day Fuel: Mashed Potatoes and Simplicity
In the lead-up to a race, Dauwalter typically opts for pizza the night before, valuing its predictability and availability. On race morning, she sticks to coffee and foregoes food, preferring to slowly introduce fuel once the race begins. Through extensive trial and error, Dauwalter has identified a few key items that consistently work for her during ultras: Honey Stinger waffles and chews, and mashed potatoes. She prepares the mashed potatoes the day before using instant mashed potato powder and loads them into reusable baby food pouches for easy access on the trail. She appreciates mashed potatoes because they are easy to consume, even when her mouth and gag reflex are challenged during a race.
For longer events like Big's Backyard Ultra, Dauwalter supplements her usual staples with more real food, such as gnocchi, pancakes, and even McDonald's double cheeseburgers and french fries. She also discovered a surprising affinity for Stovetop stuffing, finding its spiced bread flavor particularly appealing.
The Mental Edge: Embracing the Pain Cave
Dauwalter's mental fortitude is as crucial to her success as her physical conditioning and nutrition. She embraces the "pain cave," using it as a mental construct to push through moments of extreme discomfort and fatigue. This concept, instilled in her during her high school cross-country skiing days, reminds her that there's always "one more gear" to tap into, even when she feels like she has nothing left. She credits her coach's unwavering belief in her ability to push past her limits as instrumental in developing this mindset.
Intuitive Training and the Importance of Listening to Your Body
Dauwalter's approach to training is largely intuitive, meaning she doesn't adhere to a rigid schedule but instead listens to her body and adjusts her workouts accordingly. She grew up with running coaches and understands how to train effectively, but she prefers to let her body dictate the intensity and duration of her runs. She wakes up each morning, evaluates how she feels, and then works within a general framework for her week based on where she is in her race season. While she incorporates structured workouts like intervals into her training, she emphasizes that they are effort-based rather than pace- or heart rate-based.
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She typically does strength training before her runs, focusing on core, glutes, hips, and general trunk strength and activation. She has also gotten better at resting as she has gotten older, taking days off based on how her body feels and incorporating seasonal breaks with cross-training.
Key Takeaways from Courtney Dauwalter's Approach
- Experimentation is key: Dauwalter emphasizes the importance of experimenting with different nutritional products and strategies during training to find what works best for each individual.
- Listen to your body: Dauwalter's intuitive approach to training highlights the importance of paying attention to your body's signals and adjusting your workouts accordingly.
- Enjoy the process: Dauwalter's love for running and her emphasis on enjoying life to the fullest are integral to her success.
- Mental resilience is crucial: Dauwalter's ability to embrace the "pain cave" and push through discomfort is a testament to the importance of mental toughness in ultrarunning.
The Science-Backed Intuition
Even though Courtney Dauwalter is known for her intuitive training style, it is still backed by science. She wears a Suunto watch, which she checks periodically for a benchmark on local routes, but the numbers on the watch are tertiary to how she feels and where her daily joy lies. Dauwalter’s estimated peak mileage prior to a race like Hardrock or UTMB would be up to 130 miles. At 130-mile weeks, she describes feeling tired. Meanwhile, her body reaches a sweet spot of “homeostasis” around 115 miles per week. A 2021 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that volume of easy runs was the best predictor of growth over a 7-year time horizon in elite athletes, so Courtney’s emphasis on easy volume aligns with that research.
Dauwaltermelon with Lime: A Signature Tailwind Flavor
Dauwalter's love for watermelon led to the creation of her signature flavor of Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel: Dauwaltermelon with Lime. She and her husband, Kevin, were key taste-testing consultants in the development of this flavor, which has now become a permanent part of Tailwind's lineup.
Nutrition Insights from Other Ultrarunners
While Dauwalter's approach to nutrition is unique, it's worth noting that other top ultrarunners also prioritize fueling and hydration. Rod Farvard, for example, started working with a dietitian after a disappointing race and discovered that he was not adequately replacing his fluids. He now consumes more liquid calories and prioritizes hydration. Rachel Drake, another accomplished ultrarunner, emphasizes the importance of snacking and enjoys a variety of foods, including Scottish oatmeal, sandwiches, and seasonal dishes. Tyler Green is known for his love of fruit, particularly nectarines, and incorporates Precision gels, chews, and electrolyte mix into his runs.
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