Continuous multiday ultramarathon competitions are increasingly popular and impose extreme energetic and nutritional demands on competitors. However, few data have been published on energy expenditure during these events. Here, we report doubly labeled water-derived measures of total energy expenditure (in kilocalories per day) and estimated physical activity level (PAL: total energy expenditure/basal metabolic rate) collected from five elite and subelite finishers (four males and one female, age 34.6 ± 4.9 years)—and nutritional intake data from the winner—of the Cocodona 250, a ∼402-km race in Arizona, and from a fastest-known-time record (one male, age 30 years) on the ∼1,315-km Arizona Trail. PAL during these events exceeded four times basal metabolic rate (Cocodona range: 4.34–6.94; Arizona Trail: 5.63). Combining the results with other doubly labeled water-derived total energy expenditure data from ultraendurance events show a strong inverse relationship between event duration and PAL (r² = .68, p < .0001). Cocodona race duration was inversely, though not significantly, associated with PAL (r² = .70, p = .08). Water turnover varied widely between athletes and was not explained by PAL or body mass. The Cocodona race winner met ∼53% of energy demand via dietary intake, 85.6% of which was carbohydrate, while ∼47% of energy demand was met via catabolism of body energy stores. Together, these results illustrate the energetic deficits incurred during competitive continuous multiday ultramarathon efforts and implicate macronutrient absorption and/or storage as key factors in ultramarathon performance.

连续多日的超级马拉松比赛越来越受欢迎，这对参赛者提出了极高的能量和营养要求。然而，有关这些事件期间能源消耗的数据很少公布。在这里，我们报告了从五名精英和亚精英完赛者（四名男性和一名女性，年龄 34.6 ± 4.9 岁），以及获胜者的营养摄入量数据 - Cocodona 250（亚利桑那州一场 402 公里长的比赛），以及 1,315 公里赛中已知最快时间记录（一名男性，年龄 30 岁） - 公里亚利桑那步道。这些事件期间的 PAL 超过基础代谢率的四倍（Cocodona 范围：4.34–6.94；Arizona Trail：5.63）。将结果与来自超耐力事件的其他双标记水源总能量消耗数据相结合，显示事件持续时间和 PAL 之间存在很强的反比关系（r ²  = .68，p  < .0001）。Cocodona 比赛持续时间与 PAL 呈负相关，但不显着 ( r ²  = .70, p  = .08)。运动员之间的水循环差异很大，并且不能用 PAL 或体重来解释。Cocodona 比赛的获胜者通过饮食摄入满足了约 53% 的能量需求，其中 85.6% 是碳水化合物，而约 47% 的能量需求是通过身体能量储存的分解代谢来满足的。总之，这些结果说明了在连续多日超级马拉松比赛中出现的能量不足，并表明大量营养素的吸收和/或储存是超级马拉松成绩的关键因素。