Näak Nutrition Calculator: finally a nutrition plan that takes your trail into account

Many trail runners still use generic nutrition plans.

60 grams of carbohydrates per hour. One gel every 30 minutes. Bring two softflasks. Done.

But anyone who runs longer trails knows that nutrition is much more personal in practice.

Näak has just launched a great Nutrition Calculator. Come to our store to fill it out together and take your items with you immediately. Or fill it out online below.

A technical ultra with 3,000 meters of elevation gain requires something completely different than a fast trail marathon. Someone weighing 58 kilos burns calories differently than someone weighing 85 kilos. And a runner who is on the road for 12 hours has different problems than someone who finishes within 4 hours.

The new Näak Nutrition Calculator cleverly capitalizes on this.

Bee Trail.NL You can now fill out that nutrition planner with us in the store on a big screen, but you can also simply use it online at home.

And honestly: this is one of the first trail-specific nutrition planners that goes beyond standard sports nutrition advice.

The new Näak Nutrition Calculator is particularly interesting for:

• trail runners who run longer distances

• ultra runners

• marathon runners heading towards the trails

• runners who regularly experience energy problems during races

• runners who want to take their nutrition more seriously

Less relevant to:

• short distances under about 1.5 hours

• recreational runners who hardly eat along the way

• people who don't feel like testing food during workouts

The major added value lies primarily in:

• GPX analysis

• connection with sports watches

• personal calculations based on level and duration

• practical race planning

Much nutritional advice in running is designed for relatively flat road races.

Trail running makes that more complicated.

Elevation gain, technical sections, temperature changes, and prolonged exertion mean that nutrition becomes much more important.

Two runners can run exactly the same distance, but have completely different energy requirements.

An example:

• 50 kilometers at a flat pace on gravel

• 50-kilometer alpine trail with 3,500 meters of elevation gain

Those are practically two different sports.

Näak's new nutrition planner attempts to make exactly that difference clear.

As far as we are concerned, the biggest innovation is the GPX import.

You can upload your own route file, after which the planner looks at:

• distance

• altitude meters

• expected effort

• duration of the race

That sounds simple, but in practice, it makes a big difference.

Many runners underestimate how much extra energy long climbs cost.

Especially in ultras, you often see that nutrition goes fine until somewhere halfway through the race. After that, small deficiencies start to accumulate:

• too few carbohydrates

• drinking too little

• too little sodium

• start eating too late

Including the course makes a nutrition plan immediately more realistic.

Another smart addition is the connection with sports watches.

The planner can send nutrition alerts to your watch so that you receive reminders during training or a race.

That might sound exaggerated, but in practice, many trail runners simply forget to eat.

Mainly:

• during technical descents

• in races with a lot of focus

• when the pace picks up

• late in ultras

A nutrition plan only works if you actually follow it.

For novice ultra runners, such a reminder is often surprisingly useful.

Interestingly, Näak now also looks at your UTMB®/ITRA Index.

That makes the planner more specific than many general calculators.

An experienced ultra runner moves more efficiently than someone who is just starting out with trails.

Faster runners:

• often burn more carbohydrates per hour

• running at higher intensity

• have different racing load

By taking level into account, you receive more realistic nutritional advice.

That also prevents beginners from copying schedules from elite runners.

Because let's be honest: what works for a top-20 UTMB runner by no means always works for someone running their first 50 kilometers.

Bee Trail.NL You can fill out the planner together with us on the big screen in the store.

That might sound like a small detail, but it helps many runners.

Nutrition remains quite confusing for many trail runners.

Questions we often hear:

• How many grams of carbohydrates should I actually eat?

• When do I use bars versus gels?

• How do I combine drink mix and solid food?

• How do I prevent stomach problems?

• How much sodium do I need?

Watching a race together often makes it more concrete.

Certain direction:

• first ultra

• multi-day trail

• warm races

• alpine events

But if you prefer to get started yourself, you can also simply use the planner online.

1. Trail-specific approach

This clearly feels built for trail running.

You can tell by:

• altimeter analysis

• long endurance efforts

• focus on ultras

• integration with GPX

That is really different from standard running calculators.

2. Practical feasibility

Many calculators only provide theoretical figures.

Näak is actually trying to turn it into a workable plan.

So not only:

• 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour

But also:

• how you can practically incorporate that

• which products make sense

• what your timing looks like

3. Strong for long trails

The longer the race, the more useful this tool becomes.

On a short 15-kilometer trail, nutrition makes less of a difference.

But at:

• 50 km

• 80 km

• 100 km+

A good nutrition plan can literally make the difference between finishing or completely collapsing.

The planner does not take everything off your hands.

And that is important to understand.

Stomach training remains personal

Not everyone can tolerate a high carbohydrate intake.

Some runners function well on:

• 50-60 grams per hour

Others are training towards:

• 90-120 grams per hour

You have to test that.

No calculator knows in advance how your stomach will react during a 10-hour walk in the heat.

Match stress changes everything

Nutrition that works in training can suddenly have a different effect during races.

Especially with:

• heat

• nerves

• height

• sleep deprivation

• extremely prolonged effort

Therefore, practicing remains essential.

Not everyone needs this.

For a local 20-kilometer trail, this is often overkill, to be honest.

Then you don't necessarily need a fully detailed nutrition plan with watch integration.

But as soon as you head towards a marathon trail or ultra, that changes quickly.

First ultra runners

This is probably where the biggest profit lies.

Many first ultras fail not due to fitness, but due to nutrition.

Not enough food.
Drinking too late.
Wrong timing.
Stomach problems.

A concrete plan helps enormously.

Experienced ultra runners

Even experienced runners can benefit from this.

The GPX analysis is particularly interesting for complex races where energy consumption varies significantly.

Marathon runners discovering trails

Road marathon runners often underestimate trail nutrition.

On the road, you can walk at a relatively constant pace for much longer.

Trails usually require:

• more energy

• prolonged effort

• more flexibility

• better pacing

Then a more concrete nutrition plan helps.

Filling it out online works fine.

But looking in the store together has advantages if you:

• your first ultra plant

• hesitates between products

• quickly gets stomach problems

• have no idea how much food you need

• prepares multiple races

Then you can immediately ask questions about:

• gels

• drink mix

• bars

• sodium

• caffeine use

• practical race format

The new Näak Nutrition Calculator is one of the more interesting developments in trail nutrition of late.

Not because it solves everything automatically.

But because it finally takes into account how different trails actually are.

Especially the combination of:

• GPX analysis

• personal data

• watch integration

• trail-specific approach

makes this more useful than many standard nutrition calculators.

For short trails, you probably don't need this.

But if you run marathon trails, ultras, or long mountain races, a good nutrition plan can make a serious difference.

Especially if you have mainly eaten 'by feel' during races until now.