Benjamin Mougel's 24-hour elevation gain record

Hello Benjamin, thank you for giving us some time after your challenge and your positive elevation record some time later. You attempted this challenge and last week it was a mark to 21 134m that you filed. First of all, how have you been since then? And can you quickly summarize these 24 hours for us?

Hello everyone, I'm quite happy to say that things are going very well. I'm recovering rather quickly from this little adventure compared to what I could have imagined since I still covered 317 times a slope of 66.67 meters of elevation gain at 45%, uphill but especially downhill. That represents 105 kilometers of "relatively" committed terrain over 24 hours, practically non-stop with very few breaks and a continuous effort; a pace that inevitably tended to decrease little by little, but overall a fairly linear trajectory without major variations in sensations. I was ready for this challenge, my team was ready, the track was suitable, and everything went like clockwork. 

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Finally, you started running recently, in 2023. Before that, you were rollerblading for marathon distances. What made you change sports? And why trail running? 

Since the COVID period, I had been using running as a cross-training tool. I ran more or less regularly, and despite a fairly low volume, I often injured myself. 2023 was a pivotal year in the sense that the balance quickly shifted. I was beginning to see the limits of my progress in speed skating, and I was coping better and better with the demands of running. But trail running is above all an ideological choice: that of returning to the most natural practice possible, the one that will best exploit human potential, which will allow me to connect 
maximum meaning to my personal development.  

If we look closely, you don't pull this challenge out of nowhere because you've finished 1st of the Infernal Trail des Vosges in 28h24 in 2024. We imagine that you like long efforts, but why set out to achieve the d+ record? What attracted you? And how long does a specific preparation like this last? 

I still went quite quickly through the "stages", at least in those that common reason would like to impose on us. I experiment with everything that tempts me, from the shortest efforts to the longest. The most important criterion is that it must remain an adventure: the discovery of an event, of one's abilities, of oneself. By mixing my first trail experiences in the cauldron of my imagination, I began to see the 24-hour elevation gain appear. It titillated me. I felt that I had a good predisposition for this challenge; I wanted to see what I was capable of doing. I don't see training as a succession of specific preparations. For me, it's rather a continuous process that is tinged with the nuances of the next challenge. In 
As it happens, I started to mature the 24h project around the New Year. I gradually oriented my practice to be able to assimilate a lot of difference in altitude and, two months before the deadline (after The Last Survivor), I entered a truly specific phase with weeks of systematically more than 10 meters of positive and negative on the trails. 

Let’s move on to the nutrition side:  

Did you receive any nutritional/hydration advice for this record?

No, just personal choices from my experience. 

On the site Nutribay, the choice of brands and products is very wide. How did you make your choices?

I had two main criteria for my basic carbohydrate intake: a taste that wouldn't bore me, and logistical simplicity. The range Precision Fuel was perfect for that. For the gels : a light lemony taste, a fairly mild sweetness and texture, and above all a 90 gram pouch format that is both practical for eating and for keeping track of quantities. I also ate quite a lot of Baouw compotes and gels, to – to some extent – ​​regulate my blood sugar with more whole foods. This was also the purpose of the homemade mashed potatoes I had during the night. In addition, it allowed me to warm my stomach a little, just like the broth, to avoid digestive discomfort that can occur when you lose a few degrees.  

Generally speaking, everything had to be easy to swallow. I'm not a pizza person during ultras, even though I'd like to be... it's impossible for me to chew that kind of food. 

What products did you consume during the record? 

I didn't have a 24-hour nutrition plan, just a stash of foods I would choose to consume whenever I felt the need. Since I passed my aid station every 4 to 5 minutes, I could eat very regularly without carrying anything. I alternated between plain water, sugary drinks, gels, compotes, and more. 

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Do you have any idea either per hour or in total of your carbohydrate, caffeine (if you took it in certain products and at what time?) and sodium consumption? 

Overall, I consumed 74 g/h of carbohydrates. Sometimes much more. Towards the end, while Stéphane (Brogniart) encouraged me to eat, I was able to consume more than two 2g gourds and a bottle of carbohydrate drink in less than an hour, or more than 90g. Not sure if it had any physiological benefit, but I wasn't lacking sugar!  
I chose to have an independent contribution in electrolytes. Total: 3 capsules of 250 mg of sodium. I'm not someone who sweats a lot; I supplemented to ensure a decent base level.  
I kept caffeine as a wild card for the second part of the night and for the end of the test. In the end, I took 2 caffeinated gels. And despite the fact that I am usually very sensitive to it, I hardly felt any effects because my effort was so sustained and linear over the hours.  

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Below is my entire diet: 
13 PF 90 gels 
5 baouw gels - 30g 
8 baouw compotes - 15g 
2 neversecond C30 Caf gels 
0,4 liters of mash 
20 cl of soup 
3 glasses of coke - 50g 
600g of Carb PF powder - 38g per 100g 
That is 1778g - 74g/h of fast sugars 

The slope was very steep, remind us of the gradient. How did you manage to ingest gels, bars, compotes, or other foods? Which part of the slope did you manage to eat? 

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I ate exclusively on the way up. My crack team of refreshment drivers would run alongside me as I passed the refreshment station to hand me the products I requested, and I would eat without stopping. 
For foods that require a bit of rest, I took advantage of the few breaks at base camp to share tasks: massages, changes of clothes, mashed potatoes, changing headlamps, etc. 

Nutrition can be difficult during a 24-hour effort. Did you stick to your plan to the letter, or were there any deviations? Perhaps some indulgent foods to keep you going? 

As I said earlier, the plan is that there was no plan. I had planned a few slightly different "bonus" gels to possibly break the routine at certain times, but overall I consumed the same products during 24 hours. 

Nutribay wanted to support you in this project. Would you recommend the site, and why? 

What I like about Nutri-bay is the diversity of its offerings. It's really great to be able to order all the products you want to try from one place, and more importantly, the ones you've loved and use regularly.

Is there a phrase you kept repeating to yourself during the challenge? 

No, I don't have a particular mantra. I already deal with enough music that comes out of nowhere and gets stuck in your head and haunts you for hours.

Do you have a nickname that your trail running or runner friends give you?

My nickname within the gang is "the God+". For the community, I was baptized "the Architect" by Robin des genous in the GIF ;p  

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Congratulations again and see you soon!

Thank you!