Effort management and nutrition: Théo Detienne’s strategies at the Grand Trail des Templiers

The Course des Templiers, one of the most famous trail events in France, takes place every year in Millau, in Aveyron. It offers a demanding course through the Causses and Cévennes, mixing technical trails, steep climbs and dizzying descents. Created in 1995, this race now attracts thousands of participants from all over France and some neighboring countries. The event includes several race formats, adapted to different levels of runners, ranging from ultra-trail to shorter distances.

Théo Detienne is a French trail running athlete, member of the Team New Balance. He distinguished himself in several trail competitions, notably with a victory in the Trail Alsace Grand Est format 100K by UTMB in 2024, where he covered 114 km with 4000m of positive elevation gain. He also obtained good places in other prestigious races such as the Mont Blanc Marathon and the Trail du Galibier. Although he runs on formats ranging from 50 km to 100 km, he is considering even longer distances in the years to come. We collected his impressions on this Grand Trail des Templiers, after his great 5th place, with a fast start as usual!

How did you approach this race as a whole, knowing that it was a goal for you this year and that you hadn't run a competition this summer?

I approached this race with a lot of calm. I had wanted to take part in it for a while because it is a legendary and very demanding event. I had prepared well for it, even if there are still points to improve for next time!

How do you manage your nutrition during races? Are you accompanied by someone, or does Overstim's advise you directly?

I plan my nutrition based on what I have tested in training and my past experiences. Overstim's provides me with suitable products, but this is an area that I adapt depending on each race. On this race, Templars, the intensity is so high that I was surprised on a few points which will allow me to improve them for the future, particularly on the quantity to be adapted.

Have you always been supported with nutrition?

Yes, I receive follow-up throughout the year and I regularly provide feedback on the products. Overstim's that I use.

What was your nutrition plan for this particular race?

I had planned to consume 90g of carbohydrates per hour, mainly with the ULTRA drink and gels. I used different types of gels depending on the sections of the race: gels with caffeine, Energix, and "Whiplash" gels who helped me a lot.

Did everything go as planned with your nutrition plan, or did you encounter any difficulties?

The intensity was higher than expected, which caused me to have hypoglycemia. I had to increase my intake to 110g of carbohydrates per hour for the last three hours of the race to compensate.

Do you take into account your electrolyte intake, such as sodium, during long distances?

Yes, it is crucial for me, and the ULTRA drink perfectly meets this need.

What nutritional mistakes have you made, and how did you correct them?

My main mistakes were not adapting my nutrition to the weather conditions, which influences my absorption capacity.

Have you ever had to adapt your nutrition plan during a race because of an unforeseen event, such as a lack of supplies or sudden fatigue?

Yes, almost every race! Especially at the Templiers, real-time adaptation is often necessary because everything never goes exactly as planned.

What do you do if you encounter digestive problems during a trail? How do you anticipate them?

I anticipate by adjusting my intake, but if it happens, I try to slow down and favor products that are easier to digest.

How do you feel after this Grand Trail des Templiers?

It was an extremely intense race, both muscularly and energetically. I learned a lot about myself and how to manage my effort during the race.

Do you think you will come back next year?

The desire to come back is obvious seeing how my start to the season goes next year!

We wish Théo a good recovery and we thank him for sharing his experience on the Grand Trail of the Templars 80km and 3430m of D+! See you next year.