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The Sydney Morning Herald
· collected 2026-10-10 · by Nicole Economos
Chef Jake Smyth, 44, details her pre-ultra-marathon diet, fasting until 2 PM and consuming a mix of foods including pizza with nduja and stracciatella, tuna crackers, beef stroganoff, and dark chocolate. Nutritionist Dr. Joanna McMillan advises that while acknowledging the shift to easily digestible carbohydrates before endurance events, Jake’s late start to eating may result in insufficient carb intake for such a long race. She recommends increasing carbohydrate-rich foods like toast or pasta leading up to the event.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Jake Smyth, a 44-year-old chef at Mary’s Hot Pizza in Sydney, detailed his unusual diet ahead of his first ultra-marathon. He starts fasting from early morning until 2pm, breaking it with slices of the restaurant's signature pizza pie. Nutritionist Dr Joanna McMillan advises against this routine before an endurance event, suggesting a higher intake of easily digestible carbohydrates to maximize energy stores instead. Smyth’s day includes meals like rice crackers with tuna and beans, beef stroganoff with white rice, and ends with Lindt dark chocolate and peanut butter for dinner. The expert suggests focusing more on carbohydrate-rich foods such as toast, bananas, pasta, or crumpets in the days leading up to the race to ensure optimal performance.
Written for “Pre Race Diet Mistakes” on 2026-10-10,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
The 44-year-old shares her day on a plate.
asserted
old → share → plate
I wake early to get the doughs on at Mary’s Hot Pizza.
asserted
doughs → wake → Pizza
I fast until mid-afternoon.
asserted
I → fast → afternoon
I know to purists this technically breaks my fast, but it tastes good.
asserted
it → know → fast
Slice of Mary’s Hot & Cold pizza pie, which we top with tomato sugo, nduja, stracciatella and chives.
asserted
we → top → sugo
5.30pm Rice crackers with tuna, cannellini beans and salad greens, with mayo because I’m not a psycho
asserted
I → ’m → mayo
Did I mention I am running my first ultra-marathon tomorrow?
asserted
I → mention → marathon
This means I get to eat lots of carbs.
asserted
I → mean → carbs
Dr Joanna McMillan says:
Top marks for … Recognising that the day before a major endurance event calls for a different approach.
asserted
day → say → approach
I’d normally be encouraging more fibre-rich whole plant foods, but pre-race the priority shifts to easily digested carbohydrate to top up glycogen stores while keeping gut residue lower – useful when gut symptoms are so common in athletes.
If you keep eating like this you’ll … Possibly reach the start line with less fuel on board than you think.
uncertain
you → encourage → board
Despite the pizza pie and rice, fasting until 2pm leaves surprisingly few opportunities to eat enough carbohydrate for such a long event, although portion sizes obviously make a big difference.
asserted
sizes → fast → difference
Why don’t you try … Putting the fasting routine aside for the day or two before an ultra-marathon and spreading familiar carbohydrate-rich foods across the day; toast, bananas, rice, pasta or crumpets, for example.
asserted
you → try → example
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asserted
best → get → inbox
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