Backyard Ultra Nutrition Strategy: How Phil Gore Fuelled His World Record at Dead Cow Gully

When Phil Gore messaged me late one Friday night asking if I could step in to crew him at Dead Cow Gully (just hours before the event started), I had no idea I was about to witness history in the making. 

What unfolded over the next five days was nothing short of extraordinary.

Phil would go on to complete 119 yards, setting a new Backyard Ultra world record. I had the privilege of living it from the crew tent, supporting him, fuelling him, and witnessing firsthand the power of a well-executed plan.

A Last-Minute Call to Crew at Dead Cow Gully

Dead Cow Gully isn't your average backyard ultra. Held in the rolling countryside of Queensland, it has earned a reputation for attracting some of the most elite names in the sport. This year was no exception. With four athletes—Phil Gore, Sam Harvey, Harvey Lewis, and Merijn Geerts—each with a history of running over 100 yards, the international spotlight was firmly on the race. Add to that the impressive field of runners like Jennifer Russo and a highly supportive crowd, and it was clear something special was about to unfold.

I didn’t expect to be there.

At 7:30 pm on Friday night, I received a message from Phil, followed by a phone call from his wife, Gemma. She’d just injured her ankle and asked if there was any chance I could take her place and fly out the next morning to support Phil through the event.

I was at a friend’s house when the call came through. I paused, checked my calendar, and realised that with a few tweaks, I could make it work. I said yes.

I raced home, packed my bags, and just a few hours later, I was on a 6:00 am flight to Queensland, nervous but determined to step into a role that Gemma had mastered over many events.

I’ve worked with Phil on his nutrition strategy for years, and while I’d crewed for him briefly before, this was going to be an entirely new experience. The Backyard Ultra format is relentless. Runners complete a 6.7 km loop every hour on the hour until only one remains. With top contenders like Phil, this can mean days of running with little to no sleep for both the athlete and the crew.

I knew the physical demands would be high. But what weighed on me more was the responsibility. Gemma is an incredible support to Phil, calm, precise, and experienced. I didn’t know if I could fill her shoes.

“I knew I couldn’t fill Gemma’s shoes, but I knew I could bring everything I had.”

And with that, I landed at Dead Cow Gully, ready to do just that.

Fuelling for Ultra-Endurance: A Strategy Years in the Making

Phil and I have been working together for over three years. From the very beginning, it was clear he was already an exceptional athlete, but even exceptional athletes can leave performance gains on the table without a well-matched nutrition strategy.

With every Backyard Ultra he completed, we gained new insights. We tested and fine-tuned his carbohydrate intake, total calories, sodium needs, caffeine use, food choices, timing, and the types of fluids that supported his performance. We paid close attention to how his body responded during specific moments of fatigue, temperature changes, sleep deprivation, and even boredom.

By the time Dead Cow Gully rolled around, his strategy was rock solid. The only changes required were minor tweaks because we had already built a strong foundation over years of consistent experimentation and feedback.

Phil Gore’s Hourly Nutrition Plan:

• ~45 grams of carbohydrates
• 200–250 kcal
• 300–500mg sodium
• 5 grams of protein
• Fluid intake based on thirst

Phil is disciplined, curious and analytical. He wants to understand why something works. And because of that, we’ve developed a plan that’s not only effective but also sustainable, one that he trusts deeply.

His plan heading into Dead Cow Gully was the result of hundreds of loops, thousands of data points, and a deep understanding of what actually works for him.

Curious how to build a plan like this for yourself? That’s exactly what I help ultra runners do inside the Fuel To Thrive Academy.

Phil Gore fuelling in between loops at Dead Cow Gully. Photo credit: Calumn Hockey

From Precision to Flexibility: How Phil’s Gut Training Fuelled 100+ Hours of Running

One of the most impressive parts of Phil’s performance was just how smoothly the first 80 hours unfolded. He stuck to the plan with precision, eating, drinking, resting, and resetting between loops like clockwork. There were no adjustments, no signs of fatigue, and no issues with gut tolerance. Every loop was another data point confirming the strategy was working.

Then, something rare happened: his appetite increased.

Instead of dreading food, as many ultra runners do in the later stages of a Backyard, Phil started asking for seconds. His body was absorbing and utilising the fuel so well that he could tolerate more. It was a powerful sign that his energy systems were holding strong and his gut was functioning just as we’d trained it to.

We had to make a few small adjustments. The final night brought colder temperatures, which affected his fluid intake, causing him to naturally drink less of his liquid calories. We adjusted the energy balance by relying more heavily on solid food to meet his intake targets without overloading his stomach.

And then came the meat pie moment.

Around the 100-hour mark, I offered to grab pies from town for the crew. Phil read my message and said, “I’d love one too, if Gaby approves.” I paused. I genuinely thought he was joking. This was well outside the usual race-day menu, and Phil doesn’t typically deviate.

But he was serious. And after a quick mental check of how things were going —no gut issues, a great appetite, and stable energy —I gave it the green light.

He ate the pie. No issues.

“When he asked for a meat pie, I honestly thought he was joking. He wasn’t. He ate it. No issues. That’s how tuned in he is with his body, and how flexible the plan can be when the foundations are solid.”

By Day 5, he was not only still fuelling, but he was fuelling more. And that’s a powerful lesson for any ultra runner: when you train your gut and follow a strategy that’s personalised and practised, your nutrition becomes a performance advantage, not a liability.

Consistency Over Guesswork: The Nutrition Advantage Behind 119 Hours of Endurance

What set Phil apart in this race wasn’t just his physical fitness or mental strength, though both were undoubtedly impressive. It was his consistency, developed over years of experimentation, tracking, and refining.

Phil doesn’t just follow a plan; he believes in it. And that’s not because he forces himself to stick to something rigid out of sheer discipline. It’s because we’ve built a strategy that works for him. He trusts it. He knows how it makes him feel, how it supports him when the hours get long, and how it keeps him sharp when others start to fade.

Across 119 hours, there were:

• No bonking
• No mental lows
• Just calm, steady execution
  

There’s something incredibly powerful about watching someone operate with that level of certainty. He wasn’t guessing. He wasn’t winging it. And he wasn’t just surviving, he was still thriving.

“By Day 5, Phil reported feeling even stronger than on Day 1. That’s not luck, it’s the result of intentional preparation and a fuelling plan that supports endurance at the highest level.”

When your nutrition plan becomes second nature, it no longer feels like something you have to think about; it becomes a natural part of your daily routine. It becomes a source of energy, stability, and momentum. That’s what made the difference for Phil, and it’s what any endurance athlete can build with the right guidance and time.

Crew in action at Dead Cow Gully. Photo credit: Michael Bilboe 

How to Crew for an Ultra Runner: Lessons from the Crew Tent

I’ve always known how important crew can be to an athlete’s success, but this experience gave me a whole new appreciation for what it truly means. At a race like Dead Cow Gully, the demands are constant. The runner may be the one putting in the physical loops, but behind every loop is a team making sure those legs keep moving.

Phil is incredibly organised, and his crew boxes were clearly labelled with specific instructions. But even with that structure, executing the plan hour after hour requires effort, precision, and teamwork. And it’s not just about the athlete’s needs. The crew needs to be cared for, too, because when we’re running on empty, everything becomes harder.

This race gave me a new level of respect for Gemma, Phil’s wife and long-time crew lead. She’s usually the one managing all of this, with fewer people and less support. Knowing what it takes now, I’m even more in awe of how she’s done it so many times.

And I wasn’t doing this alone.

Erchana Murray-Bartlett and Calumn Hockey crewed from Saturday to Tuesday. I joined on Sunday morning. Tim Moffatt and Nathan Elliott supported from Tuesday to the end.

Nathan (a doctor and hypnotherapist) helped Phil maximise his 15-minute naps. Tim (who ran 42 yards himself) knew Phil well and was invaluable in the final 24 hours as we rotated duties and barely slept.

And when you’re crewing for someone chasing a world record, that level of dedication makes all the difference. From heating meals to massaging feet to keeping records and waking Phil up before each night loop, it’s a full-time operation.

Build Your Own Fuelling Strategy: What Every Ultra Runner Can Learn from Phil’s Success

Watching Phil execute his race with such calm confidence was a powerful reminder: great performances don’t happen by chance. They’re built on preparation, testing, and refinement, loop after loop, race after race.

But here’s the part that matters for you:
You don’t need years of work or world-record ambitions to start seeing results.

If you’re an ultra runner looking to go further, feel better, or simply stop guessing your nutrition, here’s what I want you to know:

• A solid plan beats winging it, every time.
  But it has to be your plan. Copying what someone else does won’t give you the same result. Your body, your needs, and your preferences matter.
• You don’t need to start with Phil’s level of detail.
  He’s been building and refining this for years. Start with structure: set fuelling goals, track what works, and notice how your body responds.
• Nutrition success comes from iteration, not perfection.
  What worked at hour 5 may not work at hour 35, and that’s okay. What matters is learning from every experience and using that insight to improve.

“Phil didn’t get here by accident. He got here by showing up, doing the work, and learning what his body needs loop after loop.”

His record-setting performance is the result of consistency, curiosity, and commitment. While not every runner will chase world records, every ultra runner has the capacity to build these qualities and unlock their own potential.

Phil Gore and Sam Harvey after establishing a new world record and before starting loop 118 . Photo credit: Tim Walsh

The Final Moments of a Record-Breaking Race: A Masterclass in Execution

As we approached the 119th yard, we genuinely believed the race might stretch on for another full day. Phil looked strong, focused, consistent, and surprisingly fresh, given he’d been running for over four days. Sam Harvey was still completing his loops with time to spare, and the energy in the tent was shifting toward long-haul mode. We were mentally preparing for another day and even night.

But in the Backyard format, everything can change in an instant.

As the bell rang for yard 119, Sam left the starting corral, but struggled to move far. His legs had simply given out. Watching him try to will his body forward, with his family by his side, was both powerful and heartbreaking. That’s the nature of this event: for one person to win, someone else has to reach their absolute limit.

We were, of course, thrilled for Phil. He calmly jogged off for his final and quickest loop, composed, efficient, and entirely in control. There were no dramatic scenes, no signs of struggle, just the same focused stride that had carried him through the previous 118 hours.

He finished yard 119 alone, setting a new world record with quiet strength and humility.

After the race, Phil showered, had his recovery shake, and rested. When I saw him the next day, I couldn’t quite believe it.

“When I saw Phil the next day, smiling and walking with ease, you’d never guess he’d just run for nearly five days straight.”

It was the perfect reminder that world-class performances don’t always look dramatic. Sometimes they look like someone doing exactly what they came to do, because they’ve done the work to make it possible.

Final Thoughts on Fuelling for Success in Backyard Ultras

Witnessing Phil’s discipline, composure, and unwavering focus over 119 hours was more than inspiring; it was a masterclass in the power of preparation.

This wasn’t just about pushing through pain or gritting his teeth until the finish. It was about setting himself up for success before the first loop even began. From his nutrition strategy to his mindset, everything had been thoughtfully considered, tested, and refined over time.

It reminded me of a quote I read recently by James Clear:

“Mental toughness is often framed as the perseverance that gets you across the finish line:

• Find a way to make it happen.
• Push through the pain.
• Grind it out to the end.

But most days, mental toughness isn't about crossing the finish line. It's about getting to the starting line:

• Show up when no one is watching.
• Keep your eye on the ball.
• Do a little bit every day.

Mental toughness is not skipping the days that are easy to skip.”

That’s what I saw in Phil.

He didn’t just show up to Dead Cow Gully with talent, he showed up with intention and a strategy built on years of consistent effort.

Ready to Build Your Own Fuelling Strategy?

If you're reading this and wondering what a strong fuelling strategy might look like for you, even if you’re not chasing a world record, I’d love to help you build one.

Let’s talk about what’s possible.

Book a free call to find out how I can support your training, racing, and potential.