“You Don’t Want Fueling To Become The Problem”

From caffeine strategy to race-day psychology, the Utah-based marathoners explain why the best fuel is often the one you barely notice.

Every marathoner eventually learns the same lesson: your legs are rarely the first thing to fail.

Often, it’s your stomach.

For professional runners Adam and Mica Wood, fueling isn’t about finding magic. It’s about removing variables.

Fresh off Mica’s race in Copenhagen, the Utah-based athletes sat down with UCAN to talk about marathon fueling, caffeine strategy, training at 100+ mile weeks, and why steady energy has become less of a luxury and more of a requirement.

“I Just Wanted Something That Sat Well On My Stomach.”

Like a lot of runners, Adam’s introduction to fueling started with trial and error.

Q: How did you first discover UCAN?

Adam: Honestly, I was just looking for a gel that sat well on my stomach. I went into a running store and started trying different ones, and UCAN was the one I liked most.

Mica: Once we started using it consistently in training, it just became part of the routine. When you’re training seriously, you go through a lot of fuel pretty quickly, so you notice what works and what doesn’t.

“You Don’t Want To Think About Fueling During A Race.”

For elite marathoners, fueling isn’t supposed to feel exciting. It’s supposed to feel predictable.

The less mental energy spent worrying about timing or whether a gel is going to sit properly, the more focus athletes can devote to racing itself.

Q: What stands out most about UCAN compared to other gels?

Adam: The texture is a big thing for me. When you’re running fast, it’s honestly hard to take anything in. But with UCAN I can take it quickly and not worry about choking it down or only getting half of it in.

Mica: The best word is probably steady. It’s not this huge spike or crash feeling. One gel gets me to the next one without drama.

“You want to worry about covering moves and hitting splits. You don’t want fueling to become the problem.”

That idea came up repeatedly throughout the conversation.

The Best Fueling Plan Is The One You Trust Enough To Ignore

There’s a psychological side to marathon fueling that recreational runners rarely hear elite athletes talk about.

The best fueling strategy isn’t necessarily the one that feels most aggressive. It’s the one that removes uncertainty.

Mica: You don’t want to overthink fueling during the race. Obviously you think about it some because it’s important, but you don’t want it taking over mentally.

Adam: Fueling should simplify things so you can focus on what actually matters in the race.

Fueling At Marathon Pace

Both runners fuel aggressively during races, combining gels with fluids and additional carbohydrates in bottles along the course. The objective is simple: maintain intake without creating friction.

Q: How strategic is fueling at the elite level?

Adam: That’s really the question elite athletes are asking: how many carbs can I take in efficiently without ruining my race?

Mica: Especially when you’re racing fast, you burn through fuel really quickly. Faster than people realize.

For her second marathon, Mica adjusted her fueling plan after learning some hard lessons the first time around.

Mica: In my first marathon, I got lazy with fueling because I felt fine early on. Then later you pay for it.

This time I was way more disciplined.

She also scaled back caffeine intake after realizing too much introduced unnecessary risk.

Mica: I had fewer caffeine gels this time and that settled a lot better for me.

The Caffeine Equation

Like most endurance athletes, both runners are still refining their caffeine strategy in real time.

Too little can leave performance on the table.
Too much can create a completely different set of problems.

Q: How do you approach caffeine during races?

Mica: I usually rely on coffee before the race, then one caffeine gel later on. I like saving it for the second half once I know my stomach feels good.

Adam: I’ll usually start introducing caffeine around 15K. I prefer smaller amounts consistently instead of one giant hit.

Race Morning Is Surprisingly Simple

Q: What does race morning look like for you?

Mica: Copenhagen started later than most marathons, which was actually nice. I woke up around 5:30, had oatmeal with peanut butter and banana, then coffee later on. I took a gel about 15 minutes before the start.

Adam: I’ll usually take a gel early in the morning too. Part of it is just getting my stomach ready to process fuel before the race starts.

Fueling Doesn’t End When The Run Does

For runners training at 90 to 115 miles per week, recovery nutrition becomes part of the job.

Not just after workouts, but between workouts.

Q: What does recovery look like during heavy training?

Adam: During marathon training I’m usually around 100 miles per week and peak around 115.

Mica: We’re usually lifting twice a week too, plus doubles. So having quick recovery options matters a lot.

Both runners pointed toward convenience as a surprisingly important part of recovery nutrition.

Adam: Training days get long. We’ll run, lift, sauna, and commute around. So having bars or a shake that’s quick and easy actually matters a lot.

Mica: Especially between double run days. Sometimes you just need something fast so you can recover and get ready to run again.

Running & Mental Health

Q: What role does running play in your mental health?

Adam: Running gives me something to look forward to. When you’re a kid, you look forward to birthdays or Christmas. Now I kind of look toward races that way.

It’s serious, but also fun at the same time.

Mica: And honestly, just being outside helps. Especially in Utah when it’s warm and everything’s green again. That part matters too.

Why Utah Has Become Running’s Creative Hub

Beyond their performances, Adam and Mica have become known for documenting training and racing online in a way that feels more human than polished.

That balance has helped shape a growing running culture in Utah that feels both elite and accessible at the same time.

Adam: The running community here is huge. There are elite runners, everyday runners, trail runners. It’s just a really good place to run.

Mica: Every time we travel somewhere, we’re like, “This is nice.” But then we come back to Utah and remember how good the running is here.

UCAN favorites (flavors + products)

Q: Do you have favorite UCAN flavors or products?

Adam: “Pineapple is my go-to during the race. I also really like the chocolate one in the morning. It’s kind of like brownie batter to me.”

“I’ll usually switch it up with orange mango too.”

Mica: “I like pineapple as well, and I also use the chocolate one before races. It just feels easy in the morning.”

On products beyond gels:

Adam: “The energy bars are really easy. The chocolate fudge ones are something I’ll just grab before I head out the door.”

“I also like the protein powder. Chocolate and cookies and cream are my go-tos.”

Mica: “Same. The protein shake is something I’ll usually have after workouts. It’s just simple and part of recovery.”