At IKU we like to think of ourselves as a healthy and active bunch, (trying to practise what we preach), but then we had a chat to friend-of-the-team, Rory Warnock, and realised there’s still a lot to learn.

Rory is an ultra-runner and breathwork coach, and for him endurance isn’t just about clocking up the miles—it’s about how you fuel your body, control your breath and gain mental fortitude from the challenge.

As someone who pushes the limits of human performance, Rory has fine-tuned his approach to nutrition and recovery to go the distance. In this interview, he shares how breathwork has transformed his running, the role nutrition plays in sustaining peak performance, and his go-to strategies for staying strong—physically and mentally—through every stride.

What inspired you to start running ultramarathons?

It all happened very randomly, if I’m being honest. Before 2021 the furthest I’d run was one half marathon back in the UK. During Covid, like many people, I was running to focus on my mental health and to pass the time. I was spending quite a bit of time reading about Breathwork for athletic performance, and I was speaking about the science and the information that I learnt on my Instagram. A running coach, Greg Pearson, noticed what I was posting and asked to grab a coffee. We spoke about running and the benefits of nasal breathing for athletic performance and endurance athletes. He mentioned that he was competing in a 100 km race in the Blue Mountains in May. I thought it sounded incredible but way out of my league. Candidly, he offered to coach me. Without thinking too much about it, I said yes. I ended up running my first 100 km race in 13.5 hours and was instantly hooked. Initially, I thought I was just ticking a box, but quickly after completing the race, I was already looking at future events. Personally, running is about mental clarity and internal pride. The physical benefits come secondary.

What key preparations do you undertake mentally, physically and biologically/dietary for a big race?
Every event is unique whether it’s a single day or a multi day, whether it’s in the mountains, desert, or bush. Each has its unique challenges. Physically, recovery is incredibly important so that I’m able to train and compete at my best on my easy day/week. Nutrition, down-regulating breathwork, sauna and stretching are my priorities. Mentally, I’ll create a ‘game plan’ before the race begins. For example, when am I eating? What am I eating? When am I listening to music?

How important is nutrition in your training and race performance?
Nutrition is hugely important for training and during races. For the body to do what you want it to do, correct fueling is fundamental. For training days, I’m mindful of what I have for dinner the previous night, I’m mindful of my breakfast before I train, and I’m mindful of what I consume after training to enhance recovery. For any training run over an hour, I’ll take gels with me, too. For anything under an hour, I won’t need gels. I’d highly recommend correct fueling and don’t try to train fasted.

What does your typical daily diet look like when preparing for a race?
I’m definitely not the perfect human and I could always improve what I consume, but on a good day it looks like this…6am wake up, hydrate and consume 1 bagel with jam + banana. I’ll walk my dog and let it digest. 7am run 12km easy. 8am high protein meal with carbs. 11am protein shake, 2pm, sandwich from one of my go-to deli spots in Sydney. 3pm full body strength session, 6pm high protein dinner of some kind with pasta to fuel for the following day. This is a fairly standard day all year round.

How do you fuel your body during an ultramarathon?
I’ve experimented with many things but have found gels and liquid calories are the best for me. I can consume them quickly, with less effort and less faffing around. I’ve tried bars for years but have recently become aware that I’m just not great at getting them in. During checkpoints, I’ll look to consume more solid foods such as crumpets, sandwiches, muffins, and even cans of coke. I’m definitely not a nutritionist, and sometimes during long distance events your mind and body craves certain foods and drinks. You’re depleted in salts and sugars, which is why a can of coke tastes heavenly!

What role does food play in your recovery after a long run?
A long run differs from person to person, but for me, it’s roughly anything over 20km. I burn more than I can consume, which is why it’s so vital to replenish the stores once you’ve finished the run. To ensure you can perform day in and day out, recovery is key. As soon as I finish, I’ll consume a protein shake and hydrate. As I’ve just burnt about 4,000 calories, I’m not too precious with what I eat. As long as it’s high in protein, carbs and fats, I’ll get it in.

What’s one piece of nutrition advice you’d give to aspiring endurance runners?
Don’t overlook nutrition. To perform at your best, you must give your muscles the fuel it needs. It’s taken me a while to really get my head around the importance of proper fueling. Once it clicked, it was a game changer, and I’ve noticed a huge improvement in my training, recovery and races. Explore and experiment with different food and gels, find what works and stick to it!