Savilia Blunk just wrapped two months of back-to-back World Cup racing across Europe. She talks us through the nutrition habits, travel rituals, and small daily decisions that kept her thriving through one of the most transformative blocks of her career.
Savilia: I'm just closing up a massive two-month Europe block from Nove Mesto to Pal Arinsal and what feels like the most transformative racing period I've had. Having so many race opportunities back to back gave me the chance to build on my confidence, race tactics, and belief. The biggest growth I've felt has been a confidence shift in racing to win, and really believing in it. I've felt years of my race experience, mistakes learned, and mental stamina just click in the past few races and it's been super rewarding.
FUELING FOR XCO
A lot of my fueling for XCO racing happens before the race, eating a high-carb diet the days leading into a double-header race weekend. I shoot for 10g carbs/kg body weight a couple days leading into the race. For race fuel, I've found what works, and I've stuck to that the past couple seasons.
It's RunGum extra strength caffeine gum before the start, Skratch Lemon Lime drink mix in the bottles, and Amacx gels during the race. I get in 75g carb per hour between my drink mix and gels during the race.
TRAVEL DAYS
Striking the balance of intense focus during race week and soft recalibration after the weekend is key to me staying fresh and able to perform, train, and recover with limited time between races. I try to bank sleep before race weekends and pack good food from home for the travel days, staying hydrated throughout. I like to start my travel day with warm lemon water and a good breakfast — I never try to eat less just because it's an "easy" day. Usually my body's still recovering from training the prior days, and I'm trying to go into the weekend properly fueled.
Thursday of race week I start to cut back on the fiber, and my diet becomes more simple — carbs, protein, some cooked vegetables. It's not that exciting, but it makes it simple, and it's only for 3 days.
TRAVEL NUTRITION
I've been carrying around the same little insulated lunchbox bag since high school — amazingly it's held up and carries some crucial items. I usually pack a Kyoko packet for on-the-go nutrients, some favorite teas, a few protein bars (Promix Mexican Hot Chocolate and Mint Chocolate, Send Bars, or Maui Nui are my favorites), and always a little ziplock with an overnight oats mixture — quick oats, chia seed, cinnamon, dates, nuts. I can get hot water in the airport and make my breakfast when I get through security. I also never leave without my tupperware (usually with lunch in it) and my thermos. Basically my bag is really heavy and full of snacks.
RECOVERING BETWEEN ROUNDS
After Leogang, we went straight into Lenzerheide World Cup. The Monday after Leogang, we drove to Switzerland. I was super sore from my crash and the race — I took a day off and spent some quiet time outside, just letting my mind and body come down from the weekend and reset. This is really helpful for me when we're racing back-to-back. The race weekends are super intense with a lot of different pulls on your energy. To be able to mentally and physically recover and be ready to perform again, it's really important for me to downregulate like this.
With nutrition, it's also the time to totally nourish my body with all the micronutrients and veggies, healthy fats, good protein, carbs. After a weekend eating pretty low fiber, lots of rice and chicken, my body craves this.
MY TRAVEL HACKS
Travel with your own pillow. Overnight oat mixture in a ziplock — sometimes this lives in my backpack for a couple weeks, but it always comes in handy. Eye mask and earplugs, always. Daily electrolytes in the bag — Nuun Immunity, Liquid IV, Mortal.
RACE MORNING ROUTINE
Pre-race pancakes have been my go-to this race block. I packed over a bag of GF pancake mix which just lasted me through Andorra. Easy to digest and easy to make. Race morning it's pancakes, banana, honey, then I slurp some bicarb a little later. Once I'm on the rollers, I start taking caffeine with RunGum Extra Strength and Skratch in my bottles.
The last few rounds have been especially hot. My cooling protocol starts early, trying to keep my core temperature as cool as possible throughout the morning. Then, when I arrive at the pits before the race, I use my ice vest and ice socks on the neck and around the wrists.
