Enduro
How I fuel: Jonny Walker
The British enduro star on the benefits of an ice cold can of Red Bull, what to do when nature calls and the hardships of finding a decent airport sandwich.
Extreme enduro? Hard enduro? Whatever adjective you plaster in front of this sport, it will never truly do it justice. For this is arguably the toughest motorsport of them all. A gruelling battle of mind, body and bike, a test of technique and temperament where only the strongest can survive.
With that in mind, exactly what does it take to fuel yourself for seven hours of full-throttle riding across some of the gnarliest and varied terrain imaginable?
Jonny Walker knows. The 30-year-old Cumbrian not only lives and breathes enduro, but has won almost all there is to win in the game: multiple Red Bull Romaniacs, several British Championships, Red Bull Hell’s Gate, and The Tough One to name but a few.
Ahead of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, the 30-year-old Red Bull athlete, who currently resides in Andorra, reveals exactly how he’s fuelling for glory…
What does a regular day of eating look like?
I’ll normally start the day with a couple of eggs, possibly scrambled, and two or three slices of toast. At lunch it’s about taking on protein, so a chicken breast, potatoes and a salad, for instance. Carbs are to keep me going and the protein is to build me up. Then later in the evening, I may have steak, rice and vegetables. I actually eat more veg than fruit, although blueberries are good.
Jonny at the FIM SuperEnduro Prag, Czech Republic in 2016
© RedBullImageredits0
Lagares, Portugal, May 10 2019
© Future7Media / Red Bull Content Pool
Does your intake change throughout the season?
I’ve lost quite a bit of weight from where I was at last year, so my intake goes on how much I weigh. This year I’m working with a new trainer [former pro cyclist Ian Field] and the week before a race I’ll be on a new type of diet. I used to cut carbs close to an event, whereas he’s not having me do that. In fact, on the morning of the race it will be pasta for breakfast.
How does wolfing down pasta at 7am sound?
Honestly, I struggle to eat on race day as it is. That’s my biggest problem. I don’t know whether I’m nervous or what it is. I just can’t eat. I’ll just try to forget what I’m doing so I can take food on.
What do you drink during a training day?
I sometimes drink protein shakes but not religiously. I tend to drink water and Red Bull, often smashing a can before heading out on a ride. It’s great for events too – there’s nothing better than a cold Red Bull when you've finished a race.
Jonny Walker in action at GetzenRodeo 2019
© Future7Media/Red Bull Content Pool
But during the race you have a hydration pack?
We’ve got a drink system that goes straight into your mouth, yeah, so you’re drinking without realising you’re actually drinking.
Are you cautious not to overdo it for when nature calls?
It doesn’t matter, everyone just goes in their pants – you can’t lose that second!
After the crash we ate at the airport but I’d broken both of my hands, so my girlfriend was feeding me McDonald’s
Red Bull Romaniacs, Sibiu, Romania, August 3 2019
© Predrag Vuckovic/Red Bull Content Pool
Have you ever worked with a nutritionist?
I have in the past. But right now, I’m going with a cycling guy [Field] because I feel like they’re hardcore. There’s nobody who looks into fitness more than a cyclist. They’re so professional about it – they’re going to know what’s good and what’s not good for your body.
Ok, we’re coming over to your house. What’s your signature dish?
Probably steak. I’m quite good at cooking on the barbecue, so probably a bit of veg – broccoli, peppers and onion, I do like onion – with a fillet steak cooked on the barbecue. Medium rare. Potatoes, too.
Do you ever have cheat days?
Yeah. When I’m travelling I do eat badly because it’s so hard to eat well on the road. At least if you go to McDonald’s you know you’re going to get a burger which tastes really nice, even if it is unhealthy, whereas when you get an airport sandwich with wet bread, it’s ugh.
Walker post-race with broken hands in Poland, September 2018
© Jonny Walker
Didn’t you have a McDonald’s in the hours following a serious crash in 2018?
That’s right. I didn’t eat before the race and then I was in the middle of the race when I crashed. We ate at the airport, but I’d broken both of my hands, so my girlfriend was feeding me McDonald’s – a Big Tasty with Bacon if I remember. In the UK you can get good food on-the-go, whereas in, say, Spain you can get a ham and cheese sandwich and that’s it. It does my head in. You might as well just eat shit knowing you’re eating shit, rather than eat shit thinking you’re eating healthy.
Do you have a sweet tooth?
Nah not really. I do like chocolate, but I barely ever eat it because the chocolate here [Andorra] isn’t like the chocolate at home.
What’s the last thing you ate?
Chicken, salad and potatoes. And a bit of cake!