The Other Side of Recovery:

Tackling GI Stress with CurraNZ

Let’s talk about something a little less glamorous, but all too familiar for endurance athletes: gut issues.

GI stress has haunted many of my toughest training days and race efforts. You know the feeling, cramps, nausea, bloating, or that ominous “pit” in your stomach that makes every step feel like a gamble. It’s not just uncomfortable, it can derail your entire race. And for a long time, I just accepted it as part of the game.

But lately, that’s changed.

After my back-to-back efforts at Tiger Claw (the Ascent and the 50K), I wasn’t just monitoring muscle soreness and recovery - I was keeping an eye on how my gut handled the stress. Historically, races with extreme vertical gain, heat, races at altitude or long durations have triggered my GI issues. I’ve even been taking a break from super long training days and ultra long distances races (races of 80k or more) until I started to see some progress on these gut issues. In the weeks and months since my last big race, I’ve been experimenting with CurraNZ and noticing a difference.

Since integrating CurraNZ (New Zealand Blackcurrant extract) into my training and race routine, I’ve experienced fewer episodes of GI distress, even during big efforts. It felt like my body was able to digest more efficiently and handle the fueling demands of ultras with less backlash. Even on long days as it’s getting hotter, and as I increase my mileage.

I’ve been using CurraNZ daily, and in particular, doubling up on race days or my long run days - one dose in the morning and another an hour before go-time. Alongside physical recovery, it’s become a quiet hero in my GI recovery story.

The Science Behind It

There’s compelling science supporting this anecdotal shift. One of the most recent peer-reviewed publications on New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract (shared with me by the CurraNZ team) showed that these powerful berries may offer GI-protective properties by protecting against intestinal cell damage and gut permeability in the heat, while helping to slightly reduce the body’s deep body temperature.

In long-duration endurance sports, gut permeability increases due to heat and physical stress. This can lead to what’s often called “leaky gut,” where toxins escape into the bloodstream, causing discomfort, inflammation, and poor nutrient absorption. The polyphenols in CurraNZ seem to help reinforce gut lining integrity, by preventing heat-induced cell damage, reducing intestinal permeability and lowering the body’s stress response to heat stress.

A new study from Arizona State University is even expanding on this, applying a longer running protocol and a different dosing strategy to further explore the gut-health connection. I'm excited to see what emerges, because for so many athletes, performance isn’t just about muscles or mindset... it starts in the gut.

A Few Things That Help Me

Whether you're prepping for a 100-miler or a big alpine objective, here are a few GI-specific tools I rely on:

• Consistent fueling practice: I train with the same nutrition I race with, including quantities and timing.
  

• CurraNZ supplementation: Daily dosing of 7 days in the lead-up, with race-day double-ups. I had the opportunity to try this during a hard, race at altitude - The Vail Go Pro Games - where I competed in the fast and furious 20km. It was hot, a race at altitude (running between 8,500’ and 10,000’). Not only did I not experience gut issues, but my energy felt even and steady all day. I even placed 2nd 🥈
  

• Cooling strategies in heat: GI issues worsen with overheating. I use ice, cooling sleeves, and shaded gear to keep my core temp regulated.
  

• Post-race gut reset: I avoid heavy or fibrous foods for 12-24 hours after a hard effort and opt for simple, gut-friendly carbs and electrolytes.
  

Confidence with CurraNZ

If you’ve ever had to walk it in because your stomach revolted - or DNF’d because of relentless GI pain, I see you. It’s not just frustrating, it’s disheartening. But it doesn’t have to be your norm.

Performance starts from the inside out.

And with CurraNZ, I’m finding new ways to support my body so I can keep doing what I love, stronger, longer, and with fewer setbacks. In fact, after this last training block with CurraNZ, I’m not confident with my preparation to put a longer ultra race on the calendar - a 100km race in Corsica, France at the beginning of July. Wish me luck!

💜 Curious to try CurraNZ for yourself? CurraNZ has supplied a discount code for my friends and followers if they want to try the product and see for themselves (Use code HILLYGOAT at CurraNZ)

In the meantime, i’ll keep sharing what I learn, what works for me, and what the science says next.

Let’s keep learning, and gut-checking, together.