THE MEAL: In 2008, Jornet took the ultrarunning world by storm with his precocious victory at the 104-mile Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, one of the world’s hardest races. He was 20. Since then the Spaniard has notched two additional wins at Mont Blanc. Then, in August, he ran up the 13,700-foot Grand Teton in a record-smashing 2 hours 54 minutes and, a week later, won Colorado’s Pikes Peak Marathon, a 26.2-mile race that climbs 7,700 feet. Jornet trains roughly six hours a day, most of that running uphill. In the summer, to refuel and cool down, he chugs an ice-cold glass of tomato, pepper, and cucumber gazpacho. “It’s a drink with a lot of vitamins, and very fresh in the summer,” says Jornet.
WHY IT WORKS: “I don’t know if Kilian realizes this,” says Korzun, “but he created his own sports drink.” Indeed, tomato, pepper, cucumber, and onion are all natural carb sources, and potassium—a key electrolyte—helps the body absorb water. What’s more, garlic contains antioxidants that help speed muscle repair.
SECRET INGREDIENT: A recent study found that lycopene, abundant in tomatoes, significantly reduced the quantity of toxic chemicals released by the body during intense exercise.
TOMATO, PEPPER, AND CUCUMBER GAZPACHO
1. In a large bowl, mix together one diced ripe tomato, 2 1/4 cups tomato juice, one diced bell pepper, one seeded and diced cucumber, half a white onion (minced), one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, two tablespoons of sherry vinegar, one teaspoon salt, and two tablespoons garlic.
2. Puree in a blender.
3. Refrigerate for four hours to allow the flavors to blend.
SERVINGS: Eight
CALORIES PER SERVING: 337