Petri Nukarinen, an ultra runner from Finland, has an intriguing journey in the realm of endurance sports, particularly in relation to his dietary and nutritional approach.

Hailing from Nokia, Finland, Petri, a software engineer and director at a small company, lives with his wife, two sons, and two guinea pigs. His sports journey began with martial arts and weightlifting around 2000. However, for the past decade, he's focused on endurance sports, with a particular emphasis on ultra running starting around 2004-2005.

Initially, Petri followed a conventional diet, fueling his races with sugar gels. This approach, however, led to significant challenges, including a failed 100-mile trail race due to severe stomach issues. He also experienced bonking (a term for hitting a wall in endurance sports) and gastrointestinal problems.

Petri's turning point came in 2016 when he read "Primal Endurance," a book introducing the paleo diet and training. This led him to adopt a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet (LCHF), resulting in a loss of 22 pounds of body fat in three months without specifically aiming for weight loss. This dietary shift significantly improved his training and recovery.

Intrigued by the Optimized Fat Metabolism (OFM) protocol and inspired by athletes like Jeff Browning, Petri delved into using Vespa, a product claimed to boost performance in fat-adapted athletes. Although initially skeptical, he found that Vespa provided him with more stable energy during long training sessions and improved recovery times, reducing his need for constant eating.

Remarkably, Petri's switch to a low-carb approach and Vespa usage also led to the elimination of his severe migraines and an easier fat loss. His recovery time post-races shortened from weeks to just days, and he experienced less swelling in his legs.

Looking forward, Petri plans to participate in a special 100-mile race in Lapland, a Western States 100 qualifying race. He also has ambitions for the internal 200-kilometer race in France and UTMB in 2022.

Petri advocates for Vespa and the low-carb approach for anyone aspiring to become a fat-adapted athlete, suggesting that Vespa can be beneficial both during the initial adaptation phase and after becoming fully adapted. His story is a testament to the power of dietary changes in enhancing athletic performance and overall health.