Fueling an Extraordinary Journey: Zach Vella’s 2,700km Challenge

This blog series will follow the journey behind an extraordinary challenge for a good cause: Zach Vella’s 2,700 km run from YMCA London to YMCAMalta. From the early stages of preparation to the realities of the challenge itself, these posts will offer an insight into how nutrition supports performance, recovery and overall health during ultra-endurance events.

Welbee’s is proud to be supporting Zach’s journey from start to finish, in collaboration with Homebound.mt, founded by Zach, backing this incredible challenge for a great cause.

As the sports nutritionist supporting Zach throughout this journey, I’ll be sharing the key steps we’ve taken along the way — starting long before the first kilometre is even run.

Preparing for an ultra-endurance challenge like this takes far more than strong legs and determination. Behind the scenes, preparation begins months before the start line.

I began working with Zach seven months before the challenge, startingwith an in-depth look at his current eating habits. By recording his foodintake, we were able to understand what a typical day looked like andidentify strengths, gaps and opportunities to improve his nutrition before the heavy training began.

Before discussing race fuelling strategies or specialised sports products,we focused on something much more fundamental: a healthy, balanced diet.

Zach will run 2,700 km from London to Malta, crossing England, France, Switzerland and Italy over seven weeks, to raise €100,000 for YMCA Malta, supporting vital housing and community services.

In sport nutrition, this foundation is essential. No fuelling strategy can compensate for poor everyday nutrition. As the saying goes, you can’t outrun an unhealthy diet.

For endurance training, carbohydrates play a key role as the body’s main source of energy. Whole grain options such as whole grain pasta, brown rice, whole grain bread, porridge oats and potatoes with their skin provide long-lasting energy to support training.

We also ensured that protein was included regularly throughout the day to support muscle repair and recovery. This included foods such as chicken, fish, meat, eggs, dairy products like milk, yoghurt and cheese, as well as plant-based options like beans, chickpeas and lentils.

Healthy fats were another important focus. Foods rich in unsaturated fats, including avocado, salmon, nuts, seeds and olive oil, support hormone production, vitamin absorption and provide additional energy.

Of course, no balanced diet is complete without plenty of fruit and vegetables, which provide essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to support immune health and help the body cope with training demands.

Hydration was also key. Water and electrolytes play a vital role in optimal body function, temperature regulation and performance.

During this stage, we also carried out a body composition analysis to understand Zach’s starting point and help guide our nutrition strategy.

With these foundations in place, we could then move on to the next phase: turning a healthy diet into a performance-focused fuelling.

Follow Zach’s journey & donate here: https://www.homebound.mt/