How many miles will you go before you fuel midrun? Do you always carry water on shorter runs?

ka97

janiep81 wrote: »

I experimented with a little snack on a recent long-ish run (for me) - 9 miles. I really don't like gels, etc., so I chose dried cranberries. It was awful. I can't handle chewing and running... I'm starting to reconsider gels.

Try out a few different brands and flavors. I don't like Hammer, and any "fruity" flavor makes me gag. But there are several flavors of GU that I actually like.

rightoncommander

Early morning runs of less than an hour, I don't fuel at all beforehand unless it's intervals or a threshold run, when I'll take a caffeine gel before heading out. I don't fuel on the run unless I'm carrying water as my gels are not isotonic and are unpleasantly sticky in my mouth if not washed down. I only carry water for runs over 2 hours, or 90 mins if it's a workout, but this is only so I can take my gels.

jacksonpt

Context - my longest run to date is a half, which I've done several times.


I never fuel before training runs. On an empty stomach, I'm good for 7-8 miles (1hr - 1:20ish) before I start to hit the wall. If that's my goal for the day, I take a caffeinated gel with me as a precaution, but I rarely need it. Anything longer than that and I fuel a bit more often, every 5ish miles depending on the run/course/race.

I never take fluids on my runs.

mbaker566

tufel wrote: »

Can i just say one thing: I am terrible about hydrating. I run 10 miles in the heat without drinking. I play tennis for hours and take a few sips on a few change-overs.
I got a kidney stone.
Now, I know they say that the development of kidney stones has more to do with what you take in (foods rich in oxalate, such as spinach) than what you do not take in (water). But I have very little family history and I am quite healthy. So, I cannot help but be a little suspicious that maybe my lizard tendencies had something to do with it.
Trust me, you do not want a kidney stone. Mine struck in the middle of the night. I felt what I thought was a cramp in my side. I figured cramps equal dehydrated. So I got out of bed and went downstairs for a drink.
By the time I got back up stairs, I could hardly move and I was vomiting. It was so painful, I thought it was the pain causing me to vomit. (Turns out, it is just another symptom, for another reason altogether) I knew what it was because of where I felt it, and so I called feebly to the wife to get up and help me to the hospital.
She looked at me, pitiful lump that I was on the bathroom floor, and basically accused me of being a wimp.
"You know," she says, "Jimmy-Lee [her coworker] had a kidney stone in the middle of the night. I think he drove himself to the hospital."
Fortunately, when I started to sob aloud, she relented.
The next day, she comes back and she says: "My bad. Turns out Jimmy was in such pain he could not even walk. So he crawled down the hallway of his apartment building, and down the stairs, and he knocked on the door of a complete stranger -- in the middle of the night -- and begged them to drive him to the hospital."
I know that, for myself, I try to stay quite hydrated, now.

I've had kidney stones and still little baby ones I can feel them moving thru now and then.
My doctor did say hydration and salt can definitely play a factor depending on the type of stone you have. Sodium increases the amount of calcium excreted by the kidneys. Hydration is a factor for uric kidney stones as it can decrease the acidity by diluting the urine. also, too much protien can lead to uric stones.
We were never sure if I had the calcium or the uric so now i have to be careful

lemurcat12

I never take fluid on a run, but for long runs (over 10 miles) I usually plan my route so I will pass a drinking fountain or more. I made an exception to this only once last year and I felt the need for water.

I never fuel on a run, but I haven't run more than about 14 miles. Back in 2006 when I trained for a marathon I think I did use a gel on the longest training runs and in the marathon itself. I will use them on the bike in a triathlon or long bike ride--I don't really like any of them, but some are much more palatable than others.

I will do a 6 mile or less run without eating anything, but I usually prefer to have at least a yogurt or banana first.

dperich1968

If I am running over 5miles I will eat something about 30mins before I head out and take water with me. I am rebuilding on my miles after finally being able to run again and will try out some GU's. I used to take sour jelly beans with me back in the day, mostly sucked on them until gone.

jchite84

I carry water on anything over 8 miles or any distance in temps over 90 degrees. On long runs (slow trail runs), which might last 4 - 5 hours I'll bring food. Real food. Pierogis, pot pies that I make in a muffin tin so they are single serving, crackers, nuts, hard-boiled eggs, etc. But I will eat something every hour.

If I run to eat and eat to live, am I running for my life?

lporter229

@jchite84 You take pierogies on your trail runs? That, right there, is awesome. You just made my day.

plateaued

For runs over one hour it's jelly beans for me. Every color. Yum!

ephiemarie

Unless it's ridiculously hot, I don't carry water for runs shorter than 5 miles. If I'm running 5-10 miles, I'll carry a handheld water bottle, and for longer runs I wear a 2-bottle hydration belt (one bottle of water and one of diluted Gatorade...and I take a swig of one at each mile, alternating between the 2...I'm a little OCD about it actually). I run mostly in rural areas where water would otherwise be inaccessible, and I sweat like crazy.

I don't pay much attention to what I eat before a run unless it's a race day, in which case I'll have coffee, a banana, and a PBJ about 60-90 minutes beforehand. I generally take fuel (Huma Chia gels are my current fave) around mile #7.

Also, I always have a cinnamon hard candy or sugar free bubble gum in my mouth when I run.

I think I might be high maintenance.

ejyennie

In winter, I never carry water for runs under eight miles. In summer, I sneak around and hide water along the route every four miles. I can't do gels: so I dilute gatorade for runs over ten miles.

nicolejo143

For long runs I carry a water belt that holds around 20 ounces. I run out of water around 9 miles usually and refill soon after. I usually never bring food or gels, but I ran 16 miles yesterday for the first time and I was starving after 10 miles, so I bought a powerbar with my emergency money and ate half of it. I also brought along some chewy gels and ate one of those every 4 miles. I ate a bagel and a banana before my run, but I still got really hungry. I will bring a little snack for my next long run.

rrcoffey

ephiemarie wrote: »

Unless it's ridiculously hot, I don't carry water for runs shorter than 5 miles. If I'm running 5-10 miles, I'll carry a handheld water bottle, and for longer runs I wear a 2-bottle hydration belt (one bottle of water and one of diluted Gatorade...and I take a swig of one at each mile, alternating between the 2...I'm a little OCD about it actually). I run mostly in rural areas where water would otherwise be inaccessible, and I sweat like crazy.

I don't pay much attention to what I eat before a run unless it's a race day, in which case I'll have coffee, a banana, and a PBJ about 60-90 minutes beforehand. I generally take fuel (Huma Chia gels are my current fave) around mile #7.

Also, I always have a cinnamon hard candy or sugar free bubble gum in my mouth when I run.

I think I might be high maintenance.

I think I just found my soul sister - LOL!