Energy suppents for half marathon run

Saab_2015

I'm running a half marathon on Sunday and never had an energy supplement but feel I will need it.
Is a 3mile run ok to test? what am I testing for ? is it to make sure I don't feel sick ?

thanks

peleroja

Yes, you are testing it to make sure it agrees with you gastrointestinally. Some people are very sensitive to that while they're running and it is extremely uncomfortable to feel nauseated or have stomach pain/bathroom issues while racing. Some people find the caffeinated vs. non-caffeinated gels etc. also make a big difference.

If you have it and then immediately run, 3 miles is better than nothing, but it really is better to test it on a long run (as your digestion can get weirder and weirder the longer you run as your blood heads to your extremities.)

I'd be very wary of trying something new so close to a race, personally, but I'm not really experienced enough to give you further advice on it.

dragon_girl26

Have you been training for the half marathon consistently? If you have been and haven't needed any supplements so far, why would you think you need them now?

Saab_2015

The most I have run is 8 miles to date and didn't use any but as its 13.2 I feel like I might. It may be part nerves and listening to others but if I am to do was thinking if I should try first to see if it agrees with me. confused.com

kwtilbury

Many/most long distance races will have Powerade/Gatorade or the like. The half marathon in Nashville has those plus fruit and energy gels.

stealthq

Saab_2015 wrote: »

The most I have run is 8 miles to date and didn't use any but as its 13.2 I feel like I might. It may be part nerves and listening to others but if I am to do was thinking if I should try first to see if it agrees with me. confused.com

You probably won't need it. Anecdotally, it seems that somewhere around the 14-15 mile mark is where runners start to feel they need to supplement, but that may be influenced by training.

Personally, my longest run to date is 15mi, and I didn't notice a need for additional nutrition. I was cutting at the time, so it's not as though I had a surplus of energy stores.

There's no harm in taking supplements even if you don't need them, but the rest are right - you need to test them on a long run or you may be unpleasantly surprised during the race. Take it from me. Running with sudden intestinal issues is not fun. Not even if you happen to be running somewhere with Port-o-lets every mile or so, like I was. Longest. Half. Mile. Ever.