Sports Gels
demon2run
Posts: 27
I've got my long run up to around the 12 - 15 mile mark in my marathon training. Currently I'm not taking any gels or water with me, but I think that by the time I get up to 26 miles I should be at least taking some gels and should try them now.
What's everyone's thoughts on these?
Any recommendations?
What's everyone's thoughts on these?
Any recommendations?
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Replies
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For me I don't worry about water or sports drink until over an hour. Gels for 15 and longer. I'll do water 69-75 minutes and water and Gatorade for anything longer. I used to do all my longer runs, even 20, with no gels. But then I realized learning to fuel is part of training, so now that is my routine0
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I seem to overheat really quickly and it can send my HR through the roof, so I now take juice or water with me when I go on a run.
I had a particularly nasty experience last summer though, when I went out for a 7 mile training run, didn't take any water with me and as it was a very warm day, I nearly fainted at mile 6 - I felt such a wimp :laugh:
Seriously though, that frightened me so I now carry my donut bottle with me on a run no matter the distance.0 -
Almost certainly another case of the right answer being different for every individual......that said I personally use some form of nutrition for anything over 90 minutes. If I'm well fed in the days leading up to the long run then I have to admit this isn't really needed physically but I like to try and replicate on long runs the fuelling I'll do in a race. If I've been eating at deficit in the days leading up to the long run then I do feel that in-run fuelling makes a difference to my endurance.
Up to 90mins I tend to just pop a jelly baby every 2kms. I like jelly babies. They taste good and taken in these volumes they don't cause any digestive discomfort whatsoever. It's also a little thing that adds a sort of achievement milestone - every 2kms I get a little reward.
If I'm going 2hrs + I'll throw in a gel. I don't truly know if this is doing me any benefit. I think of it as an insurance policy. I know I can handle 1 gel on top of the jelly babies with no digestive issues so I consume it. Maybe it helps, maybe its just a confidence booster.0 -
I seem to overheat really quickly and it can send my HR through the roof, so I now take juice or water with me when I go on a run.
I had a particularly nasty experience last summer though, when I went out for a 7 mile training run, didn't take any water with me and as it was a very warm day, I nearly fainted at mile 6 - I felt such a wimp :laugh:
Seriously though, that frightened me so I now carry my donut bottle with me on a run no matter the distance.
Heat injuries while running are not caused by insufficient water consumption. Heat while running is a function of running conditions (temperature, humidity, grade, wind) and exertion. This is why runners can lost up to 12% of their body mass in water and still complete the 26 mile marathon.
My former wife, RIP, was one of the few people who problems with overheating when she was in the Army so I'm familiar with the feeling and I know it can be a significant issue. Fortunately, most people don't have problems with overheating but we're still bombarded with admonitions to drink water when the only benefit is for the folks who sell you stuff.
The medical research is solid that when you're running you should "drink to thirst". If you're drinking more than that it's for psychological and emotional reasons.0 -
I've got my long run up to around the 12 - 15 mile mark in my marathon training. Currently I'm not taking any gels or water with me, but I think that by the time I get up to 26 miles I should be at least taking some gels and should try them now.
What's everyone's thoughts on these?
Any recommendations?
There are a myriad of ways to handle this, and it really seems to come down to individual preference. Our friend, CarsonRuns seems to go on forever without the need for water or nutrition, while others can't seem to handle three miles without chugging vast quantities of water or sport drinks. If you feel hungry during the last few miles, chances are that your body is telling you to provide some nutrition. I am a gel fan (Gu chocolate outrage is my favorite), but there are many different products out there that are worth you consideration. I recommend the book "The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition" by Matt Fitzgerald to help point you in the right direction, in terms of pre, during, and post race and training nutrition. I don't treat all his recommendations as gospel, but I have put some of his techniques into practice and they have worked well.
Good luck and have fun!0 -
Awesome -that information is great. I did a half two year ago and didn't drink or take gels and found it ok, I'm just worried about the last 6 miles.
Once my long run gets up around the 20 mile mark I'll see how my body takes it and decide then.I've got my long run up to around the 12 - 15 mile mark in my marathon training. Currently I'm not taking any gels or water with me, but I think that by the time I get up to 26 miles I should be at least taking some gels and should try them now.
What's everyone's thoughts on these?
Any recommendations?
There are a myriad of ways to handle this, and it really seems to come down to individual preference. Our friend, CarsonRuns seems to go on forever without the need for water or nutrition, while others can't seem to handle three miles without chugging vast quantities of water or sport drinks. If you feel hungry during the last few miles, chances are that your body is telling you to provide some nutrition. I am a gel fan (Gu chocolate outrage is my favorite), but there are many different products out there that are worth you consideration. I recommend the book "The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition" by Matt Fitzgerald to help point you in the right direction, in terms of pre, during, and post race and training nutrition. I don't treat all his recommendations as gospel, but I have put some of his techniques into practice and they have worked well.
Good luck and have fun!0 -
Just throwing another data point out there...
I am training for a half and my longest run is 11.3 and it took me 2 hours (yeah, I am slow). I have run 10+ miles 4 times so far, 8+ miles about a dozen times and nearly always without water. My biggest problem with water is that it always goes right through me. I don't hydrate heavily too close to when I start and I try to relieve myself right before I head out even if I don't feel like I need to. I would not want to take more than just a few sips of water unless I was very near the end.0 -
As I understand it, if you stay properly hydrated in general, you shouldn't need to take anything with you unless it's really hot/humid out during your run. I drink at least a gallon of water pretty much every day, throughout the day. I did a 17-mile run a few weeks ago and had nothing more than a cup of water before I left the house and had no issues,0
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Besides, it opens the door for another ritual. When I get home from a long run, I pour myself a large glass of water and take it with me to the shower, where I strip and weigh before drinking the water. Some people cry foul, but this virtually eliminates spikes. The weights I get are fairly consistent and lately are below my goal, so I am not using this to stretch for something I haven't quite reached. If I run at night, hydrate and have a snack after and then weigh again in the morning I will typically see a 2 pound jump (and lately still be at goal
). 0 -
During training i do long steady state runs with no carbs and minimal breakfast, like 200 cals. Of course if i am running more than 2 hours i will take at least one gel. I am always sip in water though. It is very hot in Houston, so it is kind of a must. When i do long runs with a pick up mid way, i take gels about every 30 minutes. I tried every 45 but wasnt as effective at stalling the crash. I used to hit the wall about mile 18, now its at 23 when i start really feeling the fatigue. I only run about a 9:30 pace for marathon, so that and my fitness level has an effect. You have to use training time to experiment and figure out your ritual for race day. Its been 5 years and 6 marathons for me and i still look for ways to improve.0
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During training i do long steady state runs with no carbs and minimal breakfast, like 200 cals. Of course if i am running more than 2 hours i will take at least one gel. I am always sip in water though. It is very hot in Houston, so it is kind of a must. When i do long runs with a pick up mid way, i take gels about every 30 minutes. I tried every 45 but wasnt as effective at stalling the crash. I used to hit the wall about mile 18, now its at 23 when i start really feeling the fatigue. I only run about a 9:30 pace for marathon, so that and my fitness level has an effect. You have to use training time to experiment and figure out your ritual for race day. Its been 5 years and 6 marathons for me and i still look for ways to improve.
For some reason my account, barrpc, say I de-activated it. New account is txguard610 -
I'm only training for a half, but have my long runs up to the 12-15 mile range too.
Water - I just take it for all long runs. I have a terrible problem with ending up with salt deposits on my face (really gritty and uncomfortable) so I replenish fluids while running and it seems to help. I have a nathan trail mix hydration belt with 2 10 oz bottles. I only drink both if it's really humid and awful.
Nutrition - unlike most people, I feel most any running problem can be fixed by eating a decent breakfast (generally at 5:30 am, an hour before I head out). I have oatmeal, a piece of fruit (today it was a peach from my CSA) and a cup of coffee. The coffee helps with my asthma too. I had to work to be able to eat breakfast before my long runs, but once it took it improved my energy level significantly. So now I don't need gels or that stuff. But for when I used to fuel mid run, I preferred Snap gummies to any gels or gus. That stuff is nasty! The Snap packages are easy to open mid run and fit inside my trail mix with my keys and subway pass. And I find them delicious and easy to eat while running.0 -
I am only training for a half. I used my first gel this past Saturday on my "long" run, I am only up to 7 miles but I figure I should start experimenting with them considering that I am a slower runner and that 7 miles is hitting the 90 minute mark for me, and I would prefer playing around with them and seeing what ones I like on the shorter runs, just incase I take one that messes with my tummy.
I used GU Chocolate Outrage, and it was good, but it was very thick.0
