Runners/nutrionists

bex1086 · February 19

What is your take on fueling the longer runs that last an hour and a half to two hours? The ones you do as part of your training, not an actual race?

I've been led to believe by my running coach and everything I've seen online that no matter if it's a training run or a race you should have something past an hour and a half.

However, a discussion on another forum has promoted me to go digging as they adamant that by having something during the training runs I'm ruining my progress because my body isn't adapting and is just learning to run on sugar.

What are your thoughts?

Lietchi · February 19

I just know that if I don't consume anything during long runs, I feel bad (nauseous) near the end of my run and/or afterwards. I honestly don't care if anyone thinks I'm 'ruining' anything by having an electrolyte/energy gel, I simply don't enjoy feeling bad!

I don't have any competitive goals, I just compete with myself - perhaps it's different for professional runners (but I presume they have real coaches and don't look for fueling strategies online).

I will also say that even if they're right about the body adapting to burning fat, that won't solve any issues you might have relating to a lack of electrolytes from sweating - you still need to replenish your electrolytes.

dmkoenig · February 19

The short answer is that you are not ruining anything by eating on a longer run. The longer answer is there are a number of factors that go into whether you need to eat anything during a lower intensity long run. An early morning run on an empty stomach when your liver glycogen levels have been depleted will likely require some nutrition, while running later in the day after you have had a good meal it may not be necessary. Some people tolerate eating on a run better than others. Running in the heat will definitely benefit from electrolyte supplementation. Here's a good article that talks about eating timing and run duration consideraqtions. https://runnersconnect.net/what-to-eat-before-a-run/

AnnPT77 · February 19

Certainly, if you plan to use some kind of nutrition during actual races, it would be a really good idea to at least test out those foods/supplements and accustom your body to them on longer training runs. Trying out a fueling strategy on race day is a poor plan, generally.

If I were you, I'd listen to the coach over some online forum - this one or another one, doesn't matter. Why have a coach, if not following their advice?

I strongly suspect that that the discussion on another forum is influenced by the low carb/keto or time-restricted eating ideas that not fueling helps the body become fat adapted.

I'm not a professional, and my sport is short-endurance, but from what I've read the research evidence is mixed for/against low-carb/keto diets' effectiveness for endurance athletes. I know that even some keto endurance athletes time some carbs around races, including during the race. IMU, most elite endurance athletes still use carb-based fueling strategies in general, and also use balanced-macros nutrition overall. . . and they have the best professional expertise and advice available to them.

I don't know your situation in the sport, but I'm always skeptical when someone tells me - a regular duffer participant in my sport - that I should use general training strategies or nutrition different from high performers and elites in my sport. Not everyone will agree with that philosophy, though.

littlegreenparrot1 · February 22

I like to run long distances, don't care about times, and go by personal experience.
I wouldn't bother with anything specific for a couple of hours. I run trails, so have a biscuit in my pocket and water in case I want it and am miles from anywhere, but wouldn't usually eat it. Prefer normal food to gels.

Those long runs are at the weekend and I will have had breakfast before hand. I can go a long way on a bowl of porridge. And usually the route has been carefully worked out to finish up near a nice cafe

Part of training for me is experimentation, see how you go either way then you know what suits you best.

bex1086 · February 23

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Certainly, if you plan to use some kind of nutrition during actual races, it would be a really good idea to at least test out those foods/supplements and accustom your body to them on longer training runs. Trying out a fueling strategy on race day is a poor plan, generally.

If I were you, I'd listen to the coach over some online forum - this one or another one, doesn't matter. Why have a coach, if not following their advice?

I strongly suspect that that the discussion on another forum is influenced by the low carb/keto or time-restricted eating ideas that not fueling helps the body become fat adapted.

Yes it's exactly that, training your body to become fat adapted or something like that anyway.

But really what does it actually matter, the only thing I'm doing by fueling during my runs is putting calories in, if I'm ok with that then it does make any difference, I'm getting to the end one way or another.

I'm competing against myself and being a working parent there is only so much time in the week I have to dedicate to running especially when I want to keep the strength training up as well.

I trust my coach, she's done a lot for some really good runners who are now going on to be more professional, you don't get that from having a rubbish coach! She got me through my first half marathon and although I struggled towards the end, I completed it and in a pretty good time too.

I've left the discussion now anyway, I had some useful stuff to think about but it was mostly just people saying how *kitten* my weekly mileage was, my coach was when actually that was never part of the question I asked in the first place so it's absolutely pointless continuing. If I'm doing it wrong then I'll find out the hard way but that's my choice to make.

Hopefully I will complete my autumn marathon in a not too shabby time. I have some shorter races along the way to build me up and keep me motivated.

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