Running marathon distance or farther on only water

Hello,

I ran my second marathon in September and I run lots of 1/2 marathons and other distances on-down from there. I also like to read about endurance running. The general consensus in the literature is to start a 21 week marathon training program, you should be running a long run of eight miles minimum on a regular basis or without a tremendous amount of exertion. So, you more or less got that box checked. The good news is that you have 21 weeks to train and experiement with all the endurance drinks & supplements available to endurance athletes. You certainly don't want to start your expermenting on race day. I know only one marathoner who goes the distance on just water and sports drink. I have know idea how he does it. Nonetheless, I think your hesitation about endurance supplements has merit as I have struggled with over relying on them for performance and then having GI issues late in the race. The gels have high caloric content too, so naturally, you only want to take them if you need to do so -- the paradox here is that if you wait until you feel fatigued enough to take a gel, it's usually too late for it to reverse the problem. The human body is very bad at detecting dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. By the time runners are feeling that type of fatigue, there is no quick turn-around - it's a crash and burn. I suppose that's the beauty of 21 weeks of racking up miles under your feet, you'll also learn what supplements agree with your body and the optimal timing for their use. Although, I've trained for & completed only two full marathons, I do posess one gold nugget of wisdom that may help you: 13.1 miles is not half of 26.2. Not half in distance nor training required. Proper and diligent training/nutrition/hydration really, really payoff between mile 13.1 and 26.2. It will determine whether those miles are remembered as the most rewarding experience of your life or if they represent a dumb idea turned nightmare. Good luck to you. I think you are asking the right questions and I hope you see the advice of experienced runners.

I'm running my 1st marathon in less than 3 weeks. I couldn't imagine running 26.2 miles without proper hydration and fuel. I don't think it's wise to even give that a try. Best of luck to you!