Forums >Racing>How much to eat in 12 hr race?
This isn't any different in the marathon. Most marathon training programs advocate getting your fueling routine down before race day, including how often, what type, etc. I've never heard anyone tell me they won't run a marathon because they don't want to worry about eating. Until you get above 50 miles or probably somewhere over 12 hours your fueling strategy won't be significantly different from the marathon, take a gel every 20-40 minutes and the beverage of your choosing. Some people turn fueling into an obsession, but it doesn't need to be any more important than what clothes or shoes you wear on race day. BTW, if you want to read about what truly goes into a perfectly executed ultra- check out Pam Smith's WS100 race strategy recap.
This isn't any different in the marathon. Most marathon training programs advocate getting your fueling routine down before race day, including how often, what type, etc. I've never heard anyone tell me they won't run a marathon because they don't want to worry about eating.
Until you get above 50 miles or probably somewhere over 12 hours your fueling strategy won't be significantly different from the marathon, take a gel every 20-40 minutes and the beverage of your choosing. Some people turn fueling into an obsession, but it doesn't need to be any more important than what clothes or shoes you wear on race day.
BTW, if you want to read about what truly goes into a perfectly executed ultra- check out Pam Smith's WS100 race strategy recap.
22 pages double-spaced. GOOD GRIEF.
MTA: Having skimmed it, I will say that one cool thing about ultrarunning is that there is more room for surprise upsets. I don't know of too many examples in T&F where a person predicted to go 14th ends up the winner. A lot of room for a hobby jogger to work hard, improve herself and do something impressive.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
Sometimes a Triple Caffenated expresso shot gel.
Sometimes just a good slug of Pepto
Yes. And going around a short loop (especially a 400m track) for 24 hours is even funnerer. I fuel for a 12 hour the way I fuel for a half marathon, the way I fuel for a marathon, the way I fuel for a 100 miler, the way I fuel for a 24 hour. One gel every 40 minutes. Sometimes I drink water, sometimes I do sports drink, sometimes I do ginger ale (good for a queasy stomach), and sometimes I do Mountain Dew (white trash rocket fuel!). I let my body tell me what I need. I will sometimes have the urge for real food later in a long race. Twizzlers or chips do the job. I don't over think this. My body lets me know what it needs. I have no idea how many calories I am burning, I have no idea how many calories I consume. The only time I get in trouble with this plan (and this shamefully happens way too often), is when I don't keep to my gu schedule. "I'll take one next lap", "I'll get to it in a minute". Sometimes simple tasks seem like extraordinary efforts when all you are trying to do is run. When I am disciplined and on schedule, this works perfectly for me.
Yes. And going around a short loop (especially a 400m track) for 24 hours is even funnerer.
I fuel for a 12 hour the way I fuel for a half marathon, the way I fuel for a marathon, the way I fuel for a 100 miler, the way I fuel for a 24 hour. One gel every 40 minutes. Sometimes I drink water, sometimes I do sports drink, sometimes I do ginger ale (good for a queasy stomach), and sometimes I do Mountain Dew (white trash rocket fuel!). I let my body tell me what I need. I will sometimes have the urge for real food later in a long race. Twizzlers or chips do the job. I don't over think this. My body lets me know what it needs. I have no idea how many calories I am burning, I have no idea how many calories I consume.
The only time I get in trouble with this plan (and this shamefully happens way too often), is when I don't keep to my gu schedule. "I'll take one next lap", "I'll get to it in a minute". Sometimes simple tasks seem like extraordinary efforts when all you are trying to do is run. When I am disciplined and on schedule, this works perfectly for me.
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
I plan to try and eat a certain # of calories per hour. 300-500.
I plan on the possible ways to get these calories - for me
* Endurox
* Heed
* gels
* ham and cheese
* banana
* soda
* noodles or ramen noodles
I try to avoid candy ... unless it is the only think that looks good
If I ever return to 12/24 hour events I may experiement with less calories 200-300 range.
22 pages double-spaced. GOOD GRIEF. MTA: Having skimmed it, I will say that one cool thing about ultrarunning is that there is more room for surprise upsets. I don't know of too many examples in T&F where a person predicted to go 14th ends up the winner. A lot of room for a hobby jogger to work hard, improve herself and do something impressive.
I wouldn't have picked Pam to win either, but she's no hobbyjogger (or maybe I misunderstood). She's been top 10 at WS more than once before. She had a bad race last year, and put everything into it for this year. It was really great to see. But no, generally, she's been kicking ass for a long time. Inspiring, yes, but this hobbyjogger knows he will never be in her league.
The King of Beasts
this thread really makes me want to run another ultra.
damn you all to hell.
"As a dreamer of dreams and a travelin' man I have chalked up many a mile. Read dozens of books about heroes and crooks, And I've learned much from both of their styles." ~ Jimmy Buffett
"I don't see much sense in that," said Rabbit. "No," said Pooh humbly, "there isn't. But there was going to be when I began it. It's just that something happened to it along the way."”
I just did a 12 hour this past weekend. My fueling strategy was pretty well nailed down, I thought. Didn't quite work out that way. I forced it right from the start on a rigid schedule rather than listening to my body. A gu every 30 minutes, and at least a small snack in between, so something small going in every 15 minutes. I did much the same thing in a 50 miler a couple months ago and it worked great. This time it was too much. Around mile 27 I started getting nauseous and by mile 30 came about as close to puking as one can without actually doing it. It cost me 5-10 minutes of walking and letting my stomach settle when I could've otherwise been running. The rest of the race I threw the plan out the window and went by feel because I didn't really have a choice. I still made sure to get some calories in regularly, but nowhere near as much as I'd planned. It could've been much worse, obviously, but I feel like it never should've gotten to the point it did. I suppose the lesson I learned here is that what works one time won't necessarily work every time, and you have to be ready to adapt. Which kind of sucks, since I thought I had this part more or less figured out. Ah well.
A list of my PRs in a misguided attempt to impress people that do not care.
I suppose the lesson I learned here is that what works one time won't necessarily work every time, and you have to be ready to adapt. Which kind of sucks, since I thought I had this part more or less figured out. Ah well.
Yep. You never get it completely figured out. Which is what makes it interesting.
I mainly meant, look, if have no real running (no running at all) prior to middle age (a few laps maybe for missed ground balls), then yeah, you're not going to the OT for the 10,000m. But, like, if you, like worked your buttocks off, could you finish near the top at a major ultra? Maybe not too likely, but not totally impossible. I am going to go on the record as being sure that I cannot qualify for the OT -- no way, no how -- at 10,000m.
Ah, the dreams we dream sitting at our desks and playing on the Internet.
I think if I gave my life to being the breaking the NJ state masters record for 10,000m, then yeah, in that case, no shot.
this thread really makes me want to run another ultra. damn you all to hell.
This is the thanks I get for trying to be a strong influence in your life.
Speaking of Heed, the midway aid station the other day had water and Heed, but the kids were calling it Gatorade as you ran up. I believed them once. That Heed is some vile crap. Blecchhh.
I mainly meant, look, if have no real running (no running at all) prior to middle age (a few laps maybe for missed ground balls), then yeah, you're not going to the OT for the 10,000m. But, like, if you, like worked your buttocks off, could you finish near the top at a major ultra? Maybe not too likely, but not totally impossible. I am going to go on the record as being sure that I cannot qualify for the OT -- no way, no how -- at 10,000m. Ah, the dreams we dream sitting at our desks and playing on the Internet. I think if I gave my life to being the breaking the NJ state masters record for 10,000m, then yeah, in that case, no shot.
Aren't you the NJ State Champion at 1500m indoors or something?
Runners run
HAHA True story. Only one in my age group who raced the 1500 indoor at the state championships. I am the champ, I am the champ!
What are your experiences in how much food you had to eat in 12 hr or 50 mile races?
200-250 per hour is a good starting point for an estimate. So about 2400-3000 kcal for your 12 hours, give or take.
Edit: I ran one 12hr a few years ago...my report in here.