RunningAHEAD - Topic: Four steps to perfect marathon fueling (page 2)

Daddyo

Go Pre!

posted: 9/30/2007 at 2:39 PM

Quote from Run To Win on 9/29/2007 at 3:12 PM:

For myself, I make sure that I have enough fuel to start the marathon, and take a gel packet every 30 or 40 minutes. I stop after about 2 hours and 20 minutes or so as I won't have enough time to process anything else anyway. I also take plenty of water as I go. Since I started doing this, I stopped hitting the wall.

RTW - I would be interested to know your pre race week diet. thx Dave

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perfesserr

Imminent Catastrophe

posted: 9/30/2007 at 7:48 PM

Quote from mikeymike on 9/30/2007 at 8:16 AM:

... How much you need to take in is highly dependant on your pace. If you're running at a relaxed and easy pace with a goal of simply finishing, you probably don't need to take on any calories--at those paces you're burning carbs to fat in about a 50/50 ratio and you have plenty of fuel stored to run well over 26 miles. The problem is that, for most of us, marathon race pace burns glycogen at a much faster clip than easy running so if we don't take in some sugar on the run, we'll bonk. This is exacerbated by the fact that going out just a tiny bit faster than race pace burns glycogen even faster and significantly reduces our fuel window. This is why aiming for a positive split and trying to "put some time in the bank" is usually a really bad idea.

This is how people can run 100 or 135 miles. You can't do that if you're running a glycogen deficit. Scott Jurek can stay aerobic at a fast clip, he doesn't bonk.

"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

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"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

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va

posted: 10/6/2007 at 3:32 PM
modified: 10/6/2007 at 3:34 PM

I got the book entitled "The Competitive Runner's Handbook". On pre-run fueling, it recommends: 1. a small high-carb meal (500 to 1000 calories) two to four hours prior to running 2. a high-carb snack (such as a bagel or energy bar) 1 hour before running 3. a sport drink or sports gel 5 to 15 minutes Btw, although I haven't read much, this looks like a good book. Does anybody else have an opinion of it? I tried to follow this fueling strategy on this morning's 20 mile run. For #1, 3 hours before my run, I had 1 cup of raisin bran w/skim milk (240 calories), 2 pop tarts (400 calories), a cup of tea, and some Gatorade. I had some indigestion (I think from the Pop Tarts), so I skipped #2. Next time I will replace the Pop Tarts with a Clif Bar and maybe drop the tea, and also try a Clif Bar 1 hour before. I find the Clif Bars tasty, satisfying, and not too sweet. I also tried the margarita w/salt flavored Clif Bloks on this run. They come 6 to a package, 30 calories each. I took 3 of these pre-run (#3 above) and one every 2 miles during the run. This is my first time trying the Clif Bloks, and I think they worked well. Although I didn't think the taste was that great, they were easier to manage than gels, easier to split up into 2 mile portions, and they contain salt, so I didn't need to take any electrolyte pills. I sweated profusely on this run, as it was on the warm side, and had no cramping during or afterwards (at least not yet). I felt I had very good energy through 18.5 miles., but then I was dragging a bit. I don't really feel like I bonked (my pace didn't drop off), I think it was just that my legs were fatigued. It could be because I have never run this far before (18 miles was my longest previous).

Four steps to perfect marathon fueling (Read 873 times)