Beginners and Beyond

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Talk to me about race fuel (Read 132 times)

flarunner


    Nothing. If I have to have something I'll stop and get some water. Did an 18 mile run this past Saturday without anything. During races I take some water at the water stops, basically to rinse out my mouth.

     

    But like others have posted, you have to try different things to see what works, or doesn't, for you.

    Docket_Rocket


      Yeap, that's me.  And my stomach hates mostly everything too.  I'm lucky if I don't get nausea and issues during races.  Wait, I do.  Crap.

       

       

      Damaris

       

      As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

      Fundraising Page


      Rungry!

        When I plan to be out on my LR for more than two hours, I carry my "Scooby snacks".  It's just a Power Bar that I've cut into about eight pieces, so I can pop a piece in my mouth without having to take a bite out of the bar.  After about 5 miles / 1 hour, I reward myself with a Scooby snack (if I think of it).  After that I take a snack about once per mile -- I don't know if my body really *needs* the fuel, but it's something to anticipate and break up the boredom.  Sometimes I eat most of the bar, other times I only eat one or two pieces.

         

        I'm sure I've got >1200 calories of fuel stored in my flabby parts, but the mental boost of getting "refueled" in the second half of a two-hour run has helped me more than hurt me.  I'll carry my Scooby  snacks for my first HM in a few weeks -- call them a crutch if you want but I'm going to be out there for a lot longer than you speedy runners, so I might as well be comfortable.

         

        Oh, and I have learned to avoid the chocolate Power Bars.  Both times I used the chocolate flavor, I've had to make a pit stop before the end of the run.  The peanut butter Power Bars sit better with me.

         

        I now carry a beakfast/granola bar instead of chews or gu for my long runs. I like being able to read the ingredients of my fuel and it doesn't seem to mess with my tummy as much.

        Jen

          2hr or less - just water. In a race, sports drink - either Cytomax or Ultra.

           

          3ish hours - sports drink and maybe shot bloks or trail mix.

           

          4-8hrs - sports drink (Clip2), shot bloks, trail mix and/or M&M's, maybe clif bars or pemmican bars cut into 6 or 8 pieces

           

          10+ hrs - all the above plus pretzels or wheat thins and probably some other things that are escaping me at the moment. Chocolate Slimfast (chocolate milkshake goes down well). Green tea if I have access to drop bag or car. Maybe gel made from Clip2. Commercial gels were sickenly sweet - gag response - so never used them.

           

          Most of my races hadn't had aid stations (including the first 38 mi of a 50-mi race), so I usually use time-capsule suitable foods. It was just last year, that two races had orange slices, and I found they went down well.

           

          Last year during a 10-hr climbathon, I noticed people having sandwiches while waiting for tram and thought that looked good. I've been experimenting with turkey wraps for that race. Our drop bags are at the top of the tram, in a cool shaded place, plus could use insulated bag.

           

          Last year I also stumbled upon Peanut Butter GU and thought I'd give it a try = the first commercial gel that I've been able to not only tolerate but like. Problem is I keep misplacing it in pockets to actually use it in a race.

           

          I use hours (rather than miles) cuz that's how my body works, and I'm on hilly trails.

          "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog


          BexKix, Bagel Defender

            Last year I also stumbled upon Peanut Butter GU and thought I'd give it a try = the first commercial gel that I've been able to not only tolerate but like. Problem is I keep misplacing it in pockets to actually use it in a race.

             

            I use hours (rather than miles) cuz that's how my body works, and I'm on hilly trails.

             

             

            Put one in every pocket. After the race you'll have a few extra which will be a bonus. Big grin

               

               

              Put one in every pocket. After the race you'll have a few extra which will be a bonus. Big grin

               

              Problem is I've got other stuff in pockets also, with gels being the least likely to be used. I can find my trail mix and M&M's, but that one gel always seems to slide to the bottom. At the time, I wasn't real sure about it, and was saving it for the last hour (in 8-10 hr races) or the need to try something different. With my bigger pack and more pack pockets, I have no trouble keeping track of things. It's the shorter races with drop bags or aid stations where I use a smaller pack or waist belt and haven't figured out the pocket stuff yet. At the time of my races, I didn't have that many since they aren't sold locally and I had just barely tried one in training.

               

              That said, a 2-hr run got extended into an almost 4-hr run a few days ago - and the only thing left in my belt pack was a clif bar and the gel. The gel got tested - and went down well.

              "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog

                10+ hrs - all the above plus pretzels or wheat thins and probably some other things that are escaping me at the moment.

                 

                For my only 10+ hour event, I've had chicken broth to go with the pretzels.  I didn't care if it was cold or hot.  In fact, I don't remember if it was cold or hot.  WOW!  Never thought I'd take that when I was preparing for my race, but at that point in time, I would eat ANYTHING!  For the last 4 hours, every mile on the mile, I had another 1/2 cup of broth.


                This year, same race, I'm planning on my chicken broth mid-afternoon meal to go with my pretzels (and coke and water and chips and GU and stingers....).

                Life Goals:

                #1: Do what I can do

                #2: Enjoy life

                 

                 

                Dreamn


                  Regular Gatorade or Honey Stinger Chews in Pink Lemonade.  I don't really need fuel until I get into my 16-18+ runs.

                    OK, related question.

                    I do not take any water/fuel for training runs of HM distance or less. I know many of you are the same - do you do something different in HM races?

                    I am guessing the likely answer is "drink if you're thirsty", and a gel for that distance may be more psychological than anything.

                    I have only done one HM, and I took some water & I think Gu, but mainly because they were there.

                     

                    FYI I am OK with Gu, I think all the flavors are fine. I don't have any problem getting it down, I generally nurse it slowly over a mile or so, then get water at the next opportunity after I am done with it.

                    Dave


                    Don't call me Buttercup!

                      Come on, people, don't you know that you're all supposed to give the same answer, so that I will know what to go out and buy/use?  Jeez.  So unhelpful, you guys. ;-)

                       

                      I am a slow runner, so a HM will take me almost 3 hours.  For me, that's a long time to not eat anything, so for those of you who only drink water, that's nice, but it's not going to cut it for me. =)   I guess I'll just have to experiment and stop wishing someone would have all the correct answers for me.  *sigh*   Seriously.  Don't ya'll know that I need written instructions? =)

                      Slow and steady wins the....  wait a second! I've been lied to! 

                        OK, related question.

                        I do not take any water/fuel for training runs of HM distance or less. I know many of you are the same - do you do something different in HM races?

                        I am guessing the likely answer is "drink if you're thirsty", and a gel for that distance may be more psychological than anything.

                        I have only done one HM, and I took some water & I think Gu, but mainly because they were there.

                         

                        FYI I am OK with Gu, I think all the flavors are fine. I don't have any problem getting it down, I generally nurse it slowly over a mile or so, then get water at the next opportunity after I am done with it.

                        It'll probably depend on how long you're going to be out there and weather. Looking at your log, it looks like you'd be out 1.5-2hr (I'm not good with paces). In my similar duration races , I only take sports drink. We don't have aid stations in races that short, so I either bring it or don't use it. I wouldn't even consider a gel in a race that intense - too much hassle getting top off.

                        "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog

                          Come on, people, don't you know that you're all supposed to give the same answer, so that I will know what to go out and buy/use?  Jeez.  So unhelpful, you guys. ;-)

                           

                          I am a slow runner, so a HM will take me almost 3 hours.  For me, that's a long time to not eat anything, so for those of you who only drink water, that's nice, but it's not going to cut it for me. =)   I guess I'll just have to experiment and stop wishing someone would have all the correct answers for me.  *sigh*   Seriously.  Don't ya'll know that I need written instructions? =)

                          See the 3-hr line in my response. Wink  This is why I talk about race durations rather than distances.

                           

                          My HM (over a mountain pass) take closer to 4 hr. While I can sometimes run 3-4 hr in training on only fluids, I found I needed more in a mountain race (esp after a 3000ft climb in 4mi), but couldn't handle much beyond shot bloks. Wheat thins were too dry. (I was either going hard, but slow, uphill or trying to keep from falling on loose rocks (don't eat here) or going hard downhill.)

                          "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog
                          Docket_Rocket


                            Which is why I said depending on the distance!  For 3 hours, I use a gel every 5-7 miles (1-1:12 hours).

                             

                            Come on, people, don't you know that you're all supposed to give the same answer, so that I will know what to go out and buy/use?  Jeez.  So unhelpful, you guys. ;-)

                             

                            I am a slow runner, so a HM will take me almost 3 hours.  For me, that's a long time to not eat anything, so for those of you who only drink water, that's nice, but it's not going to cut it for me. =)   I guess I'll just have to experiment and stop wishing someone would have all the correct answers for me.  *sigh*   Seriously.  Don't ya'll know that I need written instructions? =)

                            Damaris

                             

                            As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                            Fundraising Page

                            MadisonMandy


                            Refurbished Hip

                              Come on, people, don't you know that you're all supposed to give the same answer, so that I will know what to go out and buy/use?  Jeez.  So unhelpful, you guys. ;-)

                               

                              I am a slow runner, so a HM will take me almost 3 hours.  For me, that's a long time to not eat anything, so for those of you who only drink water, that's nice, but it's not going to cut it for me. =)   I guess I'll just have to experiment and stop wishing someone would have all the correct answers for me.  *sigh*   Seriously.  Don't ya'll know that I need written instructions? =)

                               

                               http://www.zombierunner.com/store/categories/energy_gels/variety_packs/

                               

                              That's one way to experiment with flavors.

                               

                              Really, you know what you need to do.  Trial and error on your training runs.  Find what consistency of gel you can tolerate.  I find GU too thick, Hammer too gritty, Cliff is okay, and my favorite are the Crank E-Gels.  But you could be totally different.

                               

                              Either way, I am looking forward to hearing about your first half, Diana.  My little noob is growing up.  Smile

                              Running is dumb.


                              Don't call me Buttercup!

                                 

                                 http://www.zombierunner.com/store/categories/energy_gels/variety_packs/

                                 

                                That's one way to experiment with flavors.

                                 

                                Really, you know what you need to do.  Trial and error on your training runs.  Find what consistency of gel you can tolerate.  I find GU too thick, Hammer too gritty, Cliff is okay, and my favorite are the Crank E-Gels.  But you could be totally different.

                                 

                                Either way, I am looking forward to hearing about your first half, Diana.  My little noob is growing up.  Smile

                                 

                                *smooch* !

                                Slow and steady wins the....  wait a second! I've been lied to! 

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