I'm pretty new to this user group still so I'm not sure if this question would have been better posted on the main forums. But here goes.
In LRB's RR thread, there was a link to B-Plus' 2:55 marathon. That's pretty amazing IMO. Reading through the RR (BTW I found the idea to put the RR in the details of the run very good) the gel question resurfaced in my mind.
Last year, I was drinking in my runs. Less than an hour, I wouldn't bring anything. Over an hour, I'd bring my belt with either water or gatorade. I got used to drinking while running. In my half last fall, I drank gatorade like I was used to in my runs. Everything went smoothly.
Then came winter and the water would freeze in the bottles. So I got used to going for ~100 minutes with nothing to drink, on an empty stomach. Actually I'd get up, drink a glass of water or two, then go out for my run. About halfway through, I'd stop for a pit-stop and have a few sips of water, then finish my run.
Now summer is back, and I barely ever carry my bottles belt anymore because I feel better without and I'm used to running without drinking.
And then I read B-Plus' report and that reminded me that in a marathon, not only do you have to drink, but eat too! So here's my question: Is the gel thing necessary? Because if it is, I'll have to get used to it somehow, I mean get used to eating them and drinking while running. But at the same time I'm thinking that in the old days, no one was eating gels...
I'd like to hear (read) your thoughts on this.
You don't have to use gels or anything if they don't work for you. Try whatever you have in mind during your long runs and see if you improve those days. For years I got by on just fluids evolved to adding power bars, and last year tried gels. What worked for me in Boston this year were watered down Gatorade, Cliff Shots, sport beans, and regular jelly beans. My end result was based on stomach, and energy.
Former Bad Ass
I would see how you feel during your LRs in the Summer before experimenting with the gels. If you feel that you are bonking your LRs or super tired during the last portion, try a gel or two and see whether that feeling goes away. But if you feel strong on your LRs without gels, I wouldn't change it.
Damaris
race obsessed
Gels are not required.
But they do help - notice the Elites have elite water stations along the marathon courses with personal fluids. Typically their 'gel' is a mixture or energy supplement in the fluid.
There are some training methods that suggest you do not gel during training to make the body learn use fats for fuel vs. gel. Others suggest to use Gel/ supplements...
The one thing that is a fact for all athletes: during a marathon you will experience "the Wall'. anywhere from 18-22 miles, how you handle the wall depends on how you trained and how you prepare mentally and physically.
Gels or gatorade. Or a little bit of both, whatever works best for you. The number of gels will depend on your body weight. I think I need about 3 gels in a marathon. But often, I won't have the stomach for three of them, so I switch to strictly water and gatorade, in alternation. In training, I do a few runs with a gel or two, once during a training cycle. I try to do the other LRs without any fuel, only water if needed. Of course, I have a history of flopping in my races, so you'd probably be better off doing the opposite I do.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI
I don't eat during a marathon but I will have three or for gels (I like the Honey Stingers) and Gatorade as needed. I don't consider gels "eating." By that I thought you meant bananas or Clif bars or whatever. I go crazy with that stuff after the race but not during.
Well the short answer is it's different for everyone. That's sort of the long answer too.
I have always gone for the minimalist approach, with no fuel/water in training runs (or for that matter any races shorter than marathon), with the exception of a few of the longest/hardest ones. But I always take gels during a marathon, usually 3-4, figuring I can use all the help I can get at that point. Probably a good idea to try them during a LR or two, just to make sure your stomach tolerates them OK.
Dave
Them Hansons boys dedicated an entire chapter in their book to caloric expenditure and requirements while running a marathon so there is something to it.
While I ran my first with just water, and my second with water and a single cup of Gatorade (and a cold ass brew), that will not be the case for marathon # three should I ever run the stupid thing.
How you get those calories is up to the individual but it does not have to be by gels alone. For most hobby joggers however, gels seem to be the most efficient way to get the 600 to 800 calories (that number is varies by runner) needed to offset what should be stored in the body if you are properly fueled pre-race.
It also depends on whether you eat anything prior to the run/race. I cannot eat at 5-6am (the time I start my hellish runs and the start time of most of my races) so the gels serve me as caloric intake. If I were to start a late race (8-10am) I would have time to eat and that would be different.
I did a marathon once without any gels (mostly because even Gatorade made me want to vomit that day). I ran my second fastest marathon that day, but the circumstances were rare (not vomit = faster time).
I am 51 years old and have a recent 2:59:42 marathon to my credit. I take nothing with me on race day and do quite well just by grabbing the sports drink offered on course. For the record, I ran an 8 second negative split.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
I've decided that I'm not being any more heroic by not eating and drinking, and since I'm shorter and slower than many here, I know I can store fewer calories ahead of time and might be out there for longer.
So, since I know I'll be taking in as many calories during my marathon as I can stomach, I am trying to train with them so that I get used to gels and water while I run. Part of the deal is that they only have Nuun on-course at my marathon, which has no carbs, so I know I will need to get used to taking in carbs from somewhere. So, although I don't NEED anything for my training runs, I'm following the Hanson's recommendation of planning a gel for every run over an hour. (Although actually I have a lot of runs that are just over an hour, and I won't take anything for those ones). Might as well get used to it.
Last year, even earlier this year, I hardly ever took any gels or water when I ran. But I wonder if that led to some of the stomach cramps I had during my HM, because I started drinking early during the race and I wasn't used to drinking at all.
I have found that my reflux does better when I am eating gels more often, Z. I have switched now to every 4.5 miles instead of 6. Stomach happy, faster running.
So, although I don't NEED anything for my training runs...
That is pretty much me, but I am changing my stance on that this training cycle for two reasons:
1) I want to get a jump start on recovery by limiting the amount of time I run in a carb depleted, catabolic state.
2) I am not running my marathon without consuming calories, so my MP runs will be an exact replica of how I plan to race.
At this point in my running I have a crap ton of experience running on an empty stomach and in a carb depleted state. Doing so again however, will not be a focal point for me this year.
That is pretty much me, but I am changing my stance on that this training cycle for two reasons: 1) I want to get a jump start on recovery by limiting the amount of time I run in a carb depleted, catabolic state. 2) I am not running my marathon without consuming calories, so my MP runs will be an exact replica of how I plan to race. At this point in my running I have a crap ton of experience running on an empty stomach and in a carb depleted state. Doing so again however, will not be a focal point for me this year.
Exactly. I also find that if I've had water and gel during my run, I can pretty much get in and jump back into normal life instead of eating and drinking everything in the house ASAP. I think it's because I never got into that carb-depleted or dehydrated state while I was out.
D- I'm hoping for the same thing!
600-800 calories? That's insane. There is no way in hell your stomach can process that much if you are running at marathon pace intensity which is roughly 70-80% of VO2max for us hobby joggers. You're talking about the equivalent of anywhere from 2-3 QUARTS of Gatorade. You can handle that caloric load but you'll have to slow dramatically to do so.