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Generation Ucan (Read 130 times)

Bee2005


    Anyone use Ucan successfully? I've struggled with race/long run nausea and I'm looking to try something new. I've heard good things about Ucan.

     

    I have a very weak stomach. I've tried every gel made, and I've been using Tailwind for awhile but I still get extremely nauseous at the end of a race and often at the end of long runs. Chewing anything at the end of a marathon is not an option.

    CanadianMeg


    #RunEveryDay

      I haven't heard of this stuff, but I have had late run nausea. Often it's because I've fueled poorly before the run or waited until too late in the run to take in any sort of calories/powerade/etc. Have you tried drinking or eating earlier in the run?

      Half Fanatic #9292. 

      Game Admin for RA Running Game 2023.

      T Hound


      Slower but happier

        I used it last year.    I also use tailwind a lot but diluted more than tbey rec to lower the osmols.  The thing i dont like about Ucann was expense and its powdery so a little messy didnt really mix up well for me.  But its mild and may work well for you.  I get pretty nauseous and recently have found gu chews (which you can really just suck on) and Ensure have worked.  I think it is more a volume thing where if i keep on the low side of volume intake and calorie intake i do better.  The “everybody needs”  X amount of caliries or fluid per hour advice you hear is really bad advice.  Personally i think getting cooler and slowing down if your nauseous are the best things.   If you can, plan to run cooler races, might help.

        2020 goal:  couch to 5K, currently working on the couch block

         

        Bee2005


          I haven't heard of this stuff, but I have had late run nausea. Often it's because I've fueled poorly before the run or waited until too late in the run to take in any sort of calories/powerade/etc. Have you tried drinking or eating earlier in the run?

           

          I feel like I've tried everything. When I drink Tailwind I usually start around mile 2 or so, and drink every other mile. I even tried alternating it with water this past weekend and still felt like crap by mile 10...

          JMac11


          RIP Milkman

            I get very bad nausea at the end of races and it has nothing to do with hydration/nutrition, as it'll occur in events as short as 5Ks.

             

            Do you know if it's even due to what you're taking in, or just when you push yourself very hard, you get nauseous?

             

            For me, I take Nauzene pills during my race. I've gone from near vomiting every race to being fairly comfortable, although it doesn't solve everything. This allows me to take gels during marathons as well, although I'd be curious when you're taking gels because I would never take one late enough in a race where it would bother me, e.g. past mile 20.

            5K: 16:37 (11/20)  |  10K: 34:49 (10/19)  |  HM: 1:14:57 (5/22)  |  FM: 2:36:31 (12/19) 

             

             

            Bee2005


              I used it last year.    I also use tailwind a lot but diluted more than tbey rec to lower the osmols.  The thing i dont like about Ucann was expense and its powdery so a little messy didnt really mix up well for me.  But its mild and may work well for you.  I get pretty nauseous and recently have found gu chews (which you can really just suck on) and Ensure have worked.  I think it is more a volume thing where if i keep on the low side of volume intake and calorie intake i do better.  The “everybody needs”  X amount of caliries or fluid per hour advice you hear is really bad advice.  Personally i think getting cooler and slowing down if your nauseous are the best things.   If you can, plan to run cooler races, might help.

               

              Thanks! I did think about diluting the Tailwind some more, so I will try that. I couldn't even choke it down at the end of my last race, and ended up somewhat dehydrated. I will also try sucking on the gu chews, that could work. My jaw definitely does not work at the end of a marathon (found this out the hard way years ago with sports beans) so anything that has to be chewed is out.

               

              The heat thing makes sense. I'm definitely a cold-weather runner anyway. So now for the next 5 months I will pray for cold weather at the MCM!

              dhuffman63


              Trails

                I picked up a Jolly Rancher at a very hot 50k and it was awesome...I was having some issues and it gave me something to suck on that helped with the nausea.

                  Try eating hard peppermint candies.  That works for me during long runs and can help with nausea.  You don't have to chew anything, just suck on them slowly.

                   

                  Ucan worked for me as a pre-fuel during one of my only two marathons.  The texture is weird, though, and I found it disgusting to get it down.  Can't imagine taking it during the race.  It did seem to provide a steady stream of energy for quite a while.  It is worth trying out.

                  "Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt

                  northernman


                  Fight The Future

                    I had some success avoiding nausea by taking salt pills. Might be worth a try, especially now with the warm weather

                    Seattle prattle


                      what works for me is eating a bowl of white rice before i run. If that isn't practical, rice cakes works just as well.

                      That, and all the usual stuff about avoiding too much coffee and sugary stuff.

                      Bee2005


                        I get very bad nausea at the end of races and it has nothing to do with hydration/nutrition, as it'll occur in events as short as 5Ks.

                         

                        Do you know if it's even due to what you're taking in, or just when you push yourself very hard, you get nauseous?

                         

                        For me, I take Nauzene pills during my race. I've gone from near vomiting every race to being fairly comfortable, although it doesn't solve everything. This allows me to take gels during marathons as well, although I'd be curious when you're taking gels because I would never take one late enough in a race where it would bother me, e.g. past mile 20.

                         

                        Yes, I almost always get nauseous in races, especially if it's warmer. Do you take the Nauzene pills before you run? I've tried Cimetidine and it didn't seem to help much. Usually once I get to mile 20 there's no chance I'm getting anything down. Last race (half marathon) I couldn't even get my Tailwind down past mile 8.

                        JMac11


                        RIP Milkman

                          I don’t take it before the race. Nauzene only last 15 minutes at a time (taking effect 5 minutes after you take them), so I generally take them with about 15 minutes left in the race. But it depends on the intensity: I get way more nauseous in a 5K then a marathon, so I’ll just take 4 pills in a row during a 5K right at the 1 mile mark because I know that’ll cover me through the race. In a marathon, I will take maybe 2 of them at mile 20 and then another 2 at mile 23. But you can take something like 12 of them in a 24 hour period, so you can take even more if you want. You could just take 1 per mile during the second half of a marathon if you really get sick early.

                           

                          I can tell you that I can’t take anything down once I’m feeling sick, but these are chewable and really soothe your stomach. It might be worth practicing with them during a long run. The key is prevention here.

                          5K: 16:37 (11/20)  |  10K: 34:49 (10/19)  |  HM: 1:14:57 (5/22)  |  FM: 2:36:31 (12/19) 

                           

                           

                          Bee2005


                            I don’t take it before the race. Nauzene only last 15 minutes at a time (taking effect 5 minutes after you take them), so I generally take them with about 15 minutes left in the race. But it depends on the intensity: I get way more nauseous in a 5K then a marathon, so I’ll just take 4 pills in a row during a 5K right at the 1 mile mark because I know that’ll cover me through the race. In a marathon, I will take maybe 2 of them at mile 20 and then another 2 at mile 23. But you can take something like 12 of them in a 24 hour period, so you can take even more if you want. You could just take 1 per mile during the second half of a marathon if you really get sick early.

                             

                            I can tell you that I can’t take anything down once I’m feeling sick, but these are chewable and really soothe your stomach. It might be worth practicing with them during a long run. The key is prevention here.

                             

                            I'm definitely going to try this. I will honestly try anything at this point. I lost several minutes during my last marathon throwing up on the sideline at mile 24.

                             

                            I also purchased some endurolyte I'm going to try on my long runs. A friend gave me some last year during a very hot relay race and it seemed to work really well. But I had honestly forgotten all about it until the mention of salt tablets above. Thank you again for all the ideas!