Forums >Running 101>At what mileage is refueling necessary?
Respect - WMO
Good Bad & The Monkey
What he said
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
Whether or not you need to "refuel" depends on your level of conditioning, the distance you run and your pace. At race pace, most of us will be good for around 20 miles before the gas gage starts bumping on empty. That is the point where many first timers bump into the proverbial "wall" which is where they literally run out of glycogen (carbohydrates). I've gone as far as 24 miles at an easy pace without supplemental nutrition. You won't need to worry about refueling for your half unless you are an elite runner running at a pace that is fast enough to deplete your glycogen reserves at a much higher rate. The most important thing for you to consider is hydration. If you weigh yourself before and after a long run you'll be surprised how much fluid you actually lose on a run. You'll need to replace whatever you lose to keep your muscles working effectively for the entire race. Good luck in March! Tom
Camal backs would be better then a fuel belt.
the gu packet says 15 minutes before and every 45 minutes. now I know they want to sell the product, but does anyone follow the directions?
------------------------------------- 5K - 18:25 - 3/19/11 10K - 39:38 - 12/13/09 1/2 - 1:29:38 - 5/30/10 Full - 3:45:40 - 5/27/07
It's more time than distance. My 10 mile run yesterday took 3.5 hours!! (Of course, it was over the summits of two mountains through deep snow on trails) Over about 2 hours and I bring liquids. Over about 3 hours and I bring food and electrolytes. Over 12 hours and I bring a light.
Oh Mighty Wing
Young Gun
www.HumanPotentialRunning.com