Forums >Racing>2022 Advanced Racing Thread
Keen-How are beta gels compared to the normal sis gels? I find the normal ones a bit syrupy and thick compared to the ones I usually use.
5k 17:35,10k 36:43,10m 61:55,HM 1:24:03,Full 3:07:39
On gels: I use the OG Gu. It's the first one I ever used, when they were handing it out at a race, and it never caused me any problems so I've just stuck with it. I have no idea if I'm getting the most out of my fueling, I've never tried experimenting. I take one every 6 miles in a marathon, and one around mile 7 of a half, and one every 7-8 miles of any training run >16 miles or so.
I only use the caffeinated ones. I have no idea whether the caffeine helps, but it hasn't caused me any problems, so I figure why not load up. I can't speak to the other brands, but standard Gu has either 20mg or 40mg caffeine. I mix them but tend more towards the latter, so the most I get in a marathon is 160mg spread out over 3.5 hours. One cup (8 oz/250ml) of brewed coffee is 100-150mg depending on where you get it. So I'm really not too worried about over-caffeinating. I always have 2 cups of coffee first thing in the morning (pre-run), so that's basically just one(ish) more. Best Gu flavor: Espresso Love.
Jmac - I don't think caffeine would necessarily trigger portapotty trips - coffee does that, but not necessarily caffeine on its own. Of course everyone's body is different. I've had plenty of problems in marathons, but never stomach-related (knock wood). And I've only ever had to make a PoP stop in a race once - and that urge started around mile 2, so I can't blame my gels.
Dave
Cobra Commander Keen
Ian - The beta fuel ones have nearly double the carbs of the normal ones in the same size package. They seem a bit thicker to me than the original SiS gels, but still more liquidy than Maurten and especially Gu or other "legacy" gels.
5k: 17:58 11/22 │ 10k: 37:55 9/21 │ HM: 1:23:22 4/22 │ M: 2:56:05 12/22
Upcoming Races:
Heartland 50 - May 6
Mmmm Bop
Mikkey is definitely an old school. I came to RWOL in 2011 and by then most of the veterans (or main entertainers, soul crashers, training plans "advisors") were gone. But Mikkey was there, pre-2010 - so, he was lucky to experience that. I think people back then were less experienced in online interaction and that was the reason for all the entertainment and drama. And memories. That's why I hate "good job" stuff - it just doesn't help me to return back to the boards.
You missed a lot of drama pre 2011….I joined Runnersworld in 2008 with a marathon PR of 3:46 and the first person to piss me off was this guy called squirrel (Rovatti, MattM, Longboat will remember) he was sooo arrogant after running a 2:58 and we had some proper altercations….but to cut a long story short…he ended up eating my dust on a regular basis.
Anyway, let’s do this race and it would be cool to have some of the other previous posters like Strugglr/Andres etc. 👍
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Hot Weather Complainer
Cal - Yeah, I do recall in the earlier days of forums/blogs etc. people really didn't hold back. I think it's good that the feedback here can be robust, especially if someone doesn't get the results they want but doesn't make changes.
Gels - Thanks all for the feedback, very interesting. There are so many options that with 6 weeks to go (and 3 20+ milers) it's not enough time to try too many. I think I'll try a maurten normal and a caffeine one and see how it goes. JMac my stomach seems to hold up quite well. I definitely don't have an iron stomach but I haven't had issues with the gels even when I took 6 when I jogged the marathon distance after a cancellation. I know it's not the same as forcing one down after 35km of racing though. Keen yes indeed, it is a pharmacy/drug store. It didn't even occur to me that the term chemist could trap the Americans plumb in front of middle stump.
I do like the Endura flavours (cola, vanilla, raspberry) so I guess it's a trade off with the few extra grams of carbs in maurten. It will be a bit difficult to gauge the extra absorption. Most likely, if I try them on a run that goes well I'll just stick to the same strategy in the race.
5km: 18:53 12/22 │ 10km: 40:49 2/22 │ HM: 1:27:32* 5/22 │ M: 3:35:02 10/22
*Net Downhill. Flat course PR: 1:29:25 6/16
Christchurch Marathon April 16, 2023
As with everything in life, there is an ideal balance (yes, unreachable, I know, but still - that would be a balance in my opinion) - when "robust" feedback lives together with honest, sincere, at that moment, feedback. What made forums in the past so entertaining and interesting is that people wanted to comment, not like in later forums, people have to comment or they "offend" a person whom they didn't mention . I know, times are different, any written word now can be turned against you, sometimes with deer consequences. Sad... Yeah, hopefully there will be entertaining moment in the future
paces PRs - 5K - 5:48 / 10K - 6:05 / HM - 6:14 / FM - 6:26 per mile
It didn't even occur to me that the term chemist could trap the Americans plumb in front of middle stump.
Strike 3 I think Steve
I used a gel called Leppin. I'm not sure if they are only here. They come in quite long rectangular plastic packaging and the corners were quite sharp. I used to trim the corners off with scissors
Somehow I managed to carry 6 of them. Sweet and gooey but I seemed to cope with them.
50+ PBs -
5k 18.21 Hagley Parkrun July 21 82.27 % age grade
10k TT 37.21 may 2nd 2021 strava run 82.51 % age grade
Half marathon 1.23.30 may 21 80.11 % age grade
" If you don't use it you lose it, but if you use it, it wears out.
Somewhere in between is about right "
Keen yes indeed, it is a pharmacy/drug store. It didn't even occur to me that the term chemist could trap the Americans plumb in front of middle stump.
Well it's certainly not used in the US - a chemist is a person who practices chemistry. But we get enough British TV that most of us could suss that out. (Although we don't use "suss" either.)
This is funny - I don't go way back on RW, but many of the people I hang out with in one of the RA user groups had a long history there. And the name squirrel comes up occasionally as one of the biggest jackasses in that forum.
RIP Milkman
I never saw too much of it, but then he went on this huge thing on Strava when he ran a 5K PR about how all his hard work paid off...for a course that was laughably short.
ETA: Dave forgot to mention - I just recently saw something about what you said about coffee/caffeine! It seemed decaf coffee produced the same effect but they weren't exactly sure why. I still don't plan on taking my chances in a race, and I will continue to drink a real espresso before morning runs.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
Next Race: NYC Half (3/19)
Andres messaged me that he's running NYC. I will try to meet up with him, but it's almost impossible at that race. I am also trying to get into some "local competitive" corral for NYC for a huge luxury: a roped off area with our own port-a-potties and the ability to get to the start line at the last minute before the cannon goes off.
For most folks, that sounds laughable to spend time trying to get that "benefit." For those that have run NYC (or any other mega Marathon), you know what a luxury that truly would be.
Ha, I believe I read the exact same article. I’ll stick with caffeinated coffee as well, mainly because most decaf tastes like shit.
JMac - that would appeal to me even the smaller races I’ve run, so definitely worth the effort. I can pay an extra 100 bucks to get something similar in Melbourne but decided it’s not worth it given it’s essentially a 6am start so there won’t be much standing around.
Today is the 10th year anniversary of when Steve first started his marathon training.
I truly believe that he’ll hit his sub3:10 goal.
Haha, it feels like it! My light week is doing the trick, starting to feel human again.