Does anyone use electrolyte supplements during a marathon?
During my only marathon, I fell apart at ~18. I know what you're thinking, but it didn't seem like a bonk. It seemed more like my muscles seized up.
I have a couple running friends that swear by electrolyte supplements... I mean, taking a pill during the marathon! The very thought of it makes me gag, but I'm wondering if anyone else has tried this or has an alternative.
Thanks
Feeling the growl again
I would not bother unless it was a hot race and you were losing a ton of sweat. Ultras are another story.
I've had muscles seizing up/cramping as well (Boston 2011). In my case I think it was more because I had lost a lot of training to mono than anything else.
Cramps during marathons are not that rare, especially among low mileage runners or those less experienced over the distance. I've always considered it more a factor of not being ideally trained than electrolyte issues, but I'm interested what others have to say on that. Boston was also tough the last go-around for me because I'm such a flatlander now and though I was doing decent mileage I was totally not used to the hills and it was working me differently. I had planned to train to deal with that but that's the training the mono cost me.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
I certainly don't run at y'all's pace but I'm with spaniel on this one. I've had to take salt during a couple of really hot marathons. I usually drink the Gatorade at the aid stations and that works pretty well.
I would look at something else as the cause of the bonk. Now DB and others take S caps during marathons but I think those are more sodium than electrolytes but others here are others in here more experienced about that.
"He conquers who endures" - Persius "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel
http://ncstake.blogspot.com/
I'm a novice marathoner based on this group, but I've had severe leg cramping occur in my first 3 marathons. Conditions were ideal for all of them. The cramps would start in my calves around mile 15 like clock work. I took a small bit of gatorade and water at every aid station. The gatorade would upset my stomach, slosh around and made me feel like I had to hurl. I decided to try something different and took Nuun (electrolyte tabs) with me for my last two marathons and low and behold little to no leg cramping. I'd say try it. Everybody is different and what's worst that can happen
I do have a higher than normal sweat rate and am always caked in salt after long runs, so maybe this has something to do with it working in my case.
I used to have major problems with calf cramping at the end of marathons but then I started running more and that went away. Cumulative mileage helped me there. I have tried S-caps but I must just not run long enough distances for them to help because I've never noticed a difference one way or another with them.
Science of Sport did a multi-part article series on cramping. Here's Part I.
"I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."
-- Dick LeBeau
Yes, cumulative mileage, also calf-strengthening exercises will help. Eccentric calf drops do wonders.
There is still a lot of debate, but the smart money now says electrolytes have nothing to do with cramping.
Also, as you mention, cramping shutting you down in a marathon is not at all the same as a bonk. I've been there -- it's very frustrating when you feel like you have a lot left to give, but your legs shut you down.
Speaking for myself, after running many marathons, and adding calf strengthening, I never cramp anymore. Also I never take salt, even up to 100 miles.
Thanks everyone!
Spaniel, that was kinda my thought but I wasn't sure.
Eric M, someone at work suggested Nuun tabs today. Maybe I'll try some on a long run.
All, with all the talk about calves, I realized that I forgot to mention that it was more my quads/glutes. So, now I'm wondering if it was even cramping. Perhaps it was just fatigue. I missed a few key long runs leading up to it due first to work-travel and then to illness. I think I only got up to 16 miles beforehand. Looks like I'm only going to make 18 this time, since Boston is only 3 weeks away. Sunday was supposed to be 20, but I was sick earlier in the week and didn't want to push my luck.
Back to the event... When it happened, I switched from water to Gatorade. I eventually loosened up and finished the last few miles in low 7 pace. I attributed it to drinking the Gatorade and assumed that it was electrolytes, but maybe not?
For Boston, I'm considering alternating water/sport drink right from the start. What do you all do about hydration and carbohydrates?
Boston is nice because there are aid stations every mile. For the past several years I've taken Gatorade at most of them (for carbs, not electrolytes). Recently I've begun fueling everything from marathon up with gels from flasks -- not sure whether I will do that at Boston, or take advantage of the convenience of the aid stations. Even taking Gatorade every mile, in my book it's not quite enough carbs.
That's pretty much what I do.
Even us slow people do that with good success. To bhearn's point, I also take a GU every 30 minutes.
No gel?
No that too, I meant for hydration. I take the gel with water.
I typically carry 4 gels which I take roughly at 9, 13, 17, and 21 miles. If gel is offered on the course I have thrown a 5th one in there or taken that instead of one of mine, and kept one in reserve in case I have a bonk in the final 10K.
I only took two at Akron. Roughly 8 and 16. It seems unlikely that I would bonk at 18 having just taken one at 16.