Rest day for me.

Question for the masses, how often do you usually take gels during your marathons? For my 20 milers I've taken one gu around mile 10 and usually stopped for water once or twice. I've felt okay, this last 20 miler I think I should've stopped for water once more but otherwise I've felt okay as far as taking one gel goes. Then I was reading online that some people take them every 5 miles, so should I plan on taking more during the race? I had kind of planned on taking two...maybe three at the most. They don't upset my stomach at all so that's not an issue. Idk wtf I'm doing with this marathon shit lol

For most of my marathons they weren't even offered. I prefer real food, so if gels are the only "food" offered I'll manage with sports drinks and water.

 

I always took 1 every 5 miles during races. But then Addie suggested alternating gel and sports drink every 5k.So I did that when I ran IMM in 2016. But then at CIM last year they had Nuun and not sports drink. So I went back to my original plan. Because Nuun is garbage.

 

 

+ a billion. 

If not Nuun, I will intermittently take a sports drink at aid stations as well, maybe every other one depending on how warm it is, and often along with a cup of water. It never impacts the number of gels I take.

 

For most of my marathons they weren't even offered. I prefer real food, so if gels are the only "food" offered I'll manage with sports drinks and water.

This reminds me of another recommendation. IDGAF what is "offered", bring with you however many you decide you need. (And to onemile's point, maybe one extra; I haven't done this, but not a bad idea). That's the only way you can be sure you will have it. (Water, you can usually count on.)

This reminds me of another recommendation. IDGAF what is "offered", bring with you however many you decide you need. (And to onemile's point, maybe one extra; I haven't done this, but not a bad idea). That's the only way you can be sure you will have it. (Water, you can usually count on.)

CIM was handing out gu brand gels in several locations, so I think I only brought 3 along and picked up 2 along the way.  But there were at least 3 stations handing them out so I figured at least 1 of them would work so I had my 4.

Rest day for me.

Question for the masses, how often do you usually take gels during your marathons? For my 20 milers I've taken one gu around mile 10 and usually stopped for water once or twice. I've felt okay, this last 20 miler I think I should've stopped for water once more but otherwise I've felt okay as far as taking one gel goes. Then I was reading online that some people take them every 5 miles, so should I plan on taking more during the race? I had kind of planned on taking two...maybe three at the most. They don't upset my stomach at all so that's not an issue. Idk wtf I'm doing with this marathon shit lol

I take a gel every 40 minutes during my marathons, so that does come to about every five miles for me.  But I also carry liquid fuel in a handheld which I take a small squirt of every two miles (also a source of my sodium).  So in a marathon I take in about a thousand calories.

I'll take in two gels at most during a 20 mile training run.  I've also done 20 milers with no fuel and no water.  

ETA:  For a half marathon I take one about 10 minutes before the start of the race, and one at mile 5.

 

I take a gel every 40 minutes during my marathons,

That's what I do too. I also take one 45 minutes before the race, and one 5 minutes before the race, because they take like 40-45 minutes to digest (says so on the Gu box).

The one at 40mins, 1:20 and 2:00 I can stomach. After that I always throw them away after one little taste. Next time I will only bring 5, 2 for before and 3 for the race.

 

Are you planning on racing this fall?

Not looking like that. I don't feel like I've gained fitness since end of May with my running of a 50K (and especially recovering), then 4 weeks on vacation, and a couple of weeks getting back in shape. I feel like I'm in a comparable shape as I was in May, so don't feel the urge to go test myself.

I might run a late-ish October 10K. Or not.

 

A lot of people take one shortly before the start, which is probably a good idea but I've never done it. I usually have breakfast ~2 hrs before the race, and then a banana ~1 hr before the race. I have no idea what the purpose of the last gel I take ~mile 24 (sometimes I take it at 23), other than maybe facilitating recovery.

The idea (in my understanding) is that the less tired you are, the more your body actually benefits from the gels. So it's better to take them early than late, even if you can stomach them. So I try to have digested carbs right from the get go (thus 45 minutes in advance).

Does my strategy work? I have no idea. I haven't tried any other gu strategy and don't feel like trying another one.

Afternoon!  I have 5 tonight which I don't know if I'll be able to run because after spending a hurricane with power, my city took our power off to work on the rest of the grid. Five hours and counting.

At least I got to eat some ribs at Flanigan's.

runshortii, I take 5 during a marathon, every 4.5 miles.