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Post by ricodorsey on Dec 4, 2008 13:49:19 GMT -5
I am planning to try and PR my marathon this year and was wondering what everyone uses as fuel. In a half, I had 3 gels about 30 minutes apart and 2 small flasks of Gatorade. I need to be as prepared as I can, because I can't afford any stops. I am just too slow. I am going to work my PR down from 4:40 to 3:20:59 by the end of 2009. I am sure I can go sub 4 right now, just haven't ran one lately. I am thinking i may opt for the screw top, bottle that you carry in your hand. I would appreciate any suggestions on how I can perfect this part of my race. It may save me a minute or 2 to skip past the water stations where everyone is slowing down. Thank you.
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Post by colonel on Dec 4, 2008 17:07:12 GMT -5
Rico, you can probably get by with just gels and a handheld, but here is what I do (blame it on the 50K's I've run ...) I wear a Nathan fanny pack thing I bought at Big Peach. It is thin and only has room for a few gel packs and a couple of Moon Pies. So, that's what I carry. Also, the handheld bottle that I have has a small storage pocket. I carry three gel packs in the handheld and usually two in the waist thing, plus two MoonPie minis in the waist pack. I screw the top off of my bottle as I am approaching an aid station (usually about every third station) and grab a cup from the first table, dump it in, then grab a cup from the last table. I usually don't even have to slow down. But keep in mind, I'm not running a dang 3:20! If you are going to be done in less than 3:30, I don't think you need to carry anything other than a few gel packs in the pocket of your running shorts and a couple in the pouch of your handheld. In a 50K, I eat a gel on the half hour and a MoonPie + a S-Cap on the hour. I haven't done that many marathons, but I usually only eat a gel about every 45 minutes. During a marathon, I mainly eat the Moon Pies just to see the funny looks on people's faces as I run by, Moon Pie in hand and chocolate stuck in my smile.
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Post by sirmalachi on Dec 5, 2008 11:35:53 GMT -5
I'm sure everyone has a different opinion. Here is mine. I used to use the gels but they are a pain to carry and I really just don't like them. Plus I hated spending the extra cash. I found this article on the McMillan Running website, www.mcmillanrunning.com/rununiv/marathonprep.htm. I found that if I eat enough carbs in the 4 hours prior to the race and then take sport drink at the aid stations, I have more than enough energy to complete the marathon distance. That way I can worry about my running and not my fueling. If you want to skip the aid stations I'd go with the screw top gatoraid bottles for the first half and toss it when empty. After that the crowd will have thinned out and the stations shouldn't be as packed with people. Good luck with the BQ quest! (I'm assuming that's what the 3:20:59 is)
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bryce
Dazed & Confused Runner
Posts: 45
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Post by bryce on Dec 5, 2008 11:53:32 GMT -5
I think there's probably a bit of trial and error that's required as everyone's gut functions a little differently and we all lose electrolytes at different rates. But, for the marathon distance, I get by on sports drink only. No gels, no fruit, no candy, etc. On a road marathon with aid stations every couple miles, I won't carry anything and will take a cup of Powerade/Gatorade at every aid station. On a trail marathon where the aid stations are further apart, I'll carry a water bottle filled with sports drink and try to drink about 20-30 oz. per hour (more or less depending on the temperature). I don't bother with water, just sports drink. You're not quite taking in as much sugar or electrolytes as you're burning, but for the marathon distance it's enough to supplement your body's glycogen stores and get you through without any loss of peformance.
As you get up into the 3:30 to 4 hour and over range (marathon or 50K or longer) you'll be burning through most of your glycogen and should be taking in more sugar and electrolytes. At that point sports drinks won't cut it alone and you should start looking at taking gels, S-caps, moonpies, and/or whatever else your tummy will tolerate throughout the race.
That's been my experience anyway...
Hope that helps.
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Post by janice on Dec 5, 2008 11:56:53 GMT -5
I found that if I eat enough carbs in the 4 hours prior to the race and then take sport drink at the aid stations, I have more than enough energy to complete the marathon distance. That way I can worry about my running and not my fueling. Ah, i remember the days we ran marathons on just water and a couple of slices of an orange ;D But i agree, if you are "only" running a few hours (<5) there isn't a need for a lot of fuel. Take a gel with you in case you bonk or something, but you should be OK with just sport drinks.
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Post by pigman22 on Dec 6, 2008 15:44:06 GMT -5
Well, I have a genius of a friend who claims to be a great runner. Try his cute strategy: the day before the race, load up on some big macs and dont have any water. Yeah. No wonder he STILL hasn't done a race with me... But really, for a marathon I would just carry a water bottle with some cytomax and maybe a few GUs. After you use up the cytomax just start pouring in water while still running at the aid stations. Of course that's for like, a 3:50 so I don't know about the time you want...
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Post by ricodorsey on Dec 6, 2008 21:22:00 GMT -5
thanks everyone. I am not fast enough yet, but am planning to do the downhill marathon in Tucson in Dec 09. I have a little time to get faster. I like the sharing of ideas. I would just hate to come up short a couple of seconds for a water stop, stop.
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Post by pigman22 on Dec 10, 2008 23:38:50 GMT -5
Well, I mean, if it comes strictly to a time issue, taking just 2 seconds off your mile gets you an extra minute for pit stops...
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bryce
Dazed & Confused Runner
Posts: 45
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Post by bryce on Dec 11, 2008 9:58:58 GMT -5
I know what you mean about being antsy "giving away free time" in the aid stations. My first couple marathons I was soooooo nervous about having to stop at a port-o-potty that I probably didn't drink as much as I should have and probably lost a significant amount of time towards the end to dehydration. In my fastest marathon finish, I focused on making sure I was getting enough fluids at each aid station (including dumping some water over myself to stay cool). I lost probably 5-10 seconds on guys I was running with as they bolted through the aid station, but my pace was a little quicker following the refreshment and I quickly made up the deficit.
So, my point is simply that my best marathons came when I wasn't worried about "saving time" in the aid stations, and my worst marathons were hands down those races I was overly concerned with saving precious seconds. Just be careful!
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Post by ricodorsey on Dec 11, 2008 12:43:45 GMT -5
Thanks Bryce, being totally prepared and working out my game plan helped me PR by 20 minutes on the half marathon resently, that is how I am wired. If I slow down, I have trouble getting it back up. That may be a mental deal, but anyway. It is my battle. I work it. My worst case senarios have all been subject to diet and hydration leading up to the event. Either cramps in my legs or running out of fuel. It takes high octane to run a machine like this (meaning Heavy), LMAO. I have seemed to conquer the cramps and have been working on my fueling. Now I am trying to clean up my game plan. It worked for me in my Ironman. I thought I over prepared, 140%, then I figure out I was still about only 95% prepared and had about 40 percent Junk to disregard. But at least I had it. I was so thankful to find out about the small can of fix a flat the weeek of the race, even though I didn't have to use it, I had a friend that did. So basically, if I need info, I will always search it out and hopefully not need it. But I want to know just in case. Thank you for your input, any advise is always useful. I pass it all on down my chain of friends. Have a great weekend everyone.
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