Hey guys, you know all the staff about the storage of glycogen by the body in long runs, blah,blah,blah....

I will start running more than 10 miles in my long-runs around June 23. However, I am not accustomed to eat anything while running (just thinking about it make my stomach get sick! ). But I know, I will have to do it! In fact, my previous training experience for the 2 NYC marathons was kind of a joke since I never went over 15 miles in a running session and never got anything to eat (just plain water and Gatorade) .

Just curious.... What do you guys like to eat in your long runs? what does work better for you?... bars, candy, or gels? When do you start carrying such goodies to the long runs (12, 14, 16 miles run?).

Nestor Raul

Raul, nothing seems to feel good or taste good when you're out there running. However, when I do take in something, which is getting more and more rare, I tend to do gels. I can't seem to be able to consume anything solid or heavy. I also mix water and gatorade.

Keep me posted on your training! I might be able to catch a few long runs with you!

Good luck!

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Run! For your life.
Dawn

Poweraide and water. Once I get up to two hours I start taking a gel every hour because that is what I do in a marathon.

We buy Crank Sports gels through their web site.
http://www.cranksports.com/
They have more calories (150 per pack) and sodium (230 mg) and no caffeine. They come in basically fruit flavors. The directions tell you to take these with water (not sports drink). I have found that the variety and strength of sports drink available on the course during long races (Powerade vs. Gatorade; bottled vs. mixed) isn't consistent so I carry these gels and drink only water on a course. That way I know I am going to take in substances that I have trained with.
I have, in the past, done well with gummi bears for training runs and races as I find them to be easily digestible carbs. But I have found that I lose sodium, especially in the heat, and gel packets are easier to fit in most pockets than bags of gummi bears.
I have also used dried figs with pretty good luck but that is something you definitely want to try out in training before using in a race.
I usually carry one gel on an 8 + mile run and a couple on anything longer than 13 or so although I don't always end up using them.
sheryl c.
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Okay, since all I've ever done is a half, I'm no expert...but I didn't find out till after the race that some of those gu packs actually have caffine!!! For a coffee addict like me, that would have really been helpful! All I had was one gu without caffine. Just imagine how fast I would have been had I grabbed one that had my second cup of coffee built in!
Donna

Thanks for all your responses!!
I was thinking about eating some "bean, cabagge, peanut butter, burrito, and sushi sandwiches" with a beer-coffee mix cocktail after reaching mile 14 but I guess... it is not going to work great!

Seriously, thanks for the information. I will check and try some of the goodies to see what (in any) works better for me.

Raul

I use Gu and sometimes I have some chewy life savers for the last part of the marathon. In training, I use the Gu if I am going 12 and above. If you use them in your training runs, you not only find out what will work for you, but also I have read that your body learns how to use the energy supplement more effectively. Good Luck!

Look at the reference materials at http://www.e-caps.com/. They are unique in using complex carbs (no oses) in their energy drinks and gels. They also have eletrolyte replacement products. Hattiesburg Bicycle carries their products.

Also if your long run or ride is over two hours you need to take in some protein along with the carbs. e-caps has a protein drink like Accelerade, but theirs has no sugar in it.

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Running Bear (oso grande)
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In the July 2007 issue of "Outside" magazine there is an article about optimizing the body's absorption of sugar during endurance events. The article focuses on cyclists but mentions triathlons and, I assume, could be applied to any endurance events including long distance running. To summarize (and I have the minimum of science courses in my educational background), a person's body uses independent systems to digest different types of sugars (specifically glucose and fructose) so "the cumulative energy uptake (using both)...(is)greater than what you'd get with a single sugar." The research advocates using a mixed sugar drink rather than a pure glucose drink. Interestingly (and I didn't know this beforehand), the Crank Sports e-fuels I buy use this formula and PowerBar, according to the "Outside" article, reformulated their drinks and gels based on this research. "Outside" also provides a recipe for anyone who wants to try this at home:
1/2 cup maltodextrin (available by bulk on the web; we keep a bucketful around)
6 1/2 tsp fructose
14/-12/ tsp taable salt
Combine in one liter of water, shake and serve
I haven't tried this yet, but if when do, I'll mix it with some (unsweeted) powdered drink mix (i.e., Kool-Aid).
sheryl c.

Anybody, who needs this stuff let me know. I have maltodextrin in the power and liquid forms. Back in the day I, when I made home brew, I used this stuff. It has been in storage in my refrigerator and it should be fine.

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Catch you on the run!! Audrey

You people are getting too complicated for me. Give me some lemon drops and some water. Just kidding---I have been known to use gel supplements. When I first started running marathons we were lucky to get water stops each 6-8 miles. I like it the way it is in modern times. If I ever run another marathon I'll probably be looking for anything that might possibly get me to the finish line.

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Becky Ryder
hryder29@comcast.net
Hattiesburg, MS

Carbohydrates can either help or hinder performance, depending on what kind you use, how much you use, and when you use them. For example, far too many misinformed athletes continue to use energy products loaded with simple sugars, or they use complex carbs, a better choice, but at the wrong time and in the wrong amounts. These practices actually impair, not help, your performance.

Most dietary sugars are simple molecules known as monosaccharides and disaccharides. The shorter the chain length a carbohydrate source, the higher it will raise a chemical measure known as osmolality when dissolved. In solution, simple sugars can only attain about 6-8% concentration or they will sit undigested in your stomach, as the osmolality will be incompatible with the digestive juices. Products containing simple sugars (typically sucrose, fructose, glucose, and/or dextrose) must be extremely dilute to match body fluid osmolality. This weak of a concentration presents a problem to athletes because it cannot provide sufficient calories (perhaps only 100/hour) to working muscles. To obtain enough calories from a weak 6-8% solution, an athlete would have to consume excess fluid, which definitely increases the risk of fluid intoxication. So using simple sugar-based "energy drinks" is not a wise strategy.

Simple sugars, even in small amounts, can incite a condition known as "insulin spike." This sudden recruitment of insulin causes a subsequent dramatic drop in blood sugar, which can take blood sugar levels even below the fasting level! This results in your familiar bonk. However, complex carbs, which enter the bloodstream at a 15-18% solution, do not promote this wild fluctuation in blood sugar levels.

Therefore, the "gold standard" carbohydrate source for energy drinks, bars, and gels is polysaccharides such as maltodextrin, as you get far more energy calories across the gastric lining-up to three times more than what a simple sugar carbohydrate source can provide-with no stomach distress.

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Running Bear (oso grande)
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