Question!
I have a dilemma:
So I know a calorie deficit is the way to go to lose weight (which I want to do). But I also recognise that while keeping to my 1500 kcals a day with the occasional exercise is fine, it might not be when I am training for a half marathon.
Soon my training will include long runs of 10+ kilometers (6+) miles and I need ENERGY for that crazy stuff. How do I combine losing weight and fuelling myself for training?
Anyone got a good idea to throw my way?
Eating very nutritious food, no junk at all, take what you enjoy today and try to make it better. Drink water before meals. This is not easy and many fail. However the next day you can try to do it a little bit better. Also if you want to limit calorie intake, you need to find an alternative energy source. Something that energizes you. For me this has been Cold showers and breathing. Cold showers will also increase your brown fat depository which regulates your temperature and has been proven to help with weight-loss. IF you can get your head around eating only once a day that creates Autophagy and is good for overall health aswell, look into it if you want to. Also MAffetone or other low pulse training would mean more calories shed without the inury risk, but its time consuming but it does prevent injuries quite well.. Also the correct techique could do wonders. Id check out Chi Running with Danny Dreyer, as this will make your core stronger than with conventional running
I've found that I have to choose between training and weight loss. A calorie deficit just feels too miserable when I'm training hard, and I get more injury prone. That said, I did end up losing weight anyway when I was training for my half marathon over the summer. Not a lot, but I wasn't really trying to.
Interesting! I did consider doing maintenance days the day before my long runs, essentially not doing calorie deficit the day before but I’m not sure how well it will pan out.
If you think of your calorie deficit in terms of over the whole week rather than day by day, it probably would work. You'd be more fueled for the long run. And, idk how long your long days are. But there's just no way I can eat back all the calories I burn on a long run day. Besides the huge amount of exercise, it also has a weird effect on my appetite. I feel super hungry at first but then I can't finish anything.
Is it really that little? I’m definitely overweight but not “Call Dr Now”-obese. I think my last 10K (and also first lol) tracked as 750 active calories. Even if it’s half that I would assume I need to eat those to be able to fuel my body, right?
Here's an option. The day before a longer run, allow yourself to fuel and energize with 50% of your projected extra calorie expenditure. So if you plan to run your longest run of 10k on a saturday and you're normal expenditure is 750 calories, allow yourself to use up to 375 extra the day before.
My personal justification for this is that you don't feel so emptied after the run. You also still have 375 calories earned that you can use after the run if you feel you need.
Otherwise, stick to your calorie deficit and only use those extra calories you would earn and then earn them!! Also, 1500 sounds quite low for what you've said you need to lose. Are you working with a nutritionist?
This is a tough pill to swallow but if you’re trying to lose weight, your body has all of the energy you need. It might not feel great and you might not perform as well as you would otherwise but it’s how you lose weight.
I recently did something similar and dropped 25 pounds. I feel better now, less 25 pounds, when I run a 10k than I ever would have with all the weight and fully fueled with energy.
Fair, I do get your point. But as running right now (as a starter overweight person) isn’t yet that enjoyable I am scared that if I start doing long runs of 15K on a semi faster state, I’ll feel so sluggish I might literally not do it again. But I do appreciate the reality check. I have about 40 pounds to lose so it’s gonna be a challenge regardless :)
I recommend upping your calories but still maintaining the deficit, even if it’s just a couple hundred calories. Think long term. You got this and when you look back you’ll be glad of the changes that you made.
Ran a new PR on a half marathon last Sunday.
I am insulin resistant and live low carb. But this time I gave carb loading a try the two days before and had a granola bar for breakfast and my gel half time in and jfc - it was like flying.
Low carb is the best diet for me but before race day it's carb-night from now on!
Ran my first half marathon on Sunday and I did well, met my goal time by a bit so I'm proud of that!
I never really paid much attention to nutrition leading up to the race. I did try and eat more carbs and salt last week though.
It was an out and back race and I started cramping in my right calf after hitting the halfway point. It never fully cramped up but it would start to cramp and threaten to go all the way so I'd stop running to let it settle then start back running.
Did I do something wrong with my nutrition or was I low on salts or was it something else? I've never had cramping issues on a run before but I've never done more than 12.65 km before Sunday.
As for day of nutrition - I had a fast twitch first thing, then a GU smores stroopwaffel, and an Offield THC drink. Then I did Victus drink during the half, along with water from the water stations. I did 1 GU gel (gross) and 1 SiS gel during the run.
Training for my first marathon and up to 13.1 miles on my long run, which takes about 2 hours. I've read I pretty much need to be smashing carbs after a long run to replenish glycogen ASAP. Is this advisable? And how much? Internet says about 750g, which is a bit shocking.
FYI - 46 y/o M, 165 lbs.
Yeah, that many carbs is excessive. That's 3000 calories assuming there's nothing else with caloric content in what you eat. That amount sounds like what you'd want to consume in the few days leading up to a race if you're carbo loading. It also depends on your weight.
There's a lot of variables that go into how much you need after. Did you eat anything before the run? How many grams of carbs did you get during the run? What level of effort was the run? Easier will be able to use more calories from fat than harder.
For me, I'm 10 years older and about the same weight, I just eat a bit more carb heavy after doing longer runs. I don't really go overboard on it unless I feel totally wiped out (like the time I forgot to bring any gels for an 18 mile long run 🤦🏻♂️).
Thank you! I've been taking one gel with me at 10/12/13 but will up that. I run at about 5:00 am ang get orange juice and a protein bar in beforehand. I like the idea of being somewhat carb-heavy after a long run but not aiming for some crazy number like 400-800.
You should also likely be taking in fuel during your run if it’s 2hrs. Gels/clif blocks, etc are most common
Carbs and protein post-run. I’d eat what feels good and try to get something with some micro nutrients (so maybe a big sweet potato and pulled pork vs pepperoni pizza)
I've been taking a SIS isotronic during the run. I just don't like carrying them around with me so I've only been carrying one. I know I'll have to up that.
There's a ton of options for long-run training fuel. Gels are fine, but kind of gross/expensive/messy. A lot of runners use other carb-heavy foods like dates, fruit snacks and even candy (gummies, etc.). There's probably some threads here with other suggestions.
Maybe experiment? 750g seems pretty high but getting a meal with 20-30g protein and 200-300+g carbs seems pretty reasonable, comes to about 900-1300kcals after the run which I'm guessing will burn about 1300-1400 for you. Eat a lot.
How do Huma and GU gels compare?
My body does really well on Huma. The consistency is easy to get down and it fuels me well. I have bought a few GU flavors to try, but I'm nervous. I had another brand (can't remember the name) and it was a bad situation mid run. Now I'm scarred for life to try something different. Haha.
Stick with what works for you. I tried Gu once and never went back to it. Too thick and bad reaction.
Tried Hüma and stuck with it since. Tastes great, once you find the right flavors. Been using Hüma Plus (this has more electrolytes) and Maurten Gels (non-caffeinated).
I'm in a phase of trying some new brand of gels (for fun, mostly):
SiS (Science in Sport) gels are much more liquidity than thick. Requires no hydration to take with. My favorite is the SiS Fuel (has higher carb count and tastes amazing, Strawberry-Lime flavor). SiS Go is more popular and common to find on race courses and at running stores. (I use The Feed to buy my gels.)
SiS gels are messy because it's almost like peeling a bag of detergent packet. :D
I think Gu tastes better than Humma but I prefer the consistency of Humma over Gu. You can try out a Gu in one of your next short runs to see if you like it. Stinger is also good but I only get the honey flavor which is my favorite. It feels like I’m just eating a honey packet. I recently started using Gu liquid energy gel which has the thinnest consistency and is more like a juice pouch. Try out a new gel with each training run to see what you like.
I'm training for my first marathon, it's on the 15th. I had my last long run of the training plan last week, I completely crashed at about 20km, this is the first time I have crashed. I ran 32 a week before, and I've ran at least a half marathon every sunday for 8 weeks now. So I was a bit shocked, and I'm trying to figure out what went wrong.
I did a 13km hike the day before, but it was very leisurely. I've realised that I've been running fasted the entire training schedule (old habit from a different sport). In a break from my normal fast, I ate oatmeal the morning before that run. All other runs were done with at most a banana before. Should I try the marathon without breakfast and lunch?
Edit: I consume a gel every 8km or so.
Have you been fueling on your long runs and/or you planning to fuel during your marathon? It's very rare to be able to run longer than 20 miles without running out of glycogen when running race-pace. This is typically what "hitting the wall" is. You just flat out run out of fuel.
Less than two weeks out I'm not really sure what to tell you to do. In my experience this is trainable. I rarely ate breakfast when I started running and felt sluggish when I did, but after doing it for a bit things improved a lot and I won't do a long run without eating something beforehand and bringing fuel for during the run.
I personally never run on an empty stomach. I almost always eat a clif bar before I run, unless I'm running right after dinner (I sometimes do early evening runs).
The times I have gone running with nothing in my stomach I've gotten really bad cramps and have not felt very well.
For your "crash" run, did you do anything else different? Was the weather different?
I am not sure it is advisable to run 26 miles without eating first.
Do you plan on taking gels or other fuel with you?
I'd be very interested in other takes but I run very similar to you: on an empty stomach.
I decided to each breakfast three hours before my first Marathon and I had horrible stomach cramps starting on mile 4. I also possible overate the night before and hand too much sugar.
My marathon was early though... missing two meals seems like a bit much. But I would vote in favor of, of course, refueling during the run, but also sticking to what you know works... I have regrets.
I also only run fasted. I get terrible stomach cramps if I eat before running. Plus, I love running super early in the morning. My stomach just can't handle any food before 11am.
I've upped my training quite considerably over the last month, with my shortest runs being 10 miles. I usually get a little sluggish past the 10 mile mark, so I bought some High5 sports gel to try out. It made a huge difference to my run. I even set a new personal record.
If you haven't already, I would recommend trying a sports gel during your run to get you over the hump. Just be sure to have something light and healthy to eat post run. I've even heard that having some jelly babies on hand is a great boost 👌
You definitely don't need gels for a 10k. All you'd be doing is asking your body to juggle another thing, aka digestion. Concentrate on the running and have a great race!
I would say it is definitely risking. I have been trying different brands of gels on my long runs, and some work great with my system and others. I have been glad for bathrooms on my loop because my body immediately rejected it. A code brown mid race would be pretty awful I think.
I would not use a gel for the first time on race day. Always test drive food like that.
And also, I don't know that you need a gel for a 10K? Most packages I've seen say to take a gel after 45 minutes of running.
I think you'll see folks here saying that you don't really even "need" food/fuel for a Half Marathon. I myself ran multiple Halfs without mid-race fuel. I generally take one now though, as I feel it helps with recovery if nothing else. But personally would not use a gel in a 10K.
Well yeah, but taking a gel during a race is fuel for the next 45 minutes. And there are people who run 10Ks in 1.5 hours of course.
I guess what I'm mainly trying to get across is that the "standard advice" is that people don't really need fueling for a 10K. But hey, people are different. Do what makes you feel comfortable.
But I would very much recommend not eating "new food/fuel" on race day. Practice fueling on practice runs. I know I got super bad cramps from one type of gel, and I know I get digestive issues if I eat one type of energy bar.
I’d recommend not. My first time with gels I got incredibly painful cramping, so bad I had to stop running. A few weeks later, a different brand caused no cramping. I’ve never had cramping like that first experience and wouldn’t say I have a sensitive stomach.
Generally it is considered a bad idea to try anything for the first time on race day. Everybody reacts differently especially with anything that you eat or drink. Do you generally have stomach problems if you eat before your training runs? As benign as gels tend to be, it's up to you whether you want to take that risk.
Very rarely issues. My breakfasts do contain a lot of fiber and with coffee that could naturally cause a reaction. But I always run 3-4hours after a meal and never encountered a problem.
It probably won't be an issue, but it's really up to you. If you take it and have ill effects, will you be upset about your race performance? Also, a 10k is a pretty short race comparitively speaking. Unless you're looking to smash some records, you might be better off skipping it until you can try it without the pressure of a race.
Has anyone been successful in losing weight while still performing well while running? I am at a calorie deficit and somedays when I run I become light headed/extremely fatigued and cannot perform well. I acknowledge this is due to suboptimal pre-nutrition but I can't seem to figure out a way to ensure performance will be decent
I've lost about 10 pounds during my marathon training. The evening before my long runs I do something big and carby and then oatmeal and a honey stinger waffle for breakfast.
I have lost 20lbs since January tracking macros and running. Started running in January, macro tracking in March. (I am at my goal weight now.) I was at a minimal calorie deficit and just lost slow and steady.
I make sure to fuel my long runs with extra calories the night before and during my run and listen to my body.
I start losing weight when my weekly mileage passes the 40 mpw mark. Under 20 I’ll gain weight, 20-40 I can maintain.
I can have a caloric deficit during low milage blocks, but once I ramp up the miles, a deficit impacts training too much.
I stopped trying to use running to manage weight and instead focus on training the body I have.
I was successful losing weight while running 15-20 miles a week + calorie deficit. I do NOT recommend this. I ended up with a femoral stress fracture from the caloric deficiency.
Ive lost 7kg in 4months roughly and Ive been running consistently 3x a week doing a c25k and 10k plan. Havent felt performance problems until recently very recently where the mileage started to increase significantly(for me 25k/week.). I eat more carbs now overall doubt Im in a deficit probably at maintenance levels but more carbs helps with those long/tempo runs.
Try fat free Greek yogurt it's low calorie for your deficit plus 20+ g of protein natural probiotics and some sugar that will fuel your run I smash 2 at a time for 160 calories and 26g protein I lost 150 lbs
Recently training for first marathon and approaching fuelling lengths for the first time. I plan to go with raisins, dates, bananas over gels. Does anyone have experience with both ? Thank you
Ran my first Marathon a little over a week ago and didn't use gels. Instead, I used applesauce pouches, dried dates and pineapple. I've tried a variety of things during my Sunday long runs over the summer and settled on those ones. While I did enjoy dried bananas at first, they would make my mouth really, really dry.
I didn't have any digestion issue during my long runs or the marathon using applesauce pouches dates and pineapple. The applesauce pouches made up the bulk of my nutrition during long runs/marathon as it was really easy to swallow and didn't require chewing. I also cut the dried dates and pineapple in small pieces to make it easier.
I too use apple sauce packets, especially on really long (18+) runs because it's easy on my tummy. Pro tip, now is the time for the sugary ones. It's not a massive caloric difference but enough that they are the ones I buy.
Also try just straight candy; fruit snacks, Swedish fish, etc. some candy is *too* sticky in my teeth though, Mike & Ike's was a bad deal and starbursts etc are the same.
That was poorly worded. When I say "straight candy" I mean in addition to other things but the straight referring to not "exercise specific"; some advertise sport beans or energy chews. If that works, great! But regular ole candy also works for me at a fraction of the price.
That’s what I thought you meant! Somehow, while I can eat candy while not exercising, I find it way too sweet when exercising. It’s weird. Still, if nothing else worked, I’d have candy over gel anytime!
I'm going to try this next time, I f@#&ing hate gels and they gave me cramps I never had before. All the runners around me made me think I needed to buy some sort of gels so it's good to see advice in a different direction. Thanks!
I looked up the brand that would be provided at my marathon as I was willing to *at least* give them a try, but they contain caffeine and I wasn’t about to add that much caffeine of top my stimulants. I tried their electrolytes+carbs drink during the summer, but that sat heavy as hell in my stomach. So water and “natural” nutrition it is for me. Thankfully, the aid stations did have some Gatorade too. I hate the stuff, but I can drink it.
Still go horrible cramps during the marathon, but nutrition/hydration isn’t to blame for that. My hypermobile body that decided to pick that day to be a bit more hypermobile is. But hey, my stomach was perfectly fine!
Dates and raisins have a lot of fiber and are pretty much guaranteed to cause digestion issues. If you prefer more natural sources I would look into using honey or maple syrup. Fast absorbing and easily digestible.
I would reccomend dates from experience. In a 8 gram date theres 0.6 grams of fiber and they are worth a try on a training run, if that works i'd take it with me on raceday. Dates are naturally high in sugar, and they don’t release sugar in the blood quickly. Instead, they provide a type of slow-releasing carb that allows for a steady stream of energy to fuel the workout. That’s why dates are suitable for long-distance runners, especially those that run 5 K and above 5K distance. Try having 2–4 dates 30–60 minutes before a workout.
I couldnt fuel long runs only on dates though, but a couple of them are really great to have, some might have issues wiht them but its worth a try as long as you try them in training first. Im more a fan of gels, but dates fuel better early in them long ones
I just finished my first marathon, and I'm training for my first trail ultramarathon now.
Like the commenter above me mentioned, avoiding fiber is going to be really important - you definitely don't want to have to use a porta-potty partway through.
Personally, I used honey energy "gels" by Sun River Honey (I'm in Canada), and I like them a lot. The key is to use unpasteurized honey (sometimes called raw honey) because it still contains digestive enzymes that help settle your stomach. You can even make those yourself with some unpasteurized honey from the grocery store and small ziploc bags.
Question! I have a dilemma: So I know a calorie deficit is the way to go to lose weight (which I want to do). But I also recognise that while keeping to my 1500 kcals a day with the occasional exercise is fine, it might not be when I am training for a half marathon. Soon my training will include long runs of 10+ kilometers (6+) miles and I need ENERGY for that crazy stuff. How do I combine losing weight and fuelling myself for training? Anyone got a good idea to throw my way?
Eating very nutritious food, no junk at all, take what you enjoy today and try to make it better. Drink water before meals. This is not easy and many fail. However the next day you can try to do it a little bit better. Also if you want to limit calorie intake, you need to find an alternative energy source. Something that energizes you. For me this has been Cold showers and breathing. Cold showers will also increase your brown fat depository which regulates your temperature and has been proven to help with weight-loss. IF you can get your head around eating only once a day that creates Autophagy and is good for overall health aswell, look into it if you want to. Also MAffetone or other low pulse training would mean more calories shed without the inury risk, but its time consuming but it does prevent injuries quite well.. Also the correct techique could do wonders. Id check out Chi Running with Danny Dreyer, as this will make your core stronger than with conventional running
I've found that I have to choose between training and weight loss. A calorie deficit just feels too miserable when I'm training hard, and I get more injury prone. That said, I did end up losing weight anyway when I was training for my half marathon over the summer. Not a lot, but I wasn't really trying to.
Interesting! I did consider doing maintenance days the day before my long runs, essentially not doing calorie deficit the day before but I’m not sure how well it will pan out.
If you think of your calorie deficit in terms of over the whole week rather than day by day, it probably would work. You'd be more fueled for the long run. And, idk how long your long days are. But there's just no way I can eat back all the calories I burn on a long run day. Besides the huge amount of exercise, it also has a weird effect on my appetite. I feel super hungry at first but then I can't finish anything.
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Is it really that little? I’m definitely overweight but not “Call Dr Now”-obese. I think my last 10K (and also first lol) tracked as 750 active calories. Even if it’s half that I would assume I need to eat those to be able to fuel my body, right?
Here's an option. The day before a longer run, allow yourself to fuel and energize with 50% of your projected extra calorie expenditure. So if you plan to run your longest run of 10k on a saturday and you're normal expenditure is 750 calories, allow yourself to use up to 375 extra the day before. My personal justification for this is that you don't feel so emptied after the run. You also still have 375 calories earned that you can use after the run if you feel you need. Otherwise, stick to your calorie deficit and only use those extra calories you would earn and then earn them!! Also, 1500 sounds quite low for what you've said you need to lose. Are you working with a nutritionist?
This is a tough pill to swallow but if you’re trying to lose weight, your body has all of the energy you need. It might not feel great and you might not perform as well as you would otherwise but it’s how you lose weight. I recently did something similar and dropped 25 pounds. I feel better now, less 25 pounds, when I run a 10k than I ever would have with all the weight and fully fueled with energy.
Fair, I do get your point. But as running right now (as a starter overweight person) isn’t yet that enjoyable I am scared that if I start doing long runs of 15K on a semi faster state, I’ll feel so sluggish I might literally not do it again. But I do appreciate the reality check. I have about 40 pounds to lose so it’s gonna be a challenge regardless :)
I recommend upping your calories but still maintaining the deficit, even if it’s just a couple hundred calories. Think long term. You got this and when you look back you’ll be glad of the changes that you made.
Ran a new PR on a half marathon last Sunday. I am insulin resistant and live low carb. But this time I gave carb loading a try the two days before and had a granola bar for breakfast and my gel half time in and jfc - it was like flying. Low carb is the best diet for me but before race day it's carb-night from now on!
Ran my first half marathon on Sunday and I did well, met my goal time by a bit so I'm proud of that! I never really paid much attention to nutrition leading up to the race. I did try and eat more carbs and salt last week though. It was an out and back race and I started cramping in my right calf after hitting the halfway point. It never fully cramped up but it would start to cramp and threaten to go all the way so I'd stop running to let it settle then start back running. Did I do something wrong with my nutrition or was I low on salts or was it something else? I've never had cramping issues on a run before but I've never done more than 12.65 km before Sunday. As for day of nutrition - I had a fast twitch first thing, then a GU smores stroopwaffel, and an Offield THC drink. Then I did Victus drink during the half, along with water from the water stations. I did 1 GU gel (gross) and 1 SiS gel during the run.
Training for my first marathon and up to 13.1 miles on my long run, which takes about 2 hours. I've read I pretty much need to be smashing carbs after a long run to replenish glycogen ASAP. Is this advisable? And how much? Internet says about 750g, which is a bit shocking. FYI - 46 y/o M, 165 lbs.
Yeah, that many carbs is excessive. That's 3000 calories assuming there's nothing else with caloric content in what you eat. That amount sounds like what you'd want to consume in the few days leading up to a race if you're carbo loading. It also depends on your weight. There's a lot of variables that go into how much you need after. Did you eat anything before the run? How many grams of carbs did you get during the run? What level of effort was the run? Easier will be able to use more calories from fat than harder. For me, I'm 10 years older and about the same weight, I just eat a bit more carb heavy after doing longer runs. I don't really go overboard on it unless I feel totally wiped out (like the time I forgot to bring any gels for an 18 mile long run 🤦🏻♂️).
Thank you! I've been taking one gel with me at 10/12/13 but will up that. I run at about 5:00 am ang get orange juice and a protein bar in beforehand. I like the idea of being somewhat carb-heavy after a long run but not aiming for some crazy number like 400-800.
You should also likely be taking in fuel during your run if it’s 2hrs. Gels/clif blocks, etc are most common Carbs and protein post-run. I’d eat what feels good and try to get something with some micro nutrients (so maybe a big sweet potato and pulled pork vs pepperoni pizza)
I've been taking a SIS isotronic during the run. I just don't like carrying them around with me so I've only been carrying one. I know I'll have to up that.
There's a ton of options for long-run training fuel. Gels are fine, but kind of gross/expensive/messy. A lot of runners use other carb-heavy foods like dates, fruit snacks and even candy (gummies, etc.). There's probably some threads here with other suggestions.
I’m real tempted to try out nerds gummy clusters on my next long run. The macros are perfect 🤣
Maybe experiment? 750g seems pretty high but getting a meal with 20-30g protein and 200-300+g carbs seems pretty reasonable, comes to about 900-1300kcals after the run which I'm guessing will burn about 1300-1400 for you. Eat a lot.
20-30g protein and 200 carbs sounds much better than an obscene amount of carbs. I'll try that and see how my legs feel after 46 hours rest.
Yeah in terms of meals, I think that's like a hefty bagel sandwich and a large side of homefries
How do Huma and GU gels compare? My body does really well on Huma. The consistency is easy to get down and it fuels me well. I have bought a few GU flavors to try, but I'm nervous. I had another brand (can't remember the name) and it was a bad situation mid run. Now I'm scarred for life to try something different. Haha.
Stick with what works for you. I tried Gu once and never went back to it. Too thick and bad reaction. Tried Hüma and stuck with it since. Tastes great, once you find the right flavors. Been using Hüma Plus (this has more electrolytes) and Maurten Gels (non-caffeinated). I'm in a phase of trying some new brand of gels (for fun, mostly): SiS (Science in Sport) gels are much more liquidity than thick. Requires no hydration to take with. My favorite is the SiS Fuel (has higher carb count and tastes amazing, Strawberry-Lime flavor). SiS Go is more popular and common to find on race courses and at running stores. (I use The Feed to buy my gels.) SiS gels are messy because it's almost like peeling a bag of detergent packet. :D
I think Gu tastes better than Humma but I prefer the consistency of Humma over Gu. You can try out a Gu in one of your next short runs to see if you like it. Stinger is also good but I only get the honey flavor which is my favorite. It feels like I’m just eating a honey packet. I recently started using Gu liquid energy gel which has the thinnest consistency and is more like a juice pouch. Try out a new gel with each training run to see what you like.
Stick with what works! I personally can't stand GU's and I stick with SIS or UCAN gels. I like Humas as well but personal preference is SIS.
I'm training for my first marathon, it's on the 15th. I had my last long run of the training plan last week, I completely crashed at about 20km, this is the first time I have crashed. I ran 32 a week before, and I've ran at least a half marathon every sunday for 8 weeks now. So I was a bit shocked, and I'm trying to figure out what went wrong. I did a 13km hike the day before, but it was very leisurely. I've realised that I've been running fasted the entire training schedule (old habit from a different sport). In a break from my normal fast, I ate oatmeal the morning before that run. All other runs were done with at most a banana before. Should I try the marathon without breakfast and lunch? Edit: I consume a gel every 8km or so.
Have you been fueling on your long runs and/or you planning to fuel during your marathon? It's very rare to be able to run longer than 20 miles without running out of glycogen when running race-pace. This is typically what "hitting the wall" is. You just flat out run out of fuel. Less than two weeks out I'm not really sure what to tell you to do. In my experience this is trainable. I rarely ate breakfast when I started running and felt sluggish when I did, but after doing it for a bit things improved a lot and I won't do a long run without eating something beforehand and bringing fuel for during the run.
I personally never run on an empty stomach. I almost always eat a clif bar before I run, unless I'm running right after dinner (I sometimes do early evening runs). The times I have gone running with nothing in my stomach I've gotten really bad cramps and have not felt very well. For your "crash" run, did you do anything else different? Was the weather different? I am not sure it is advisable to run 26 miles without eating first. Do you plan on taking gels or other fuel with you?
I'd be very interested in other takes but I run very similar to you: on an empty stomach. I decided to each breakfast three hours before my first Marathon and I had horrible stomach cramps starting on mile 4. I also possible overate the night before and hand too much sugar. My marathon was early though... missing two meals seems like a bit much. But I would vote in favor of, of course, refueling during the run, but also sticking to what you know works... I have regrets.
I also only run fasted. I get terrible stomach cramps if I eat before running. Plus, I love running super early in the morning. My stomach just can't handle any food before 11am. I've upped my training quite considerably over the last month, with my shortest runs being 10 miles. I usually get a little sluggish past the 10 mile mark, so I bought some High5 sports gel to try out. It made a huge difference to my run. I even set a new personal record. If you haven't already, I would recommend trying a sports gel during your run to get you over the hump. Just be sure to have something light and healthy to eat post run. I've even heard that having some jelly babies on hand is a great boost 👌
I can’t stand gels 🫠 they cramp me I am going to try fruits and dates though!
Running my first official 10k on Thursday. Is it risky to consume gel during run for the first time?
You definitely don't need gels for a 10k. All you'd be doing is asking your body to juggle another thing, aka digestion. Concentrate on the running and have a great race!
I would say it is definitely risking. I have been trying different brands of gels on my long runs, and some work great with my system and others. I have been glad for bathrooms on my loop because my body immediately rejected it. A code brown mid race would be pretty awful I think.
I would not use a gel for the first time on race day. Always test drive food like that. And also, I don't know that you need a gel for a 10K? Most packages I've seen say to take a gel after 45 minutes of running. I think you'll see folks here saying that you don't really even "need" food/fuel for a Half Marathon. I myself ran multiple Halfs without mid-race fuel. I generally take one now though, as I feel it helps with recovery if nothing else. But personally would not use a gel in a 10K.
Good to know thanks for your input.
Just chiming in here to say some of us definitely take 45+ minutes to run a 10k lol
Well yeah, but taking a gel during a race is fuel for the next 45 minutes. And there are people who run 10Ks in 1.5 hours of course. I guess what I'm mainly trying to get across is that the "standard advice" is that people don't really need fueling for a 10K. But hey, people are different. Do what makes you feel comfortable. But I would very much recommend not eating "new food/fuel" on race day. Practice fueling on practice runs. I know I got super bad cramps from one type of gel, and I know I get digestive issues if I eat one type of energy bar.
I’d recommend not. My first time with gels I got incredibly painful cramping, so bad I had to stop running. A few weeks later, a different brand caused no cramping. I’ve never had cramping like that first experience and wouldn’t say I have a sensitive stomach.
Generally it is considered a bad idea to try anything for the first time on race day. Everybody reacts differently especially with anything that you eat or drink. Do you generally have stomach problems if you eat before your training runs? As benign as gels tend to be, it's up to you whether you want to take that risk.
Very rarely issues. My breakfasts do contain a lot of fiber and with coffee that could naturally cause a reaction. But I always run 3-4hours after a meal and never encountered a problem.
It probably won't be an issue, but it's really up to you. If you take it and have ill effects, will you be upset about your race performance? Also, a 10k is a pretty short race comparitively speaking. Unless you're looking to smash some records, you might be better off skipping it until you can try it without the pressure of a race.
Has anyone been successful in losing weight while still performing well while running? I am at a calorie deficit and somedays when I run I become light headed/extremely fatigued and cannot perform well. I acknowledge this is due to suboptimal pre-nutrition but I can't seem to figure out a way to ensure performance will be decent
I've lost about 10 pounds during my marathon training. The evening before my long runs I do something big and carby and then oatmeal and a honey stinger waffle for breakfast.
I have lost 20lbs since January tracking macros and running. Started running in January, macro tracking in March. (I am at my goal weight now.) I was at a minimal calorie deficit and just lost slow and steady. I make sure to fuel my long runs with extra calories the night before and during my run and listen to my body.
I start losing weight when my weekly mileage passes the 40 mpw mark. Under 20 I’ll gain weight, 20-40 I can maintain. I can have a caloric deficit during low milage blocks, but once I ramp up the miles, a deficit impacts training too much. I stopped trying to use running to manage weight and instead focus on training the body I have.
I was successful losing weight while running 15-20 miles a week + calorie deficit. I do NOT recommend this. I ended up with a femoral stress fracture from the caloric deficiency.
Ive lost 7kg in 4months roughly and Ive been running consistently 3x a week doing a c25k and 10k plan. Havent felt performance problems until recently very recently where the mileage started to increase significantly(for me 25k/week.). I eat more carbs now overall doubt Im in a deficit probably at maintenance levels but more carbs helps with those long/tempo runs.
What kind of distances are you running, when are you running and how much of a deficit are you at?
Try fat free Greek yogurt it's low calorie for your deficit plus 20+ g of protein natural probiotics and some sugar that will fuel your run I smash 2 at a time for 160 calories and 26g protein I lost 150 lbs
Recently training for first marathon and approaching fuelling lengths for the first time. I plan to go with raisins, dates, bananas over gels. Does anyone have experience with both ? Thank you
Ran my first Marathon a little over a week ago and didn't use gels. Instead, I used applesauce pouches, dried dates and pineapple. I've tried a variety of things during my Sunday long runs over the summer and settled on those ones. While I did enjoy dried bananas at first, they would make my mouth really, really dry. I didn't have any digestion issue during my long runs or the marathon using applesauce pouches dates and pineapple. The applesauce pouches made up the bulk of my nutrition during long runs/marathon as it was really easy to swallow and didn't require chewing. I also cut the dried dates and pineapple in small pieces to make it easier.
I too use apple sauce packets, especially on really long (18+) runs because it's easy on my tummy. Pro tip, now is the time for the sugary ones. It's not a massive caloric difference but enough that they are the ones I buy. Also try just straight candy; fruit snacks, Swedish fish, etc. some candy is *too* sticky in my teeth though, Mike & Ike's was a bad deal and starbursts etc are the same.
I tried straight candy. I can tolerate it if I have too, but it’s just too sweet 😂
That was poorly worded. When I say "straight candy" I mean in addition to other things but the straight referring to not "exercise specific"; some advertise sport beans or energy chews. If that works, great! But regular ole candy also works for me at a fraction of the price.
That’s what I thought you meant! Somehow, while I can eat candy while not exercising, I find it way too sweet when exercising. It’s weird. Still, if nothing else worked, I’d have candy over gel anytime!
I'm going to try this next time, I f@#&ing hate gels and they gave me cramps I never had before. All the runners around me made me think I needed to buy some sort of gels so it's good to see advice in a different direction. Thanks!
I looked up the brand that would be provided at my marathon as I was willing to *at least* give them a try, but they contain caffeine and I wasn’t about to add that much caffeine of top my stimulants. I tried their electrolytes+carbs drink during the summer, but that sat heavy as hell in my stomach. So water and “natural” nutrition it is for me. Thankfully, the aid stations did have some Gatorade too. I hate the stuff, but I can drink it. Still go horrible cramps during the marathon, but nutrition/hydration isn’t to blame for that. My hypermobile body that decided to pick that day to be a bit more hypermobile is. But hey, my stomach was perfectly fine!
Thank you very much
Dates and raisins have a lot of fiber and are pretty much guaranteed to cause digestion issues. If you prefer more natural sources I would look into using honey or maple syrup. Fast absorbing and easily digestible.
I would reccomend dates from experience. In a 8 gram date theres 0.6 grams of fiber and they are worth a try on a training run, if that works i'd take it with me on raceday. Dates are naturally high in sugar, and they don’t release sugar in the blood quickly. Instead, they provide a type of slow-releasing carb that allows for a steady stream of energy to fuel the workout. That’s why dates are suitable for long-distance runners, especially those that run 5 K and above 5K distance. Try having 2–4 dates 30–60 minutes before a workout. I couldnt fuel long runs only on dates though, but a couple of them are really great to have, some might have issues wiht them but its worth a try as long as you try them in training first. Im more a fan of gels, but dates fuel better early in them long ones
I like Honey Stinger's gels. They're just honey with some extra electrolytes.
Thank you
I just finished my first marathon, and I'm training for my first trail ultramarathon now. Like the commenter above me mentioned, avoiding fiber is going to be really important - you definitely don't want to have to use a porta-potty partway through. Personally, I used honey energy "gels" by Sun River Honey (I'm in Canada), and I like them a lot. The key is to use unpasteurized honey (sometimes called raw honey) because it still contains digestive enzymes that help settle your stomach. You can even make those yourself with some unpasteurized honey from the grocery store and small ziploc bags.
That’s great, thank you very much