Comments on: Please I need some long run advice…

By: Jon in Michigan

Jon in Michigan — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 17:02:29 +0000

Yeah, at 15K with heat you are going to need to drink something. But along with that, your training should reflect the actual race. I think you may end up with some issues if you aren’t taking in something with electrolytes in it, somewhere around the 8K mark. You’ll need to get stuff into you earlier to make it useful to you.

I’m not sure a gel is really needed for a 15K, but again that depends on how your long runs are. I think over 10 miles, a gel might be helpful for alot of people. But if you haven’t felt that you needed something on your long runs, then you are probably good to go in your race. If you do take one, make sure that you are eating it earlier in the race because it may take up to 30 minutes for it to fully enter your system.

Make sure you are well hydrated for at least a couple days prior to the race, but not so much the day of the race so you aren’t all sloshy when you run. I found that it takes a day or so for my body to adjust to the extra water.

Lots of jumbled answers here, but basically, fit the training to the race. If it works in the long run, then race like that. And if you haven’t tried it in a long run, I would hesitate to experiment on race day.

By: jeff

jeff — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 18:09:19 +0000

my typical routine includes gu and sports fluid on any run 10 miles or greater. under that, i’ll usually pass. i personally use cytomax for my fluids, since it isn’t as sweet as gatorade. i’ve heard that the powerbar endurance forumula has a saltier taste to it as well, so that might be an option. on the long runs, i’ll take a couple moutfuls of fluid per mile, and a gu about every 45 minutes - washed down by water (remember hypertonic and hypotonic solutions from chemistry?). i’ve trained for a couple years like that and my body is very used to the routine. i should also mention that i have yet to bonk since i started using the cytomax mix. like others have said, whatever you do, don’t ‘try’ anything during the race. make sure you give it a run through on a training run first. good luck!

By: Oldman

Oldman — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 17:34:29 +0000

Check with the Race Director, there maybe Gatorade or some other sports drink on the course. Then you can have a cup of water and a cup of drink atr each water stop. If you decide to use a gel, try some before te race. I only use gel when I go over 2 hours. Anytime I run long, in humid Florida, I use PowerBar Endurance with my 2 bottle fuel belt. It has protein and sodium for hydration. Since I sweat so much I need the sodium Protein for fuel thus I can hold off useing a gel. Once you start taking gel you should continue every 20 to 30 minutes.

By: Warren

Warren — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 14:51:28 +0000

Your mileage WILL vary. I’m lucky in that my stomach has never (yet!) rejected anything, even 3 hours into a run. Lots of people I know aren’t so lucky. What’s fine half an hour in can make you want to puke 2 hours in. It’s entirely possible that after the first hour, your stomach will give back anything you try to put in it.

If it doesn’t, then some quick energy can make a huge difference. Like, a NOTICEABLE difference. Gel, PowerBar, Gatorade, jelly beans, lots of different things can give you a real difference in energy later in a run. I almost always take something for a run that goes longer than an hour. I know people who do the same. But really, it’s all in what your stomach can handle.

Every long run before your race, I suggest you try eating or drinking something. You’ll quickly learn what works best for you, and what is absolutely intolerable.

Much, much better than puking on race day.

By: Jack

Jack — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 07:43:43 +0000

I run my 14K (8.7M) training runs (at 4:30 in the afternoon) without eating or drinking anything on the way. I do however drink significantly throughout the day to ensure proper hydration. On long run day I get up around 6 a.m., eat a small breakfast and try to drink a glass or two of water. I usually can run within a half hour of eating. I bring water/sport drink in my CamelBak and always carry sports bars with me on the long runs (but use them only if I start losing steam).

For your 15K run, which I believe starts at 8 a.m. you could probably do without eating (or taking gels) during the run if you eat a proper breakfast (and dinner the night before). Most people do better eating 2-3 hours before the race. Knowing how hot and humid it can get at the Boilermaker you probably will need to take in fluids at least after the first 5K, and probably every few miles after this. Gatorade is recommended by many because it also replaces some of the electrolytes that you sweat out. I think the important thing is to go with what you are used to, i.e. how you trained. Don’t try new things during the race. Also don’t drink too much (stop when you hear sloshing in your stomach) as this can make you feel like you’re carrying an extra watermelon with you.

By: Karen in Calgary

Karen in Calgary — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 04:06:53 +0000

Depends on the day, but I like to take Gatorade, Ultima or some sports drink along in hot weather, to help replenish electrolytes I’m sweating out. If you’re not sure what kind of drink you can stomach, try different individual serving envelopes of powders mixed into your water bottle on training runs. I don’t think you necessarily need a gel, but some sort of energy source (gummies, fig newtons) is good if you’re running for much more than an hour.

When I did my 15 km in Tampa this winter it was only the 3rd time I’d raced anything over 10k. I only drank what the water stops offered (Gatorade & water), but it wasn’t very warm that day. If you’re sweating a lot, you’ll need to replace salt and other nutrients. As the others have said, YMMV.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sun, 19 Jun 2005 21:54:55 +0000

Hey lara…like those before me, “your mileage may vary.” For my long runs during training, I always eat an English muffin with peanut butter and drink my 2 cups of coffee about 2 hours before I head out. When I’m out there running, I never have any fluid, but for my 85/90min runs, I did eat a packet of fruit snacks about 60min into the run. They are pretty sweet, but seem to go down fairly easily without any water.
Two weeks ago when I ran my half, I carried a few jellybeans and 2 packets of fruit snacks during the race. I had eaten my same breakfast, and had my usual amount of water (about 1L) that I finished 1 hour before the race. During the race, I did end up eating about 3-4 jellybeans, but I left my fruit snacks alone. I seemed to have plenty of energy. I did make a point to stop at 4 or so of the water stops…I don’t really drink too much (a few swallows), and I tried a few sips of Gatorade at one of the stops, and I did not like it! Too sweet But, like the others, I would really try to test it any food/water/Gatorade on a long run *before* the race…it’s the best way to avoid any unknowns Good luck!

By: Molly

Molly — Sun, 19 Jun 2005 20:49:50 +0000

Hi Lara,
From what I’ve read, if you’re running for more than about an hour, it’s much easier to “bonk” if you haven’t had any nutrition along the way. I run up to about 5 miles without taking in anything (just did that this morning), but for anything that goes beyond that, and/or beyond an hour, I usually try to have at least some water or Gatorade during the run, and in the past I have done better in both training runs and races with either a sports drink or one GU-type thing. I don’t have the problem that you do with the sweets and my stomach, so for you those problems might outweigh any performance benefit you would get from them. I agree “your mileage may vary,” and it might be worth testing it out on a long run or two to see if it makes a difference for you personally.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 18 Jun 2005 17:02:53 +0000

Because I can’t eat much in the morning before I run, I use gels during my runs. I can’t drink Gatorade on the run, it does strange things to my stomach, and most of the races I do have Gatorade. I can drink Powerade, but it is rarely available. Anyway, about the gels- I use Carbboom, taste is better (not as strong) than Clif Shots or Gu. I would try a few out to see how your stomach reacts, same with the sports drink. I have a weak stomach and the gels dont bother me. You can get sick of the sweet though, so I carry different flavors. Hope that helps!

By: Mia

Mia — Sat, 18 Jun 2005 00:54:26 +0000

This is, I’m sure, a “your mileage may vary” kind of question. For me, I’ve never used gel or eaten anything at all in a run. My longest “race” or sort of “event” run, I guess is more like it, was the half, and I drank sports drink and water at the stops. I always drink a little something, even in the 10k. BUT, when I’m on a training run, I don’t generally drink. If somebody is providing it, I’m all over it. If I have to carry it during the run, or stop for it, not so much. Of course, I”m fanatic about being lazy, so I am pretty certain that I am going to be the exception on this. The short answer, I haven’t died, you probably won’t either; however, there may be some performance issues that can be overcome with a better plan than my current “ignore it” philosophy. That is all.:)