Taking on gels in marathon

I always find that when I hit 20 miles in the marathon I'm lacking energy, I mean you expect to be pretty rough anyway, lol There are aspects of training like more core strength which ive worked hard on and speed training which I'll focus on.

Just wondered when people take gels on etc. I'm half considering stuffing a few gels in an arm strap to bosh at about an hour then 2hrs. I took two on last year at 15 and 18 1/2 miles but I think I was already lacking. I'll be running at a faster tempo to try and break 3 hours next year so I'll need all the help I can get, lol

Hi Robert i took gels every 40 mins plus lucosade  still crashed and burned at mile 23 wish i knew the answer to this one

Hi  there

I recently completed my first marathon, and being a novice runner was dreading hitting the wall.....well, to my shock, it never happened! I ran a negative split, and my last 3 miles were infact the fastest.  Here's what I did...for what it's worth.

I consumed loads of fluids in the week leading up to the race, and carbo loaded only on the last 2 days.  I am assuming you are on top of this already so onto the race itself.   I ate breakfast about an hour before the race started, and throughout the race I had 1.5 litre of energy drink, plus water.  I had a gel at every hour (for me that totalled 4)...every half hour I had a couple of haribo sweets (or 2 lucozade enery sweets), and just basically kept this up all the way though.

I always find that I have more energy if I eat quite soon before the start (not immediately though!)...but close to it, I think I have more energy to burn (cos I must burn loads of it off with the worry too LOL!). 

FYI I used a combination of gels....2 SIS orange ones, and 2 Powerbar blackcurrant ones (which contan caffeine).  These really seemed to do the trick for me, as did taking on lots of fluids.  I am convinced this helped me not hit the dreaded wall.  In the end the marathon was nowhere near as bad as I had thought it would be....I was dreading it!

Good luck

hi, I did FLM last year and hit the wall at 18. This year I was a lot better prepared.

I listened to a Lucozade person at a race who recommended gels every 45 mins plus lucozade.

At FLM this year I was fully carbed before the race. I never want to see pasta again!. And porridge for breakfast 2 hours before start. Banana and Lucozade on the way to the race.

Then during the race I had a gel every time I was about to reach a Lucozade station, (5,10,15,19,23) plus picked up a Lucozade bottle each time and drubk most of it before getting to next Lucozade station, plus few sips of water at most water stations.

I used a SIS gel belt as I found it easier to carry the gels that way. I was very pleased with my strategy and ran consistent mile splits throughout the race.

I stuffed mine down my bra, but I don't suppose that is an option for you Robert...LOL

Oh, and check out what fluids are available on the course. The one I just did only had water, which for a big profile marathon I thought was pretty crap, to be honest.  So I started off with my own bottle, then switched to water, then caught up with hubby further round the course who passed me anothe 500ml bottle.  I am not sure if it is in my head, but I really do rate these energy drinks.

Me too.  I always used to drink lucozade on my long runs but then ran out.  Had a few really bad training runs that really got me down.  Re-introduced the lucozade drinks and managed the long runs again!  I drink 500 mls in the 30 mins preceeding the run.

Only downside is that it's so sweet and sickly, by the end of the run I am ansolutely gagging for water!

I take a gel (Torq, ~ 45g carbs) every half hour / 5k (i.e. coming up to every water station if they are every 5k, which they often are) in 20mi+ races, and marvellous, bloody rocket fuel, make such a difference.

That and Elvis Presley

For future maras thinking of having my own bottles put out so I can have

• bottles not cups, with
• my own sports drink in that doesn't give me trots like a random one might - plus, even more carbs!
• with my gel stuck on the side so I don't have to carry them

being the speed I am, the "personal drinks" tables are usually pretty empty by the time I get there, so quite a realistic plan I think.

Also carb load for 3 days before (~600g / day, rice cakes, don't mention rice cakes!) and have a big bland VERY early brekkie (as a sufferer of Runners Trots, I have to make sure everything's gone down well & the Immodium is on top of it before the klaxon goes).

Also (now) pace quite conservatively - neg splits in past two maras - which helps. When I push things closer to my limits it's going to get fun though... :/

Been experimenting with various gels and foods over the years and have found that the High5 gels are very digestible taken every 25 mins during a marathon. High5 offer good advice in the form of leaflets concerning nutrition for various races-10k, 1/2M, M, Short and longer distance tri etc. No i don't have any commercial interest in High5 but i am very impressed with the gels (non-caffeine and caffeine) and also the energy powders (esp summer fruit flavours!).

 Nutrition is vital for the longer distances but the temptation is always there to wait too long before taking anything 'on-board'-remember it does take time for gels to be absorbed.

Hi Robert,

Can only speak from what's worked for me, but when I ran at PB at Stratford, I just took on water from the water stations, then drank an entire Lucozade Sport around mile 18. After that, I ate a jellybaby each mile until 26.2 rolled round!

Good luck

There's an article in RW (might be from the lucozade guys) that explains that your body can only take on a certain amount of carbohydrate per hour and you need to make sure your stores stay topped up to teh full amount. If you wait until too late, you'll never be able to top up your stores enough again and that could be why you hit the wall.

I use high5 gels and take one 15 mins before I start and then one at every 5 mile point. Always make sure you take your gels with water as it makes it easier on your stomach.

I find lucozade too sweet, but like to take gatorade on my long runs instead. For FLM though I just stuck with lucozade and just didn't drink too much of it (few sips at each station was plenty). i finished the marathon with energy to spare. 

Obviously nutrition in the days leading up to the run is very important too!

Was just speaking from my personal experience Cougs - have needed energy gels/babies/iso drinks much before this at other races.

'Asking for trouble' is probably accurate - considering my current state!