Ask the Experts: Marathon Nutrition Q+A with Ruth McKean

Morning Ruth:

Quick Question, I'm a coeliac and have trouble finding energy snacks from the big names, have even found some of the gels containing gluten, any ideas or suggestions please.

Lee

Hi Lee - the Lucozade gels are supposed to be (says on their website). I am not coeliac, but my wife is and is a runner, but for the record, I rate them as best anyway. SIS Go Gel are also apparently Gluten free, but contain Xanthan gum which I know some coeliacs react to - and again, for the record, though easier to take, especially on the move, they do not have the same carb content and I find them less effective.

Hope this helps

Scouse wrote (see)

I also have T2 diabetes diet controlled and found your reply to Tentsmuir Runner very helpful I tend to use maltodextrin with elite for electrolytes but find I struggle from about 13 to 16 miles I tend to try and carbo load days before marathon. am runing Manchester marathon on 29 April do you have any sugestions to what I could use instead of maltodextrin.

Do you use anything else as well as the maltodextrin? Are you starting feeding early enough? It is a little late to be trying new things but have you tried drip feeding jelly babies/beans/other similar type jelly sweets say one every mile on top of current fuel stategy. The other non tested option is to try a carbohydrate drink/mixed with protein so a 3:1 mix (many commerial drinks companies now do these) but you still need to stick to your fluid needs and not overdrink so may still need to take on board other sugar or to try an extra gel at say 11miles or work out what you are doing now and increase intake by 5-10g at each fueling point you have to see if this helps.  

Tiptoes wrote (see)

Morning Ruth:

Quick Question, I'm a coeliac and have trouble finding energy snacks from the big names, have even found some of the gels containing gluten, any ideas or suggestions please.

Lee

Hi Lee

Do you mean for fueling you during an actual race or just in general?

No I only use maltodextrin, but I will try the jelly beans / extra gel on my next long run. I have used For Goodness Shakes which is 3:1 carbohydrate/protein mix after long runs and it seems to aid recovery.

Would not suggest you use the for goodness shake during but as you are doing this after perfect.! the carb & protein drinks are the ones just as high five 4: 1 or similar that are desgned to use during (not milky type drink such as the milkshakes as these would not go down very well during  a run for most people) but I would do the jelly babies /extra gels as the first line of defence !

RUTH MCKEAN wrote (see)

Tiptoes wrote (see)

Morning Ruth:

Quick Question, I'm a coeliac and have trouble finding energy snacks from the big names, have even found some of the gels containing gluten, any ideas or suggestions please.

Hi Lee,

As far as I can see ISOGELS, SIS GO GELS AND LUCOZADE GELS are gluten free. The maltodextrin comes from maize in the GO and high five and in lucozade the glucose syrup which can be derived from wheat and barley but the gluten is removed from this and I am pretty sure that you can eat foods with glucose syrups and even wheat based maltodextrins. So most gels should be fine. You will struggle more with commerial sports bar but these are not so essential as you can get this energy from regular gluten free foods.

Hope that helps.

Ruth