only water and shot bloks, is ok? - Spring Marathon

kaffeeg

24/03/2012 at 22:05

ok, first marathon in 4 weeks (eeeek!)... and just wondering about re-fuelling.

I've got the shot bloks down to a tee (and am slightly addicted to them , but that is another story...)

I just can't stand the gels nor the lucazade drinks.

Will i be ok just drinking water and taking the shot blocks? This is what I am training with and so far so good. But obviously, I've not done 26.2 miles yet.

Just worried as lots of people say you need the sports drinks too - but I can't stand the taste of them.

Anyone else just have water and shot blocks?

cougie

pirate

24/03/2012 at 22:32

It's just a different way of getting energy in. I don't use energy drinks either.
How many are you taking and when ?

Grendel3

25/03/2012 at 08:55

Water is fine - for years that is all you got - in the small marathons that is all you still get - as long as you eat plenty of carbs and drink plenty of water in the days leading up to the race s you start well fuelled and hydrated you can get round on water

Good luck

PSC

pirate

25/03/2012 at 10:11

I agree with the above. On very hot days you might consider Zero or Nuun (or cheap man's version, dioraolyte). This is salts only and comes in powder or tablet form which you pop into a water bottle. I can't stand Nuun but love High 5 Zero tabs.

tricialitt

25/03/2012 at 14:21

It might be worth checking out what drinks are served at your particualr race- if they do lucozade, don't give up entirly on the idea of using it- try diluting it 50:50 with water- I did that, for a recent marathon, and found it much better- it can be a problem stomaching the shot blocks later in the race, so useful as a back up plan.

kaffeeg

25/03/2012 at 15:00

thanks all.

cougie - at the moment I'm taking a cube every 20 minutes. Worked fine so far (apart from today! where I wanted to vomit and could not take anything else on board...but the less said about that the better, I hope it is just the tail end of my cold rather than an indication of marathon day). I also mix it up a bit and take sports beans, again every 20 minutes where I take 2.

thanks grendel3

PSC - i've got one of those and tried it (not whilst running, will take one with me on my next long run and see how it goes).

tricialitt - thanks. THat's quite a good idea. I am doing london where they only offer lucozade, diluting sounds like a plan. Have you experienced problems with shot blocks later on in the race?

tricialitt

25/03/2012 at 18:12

No matter what you're taking, it gets increasingly difficult to manage to take anything after about 20 miles- dunno why, I think the gut gets a bit low on blood supply, as it is all being diverted to muscles as an emergency. This is probably why it's worth slightly over- doing the fuelling earlier, while it can still be absorbed, 'cos later on, it's a struggle.

SuperCaz

25/03/2012 at 18:16

Sometimes the body just needs something different after 20 miles. I find that whatever I take I go off them after 20 miles, but if someone offers me something different, like jelly babies, then my stomach is happy with them.

But you should be OK with water and shots as a general rule.

Running Rodent

25/03/2012 at 19:09

I only use water and shotbloks, and that does me fine. I take them every half hour (as I'm training for Paris and that more or less coincides with the water stations). I alternate between taking one or two each half hour, which is as much as I need. They seem to be easier on the digestion than gels, and they also contain sodium and potassium, which is useful if it gets hot. But do make sure you take plenty of water with them.

JeremyG

25/03/2012 at 19:25

If it's been working fine don't change anything on the day. +1 for what Grendel says re fuelling and hydration before race day. As for after 20 miles unless you are really slow whatever you are taking after 20 miles shots/gels you will get little benefit as by the time it's absorbed you are nearly done. If you are tiring better to take some sweets/jelly babies for that quick sugar rush.
Basically in the first part of the race you are topping up your glycogen levels so for the last 6 miles - or anything after 2 1/2 -3 hrs you don't run out and hit the "wall"

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