Drinks, gels and water don't work for me!

Hello everyone,

I'm running my fourth marathon this year (London) and STILL cannot get the whole energy drinks + gel + water thing right. I've tried everything and nothing seems to work particularly well for me.

Here's the problem:

When I'm training I never really feel like I need to drink much. I can easily get through a 2 hour run on a cold day without needing to drink, though on a warm day it's more like 1 hour. It's been a real effort for me to include a drinking routine in my training but over the years I've managed it. If I'm doing a long run I take water with me and have sips and all is fine.

One of the reasons I don't like to drink is that it makes me feel worse. I can feel it sloshing around in my stomach, even in small sips, and I know from past experience that if I drink more than a few sips at a time it can ruin a run/race for me. It all comes back up in my throat again and makes me want to vomit. It doesn't matter how much I train with water, it just doesn't sit well with me when I'm running. It's tempting just to go without it sometimes, because I know from experience that I can run anything up to 20 miles on not a lot of water at all.

Energy drinks, gels and sweets have the same effect, if not worse. By the end of a long run or a race I feel sick from using these products, and I've tried ALL of them in my training to find something that works for me. They might be providing me with energy but if they make me feel sick then it really ruins the run/race for me.

Am I doing something wrong? Do I really need to drink as much as everyone says you should? Jelly beans seem to have been the most successful product so far but I don't know how effective they are at providing energy.

(I am female, 4'11", average weight)

I really do think that with every question running related, there is an answer that fits most, there is a training programme that fits most etc... But these things never fit everyone.

You only need to drink as much as you need, however that's not helpful to you right now as it only comes with trail and error.

I don't use gels, I don't drink much... But that wouldn't work for many other people. Jeremy if you're thirsty you're too late.

I dont drink anything, except in races on really hot days. Am not planning to fuel in my next marathon or drink, except the odd sip of water if I need it.

Do what works for you, find this out by trial and error as KK says.

Camruns - I say ignore the "recommendations". I am only 5ft and weigh about 52kg. Most recommendations seem to be aimed at the average male. I would need only a couple of sips of water for  a 2 mile run in the winter and I never use gels - they contain a high number of calories and seem a bit gimmicky to me (each to their own though).  I think High 5 have about 300 calories which would take me at least 45 mins to burn off. A handful of percy pigs were more than enough to get me through a marathon.

I find that a lot of people's ideas about what's normal calorie and water intake are based on their own needs and they have no idea of the needs of a short person which are usually a lot less than the average male!

Ron Hill ran marathons without any drinks at all.

Oh good! Nice to know I'm not the only one. There is so much conflicting advice out there about energy and liquid intake.

Think I'll give up on the gels and sports drinks, and stick to sweets.

The Dextro energy sweets you get in pharmacies are good, I find.

Having tried two long runs (10 and 11 miles) experimenting with a gel for the first time, I didn't feel any beneficial effect. Did 13 today without any gel, and it was just fine!  And I also drink very little water during a run. Today took 2:21, and I had probably two or three sips of water. I always take water with me, just in case, but rarely take more than a few sips. I get a stitch if I try to drink too much.

hi have you tried chia awsome stuff it has the lot.google and see for yerself......

JeremyG wrote (see)

KK the old it's too late if you're thirsty is not the way current research is going. (Working my way through waterlogged by Tim Noakes). Our bodies are remarkably self regulating and if you pay attention you will know what you as an individual need rather than sticking to a prescribed amount.

I'll take a look

I always thought that was odd that if you were thirsty it was too late?

after all, what is thirst for if not to tell you to drink?

have read that it is better to be slightly under hydrated than over hydrated anyway.

Camruns, you may find its enough just to rinse your mouth out? (no not with soap!. . . )

your opening post doesn't seem to contain any actual problem, other than you think you might be drinking too little. if it aint broke, don't fix it.

Max's Mum wrote (see)

I always thought that was odd that if you were thirsty it was too late?

after all, what is thirst for if not to tell you to drink?

 

I think there is a big difference in being thirsty when you're on your summer hols chilling on a beach and when you're 18 miles into a marathon turning yourself inside out. I always got that the too late bit was specific to your body under quite intense physical pressure to keep everything going.

AgentGinger wrote (see)

your opening post doesn't seem to contain any actual problem, other than you think you might be drinking too little. if it aint broke, don't fix it.

There is always this as a good answer.