What food for the full marathon?

[goofeygirl]

Food that you take with you...lots of gu? Beans? On a half I saw a woman with a baggie that was clothespeged to her pants that contained a peanut butter sandwich. One woman told me she carries chicken legs with her.

What do most of you do for food for a full? I know I can't do the 26.2 miles with just jellybeans and gu.

I think it will take me between 5.5 and 6 hours to complete...no records here.

 

[BigEeyore]

This will be my first full, but I am just taking what I have been training with -
Clif shot blocks and Gu chomps, with diluted Gatorade on my fuel belt (full strength is too much). I will probably eat a banana at one of the food stops as well, but that's it. I just can't stomach too much when I'm running! Everybody is different though. All I can suggest to you is to practice what you are going to eat during the race before race day!

 

[matilda]

I take sports beans for the first 10 miles then I eat pretzels and animal crackers for rest of the race. Everyone is different and this is what works for me and I have trained with. I could not do a full without them. I eat a small bit every 40mins to keep from hitting my wall.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Race day nutrition:

-two pieces of toast with PB&J and a large cup of coffee about 2 hours before race start
-30 minutes before race: 1 large banana and one 200mg caffeine pill
-one gel (about 100 calories & 25 carbs) every 45 minutes during the race, possibly an occasional sip of on course electrolyte drink
-If the temps are above 80, I will have one 215mg (sodium) Salt Stick tab an hour starting at hour 1

The keys to any successful nutrition plan is that it's simple, precise and 100% flexible and you have the ability to completely scratch it on race day and go with something else if it isn't working. If you make it too complicated and you have no flexibility, you have no plan B and for alot of people your race will be determined not by what happens to you, but how you react to it. Leave yourself some options.

 

[yellowjacket22]

I eat a couple of cinammon Poptarts a couple of hours before the race. I like to carry a couple of packs of regular gummies...Disney gummies usually in honor of the location. I also take some gels and eat fruit and candy they provide on the course. I can't handle caffeine, so I skip anything with that in it if possible.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I have taken a half PButter sandwich, Fig Newtons, PButter crackers in the snack bag size. I always have Gu. Not sure for what I will take January.

 

[cewait]

Actually, you can go a long distance on gels. You do not indicate what your pre-run fuel strategy is but if you are not fueling with a carby meal a couple hours pre-run, you are starting with a slight deficient.

Look for alternatives that are sport oriented rather than candy. Yes, candy will work, but the sport oriented fuel carries in an electrolytic component that a gummie bear fails to carry. Not saying candy will not work, just saying there is better.

If solid food is your preference, then the PBJ works. So will dates, bananas and other fruits.

WIth regard to gels, try bringing 2-3 flavors you know work and put them in a fanny pack all mixed up. Then on the run, pull them out without looking at the flavor drawn. The random selection will help keep the taste buds from dreading the next gel.

Just beware that any fueling changes you think you want to make need to be proofed in a training run. What sounds great idled may fail on the run due to smell, taste, texture or content.


Just for the record, I have a breakfast about 2:15 for the Disney races that contains a bagel with a spread, a handful of mixed nuts, a glass of OJ and 2 cups of coffee. In the last hour pre-race, I will sip a bottle of sport drink with a banana. In the corral, I will consume a gel jut before the gun and then one every 40-50 minutes on the run.


Chicken Legs????

 

[disneyjanet]

Chicken Legs????

I was talking to someone once who was thinking of simultaneously starting a low carb diet and traing for a 1/2 marathon. I attempted to convince him otherwise but he wasn't getting my point about fuel for running. Perhaps chicken legs would be perfect running food for him.

OP I have been using GU chomps during my training runs and like them much better than the gels. I also hydrate with water. I run/walk so I find it easy to take a chomp or 2 every 2nd or 3rd walk interval. It says on the package that they're good for 1 1/2 - 2 hours of activity per package so I space them out so a package last that long. I find I like how I feel better with a small amount taken more frequently.

I also had a question if anyone knows if the powerade they use in the race is like the bottled stuff with high fructose corn syrup or the powdered stuff with the sucrose/dextrose?

 

[NYUBwayBaby]

I know I'm bringing beans. I have issues with textures so gels and bananas are a no go for me. I may bring, like, a granola bar or something else, as well. Maybe a peanut butter sandwich. I still need to finalize everything.
I'm also not pleased with the lemon-lime powerade choice, but I'll make do with it. I think it is bottled, but I'm not 100% sure on that.
My mom wants to somehow tie a bagel to herself. I'm not entirely sure how well that will work.

 

[SAHDad]

I'll be bringing either chomps, Gu or beans - I've trained with all, so it will really come down to what "feels" right when I am packing. I tend to store them in my hat - not sure why, but it works, so long as I keep that in mind and don't randomly keep taking my hat off during the race.

 

[runner_princess]

On race day morning I eat:
- Protien bar (Musclebrownie brand) 3 hours before race start with 8 oz skim milk
- 2 cups of coffee with Splenda, 2 hours before race start
- sugary snack, typically a couple of cookies, and other cup of coffee, right before race start

During race:
I start our carrying a small size gatorade, which I usually drink between miles 1 and 5. I then drink the gatorade/poweraid at every aid station. I also will eat any fruit offered on the course, but no gels/packaged products for me.

For a half, I alternate the gatorade/powerade with water every other aid station.

 

[cewait]

I was talking to someone once who was thinking of simultaneously starting a low carb diet and traing for a 1/2 marathon. I attempted to convince him otherwise but he wasn't getting my point about fuel for running. Perhaps chicken legs would be perfect running food for him.

OP I have been using GU chomps during my training runs and like them much better than the gels. I also hydrate with water. I run/walk so I find it easy to take a chomp or 2 every 2nd or 3rd walk interval. It says on the package that they're good for 1 1/2 - 2 hours of activity per package so I space them out so a package last that long. I find I like how I feel better with a small amount taken more frequently.

I also had a question if anyone knows if the powerade they use in the race is like the bottled stuff with high fructose corn syrup or the powdered stuff with the sucrose/dextrose?

Powdered, thankfully.

Note that it is mixed about half strength at the aid stations.

 

[lmb80129]

I'm taking sports beans and Cliff MOJO bars. I like the peanut butter pretzel and chocolate almond coconut MOJO bars.

 

[kaf7878]

My best advice is to train and run the race using the same foods/drinks.

Bagels with peanut butter always worked well an hour or so pre-run. Then around mile 4 I would start my gels and use those every 4 miles.

This was many years ago and I have since switched to Cliff Shot Bloks for my upcoming half (taste better and not as messy).

I prefer to only drink water if I am using gels/bloks on my runs (my bloks have extra sodium so I don't need the sodium from the drinks).

Personally, I could not deal with "real" food on a run--ugh--my stomach would not be happy!

But honestly I would try a few things out on your training long runs and see how you feel. There are so many products available now so the options/flavors are endless--have fun with it!

 

[DisneyRunnerGirl]

I carry a variety of items in my fuel belt pouches: GU chomps, mini pretzels, m&m's and homemade granola bars. Too much sugar can upset my stomach so by alternating the sweet items with the pretzels keeps my tummy happy. The variety is important to me since I am pretty slow and will take around 6 hours to finish.

I especially like the homemade granola bars since I can put in whatever I like. Since it is "glued" together with honey, I get a nice energy boost from pieces I break off as I want them.

I have been testing all of these things on my runs and think I have hit the combo that works for me. As Coach Charles says" your mileage may vary" so make sure you do your own testing on long runs with whatever appeals to you. Good luck.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[cewait]

]My best advice is to train and run the race using the same foods/drinks.

[/I]Bagels with peanut butter always worked well an hour or so pre-run. Then around mile 4 I would start my gels and use those every 4 miles.

This was many years ago and I have since switched to Cliff Shot Bloks for my upcoming half (taste better and not as messy).

I prefer to only drink water if I am using gels/bloks on my runs (my bloks have extra sodium so I don't need the sodium from the drinks).

Personally, I could not deal with "real" food on a run--ugh--my stomach would not be happy!

But honestly I would try a few things out on your training long runs and see how you feel. There are so many products available now so the options/flavors are endless--have fun with it!

I agree with the practice with the race drink... but you cannot really find the powdered version of PowerAde on retail shelves in the US. I find that GatorAde G2 is closer to the race drink than bottled PowerAde. I cannot figure out why Coke creates so vastly different product.

I do not really worry about the food offered by the race as I train with what I know works for me. If you happen to be training with Clif products do MAKE SURE that you are grabbing the flavor you have trained with. A simple change in flavor can cause issue.

One other point. I would look to train on a shorter long run by taking a banana on the run. I see lots of half eaten bananas on the roadway in a marathon. Also, if you do practice with a banana, check the ripeness in the marathon. The bananas in a race are usually fairly green and firm. That may not be what one is looking for.

 

[guava]

I didn't think I'd ever find a fuel I liked. Not a fan of shots, gu, blocks or beans. Then I tried a Honey Stinger Energy Waffle. Seriously, I love these things. Very easy on the stomach and I actually find I look forward to snack time on my long runs.

 

[cewait]

I didn't think I'd ever find a fuel I liked. Not a fan of shots, gu, blocks or beans. Then I tried a Honey Stinger Energy Waffle. Seriously, I love these things. Very easy on the stomach and I actually find I look forward to snack time on my long runs.

You will never believe this ... but I cannot use their products at all. Something with the honey base rips me up. However, for many folks, it seems to work well.

 

[minniebeth]

I can't do the Honey Stingers... They taste so good and are easy to eat but make me sick to my stomach. My DS suggested the waffles and those I can do and taste good too. Easier to eat than a powerbar or granola bar.

 

[goofeygirl]

Thanks.

For the half I normally start the day a few hours before the race with a bran muffin and two bannanas and coffee..and carry jellie bellies with me.

I will probably do this for the full..

Peanut butter combos snack food.
Load up of jelly bellies.

A bannana a half hour before the race (as per someone who posted this is what they do)

carry salt just in case.

The thing with the Disney race is that there is loads of waiting around time...from the time the bus drops you off at the waiting area..then the walk to the corrals and then the wait until your corral is ready...I remember last year I waited almost an hour before my corral was at the start line. Knowing I have 26.2 miles to go from all that waiting..yeah a bannana around that time sounds good.