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Does anyone *not* fuel during long runs?

I've never fueled, so I just don't know. I don't really want to mess with anything if I don't need to, but I'm starting to get up into higher mileage (17 tomorrow) and wondering if I should just keep going as is or try something.  I'd hate to try it and ruin a good run, but I'd hate to be missing out on something that could help. 

Thoughts?

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Re: Does anyone *not* fuel during long runs?

  • I don't. But I have never run more than 13.5 miles.

    My tummy is SO sensitive and when I get that rumble in the jungle. I literally have seconds to find a safe place. So I don't want to risk it.

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  • I did for the first few half marathons I trained for.  But I don't know if my body is getting used to the mileage, but I haven't felt the need to fuel during my long runs this time around.

    It's worth a try during your long run, just to see if it helps.  (Unless, like pp, you have sensitive tummy issues.) 

  • epphdepphd member

    Do you drink water on long runs?  Maybe a good way to start is with liquid fuel - gatorade or diluted gatorade.  I think the only way to know if it could help is to try.  I've never gone more than 8 miles w/o gatorade or blocks though, so what do I know ;)

     

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  • it depends on what i've eaten that day.  during the week, when i run after work, i definitely fuel.  (because my "lunch" hour is at 11 am, and so by 4pm, when i'm running, there is very little in my belly.)

    on weekends, i just have a decent breakfast, and don't generally fuel.

    you can try some of the non-gel fuels...shotbloks or gu chomps or something like that...so that you can have them in small amounts, rather than having to consume the whole thing.

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  • I don't need fuel for a 16-18 mile run. 26.2 is another beast, however. I would find out what works for you now, versus getting to marathon day and suffering on those last few miles. 
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  • Now is the time to experiment. You won't know unless you try. If it doesn't work for you, one so-so run does not make or break your whole training and at least you learned something. Better to know now than in a race. I fuel more when it is hot/humid and less when it is cooler, like right now. I know I have a psychological need to fuel on runs longer than oh, an hour to an hour and a half. So even if it's doing nothing physically, the psychological benefit of having fuel helps me.
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  • I don't.

    The 1st time I did was during both of my marathons, but never during training.

    I have tummy issues so for my marathons I just ate huge meals the night before because if I eat within 2 or 3 hours, my stomach starts to hurt I have to go to the bathroom really bad and I didn't want to use the bathroom during the race. So I started fueling during the race somewhere around mile 12-15 to give me some fuel.

    During my training runs I didn't use fuel because I could plan my meals out better and eat and go to the bathroom in plenty of time to not have to go go during my training runs. 

  • All of you non-fuelers are crazy!!! No one has ever bonked?? It is recommended that if you are working out longer than 90 minutes you need some sort of fuel. And that fuel should taken before the 90 minute mark, more like at 45 minutes.
  • imageJoenali:
    All of you non-fuelers are crazy!!! No one has ever bonked?? It is recommended that if you are working out longer than 90 minutes you need some sort of fuel. And that fuel should taken before the 90 minute mark, more like at 45 minutes.

    This!  After two hours, do your times just not get progressively slower and slower?

  • At this stage of the game you probably want to start experiementing with fuel. You'll definitly want it as you get closer to 20. 

    I don't fuel for runs shorter than 13 miles....and I never do runs over 13 miles currently, so no good suggestions here :) Once I get into the 15ish range of marathon training, I plan to start using fuel, as I know I will need to on actual race day.

    I ran my first marathon only drinking water for fear of stmach problems. Something a 20 year old can get away with, but I still felt like I was hit by a bus for the next week!

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  • I can run abotu 10-13 miles on water only, but anything over that I must have some kind of fuel.  Last weekend I ran 15 miles and had Mike & Ike's (thanks to one of my running buddies) versus my normal gu or shot bloks.  Those worked out well. 
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  • imagekat.in.the.hat:

    imageJoenali:
    All of you non-fuelers are crazy!!! No one has ever bonked?? It is recommended that if you are working out longer than 90 minutes you need some sort of fuel. And that fuel should taken before the 90 minute mark, more like at 45 minutes.

    This!  After two hours, do your times just not get progressively slower and slower?

    Um....no? I've never felt like I've bonked or that I run out of energy. Tired, yes, but I almost always am running faster when I finish.

     I think I'll pick something up today and try it. When during the run?  Like halfway?  

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    Bloggy McBloggerson
    CO Nestie Award Winner-Prettiest Brain-Back to Back!
    2011 Bests
    5K-22:49 10K-47:38 Half Mary-1:51:50
    2012 Race Report
    1/1-New Year's 5K-22:11
    2/11-Sweetheart Classic 4-mile-29:49
    3/24-Coulee Chase 5K-21:40
    5/6-Colorado Marathon-4:08:30
    5/28-Bolder Boulder 10K
  • imagetaratru:
    imagekat.in.the.hat:

    imageJoenali:
    All of you non-fuelers are crazy!!! No one has ever bonked?? It is recommended that if you are working out longer than 90 minutes you need some sort of fuel. And that fuel should taken before the 90 minute mark, more like at 45 minutes.

    This!  After two hours, do your times just not get progressively slower and slower?

    Um....no? I've never felt like I've bonked or that I run out of energy. Tired, yes, but I almost always am running faster when I finish.

     I think I'll pick something up today and try it. When during the run?  Like halfway?  

    I would start fueling 45 minutes in, and then keep on some sort of "fueling schedule", then again in 45 minutes or even less than that. YOu might be surprised at how good you feel when you eat something!

    ETA: I really like Power Bar's Energy Blasts. I think they taste pretty good! I like the strawberry banana.

  • imageJoenali:
    All of you non-fuelers are crazy!!! No one has ever bonked?? It is recommended that if you are working out longer than 90 minutes you need some sort of fuel. And that fuel should taken before the 90 minute mark, more like at 45 minutes.
    No I never really bonk. When I do long runs, as in more than 13 miles, I definitely pace myself. I wouldn't say I'm super fast but I'm not super slow (I don't think) as my mile pace is between 9 and 10 minutes for those long runs. However when it comes to marathon I'm not really a serious racer, I just like to stay steady with my pace and complete it with very minimal walk.
  • I trained for and ran a couple half marathons with nothing more than Gatorade... but I bonked towards the end of a 13.1 (I was on pace to PR and feeling great, but just TOTALLY ran out of gas in the last 2-3 miles), and it was that experience that made me realize I needed to start fueling. If I'm running 10 miles or less, I do ok with water or maybe Gatorade if it's not out. But if I know I'm going to be running more than 10, I eat a few beans or shot bloks about 6-7 miles in. That little blood sugar surge definitely helps.
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  • For marathon training I have my first gu or gel at the hour mark, and then every 45 minutes after. That is what I aim for during the race too. Gatorade makes me pukey, but I do drink water through out.

    As far as bonking, I don't during half marathons, but if I am marathon training I stick to the gu schedule I would use during a marathon. Right now I'm fueling on everything 10 and longer, since I am breastfeeding and exhausted much of the time anyway. It gives me an excuse to sneak in some caffeine!

    Caroline (5), Kyle (3), Lucy (01/04/12)

    2012 Goal: working towards pre-pregnancy speed!
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    05/06 Frederick 13.1 (1:41:09)
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  • I also fuel if i'm running anything over 10 miles - even if you don't feel you need it at that point, it's best to go ahead & take it, rather than crashing two miles later.

    I carry my fuel belt for any runs over five miles, because i like to be able to know i'll have water or gatorade if I need it:)

  • I think you're going to need to eat something, if for no other reason than you'll probably need something on race day and you def don't want it to be the first time you try something.  I'd approach it from a time stand point rather than distance though.

    I'm OK for workouts less than 2 hours. If I'm going to be out for two hours or longer I'll bring something.  lately I've been using shot blocks. I also like gu chomps. I eat three blocks for a two hour run @ 40, 60, 80 min.  which isn't really that much fuel, but I've tried doing it without it and it's. . . not good.

    maybe just buy a bunch of different stuff, plan a route with bathroom access, and experiment?  I don't think you are going to be able to run a marathon with no nutrition.  well you might be able to finish, but you are going to hate your life for that last 10K for sure and potentially longer than that.

  • imageebeth_msn:

    I think you're going to need to eat something, if for no other reason than you'll probably need something on race day and you def don't want it to be the first time you try something.  I'd approach it from a time stand point rather than distance though.

    I'm OK for workouts less than 2 hours. If I'm going to be out for two hours or longer I'll bring something.  lately I've been using shot blocks. I also like gu chomps. I eat three blocks for a two hour run @ 40, 60, 80 min.  which isn't really that much fuel, but I've tried doing it without it and it's. . . not good.

    maybe just buy a bunch of different stuff, plan a route with bathroom access, and experiment?  I don't think you are going to be able to run a marathon with no nutrition.  well you might be able to finish, but you are going to hate your life for that last 10K for sure and potentially longer than that.

    Yes

     

    I've also used mini-snickers bars during my marathons - it was a nice change from the gu's :)

  • I have.   I am primarily a half marathon runner (done 16 of them) but have completed 2 full marathons.  During my training for the 1st I tried to "fuel" and got side stiches, during hte race, I drank poweraide at 3 of the stops rather than water (when I normally drink water) but did not eat anything at all and was fine.

    Duirng my 2nd marathon training, I did not eat anything.  I did drink poweraide in my 20 and 22 mile training runs, but no other fuel.   I also did not eat during my 2nd race.

    Before my races or training runs longer than 15 miles, I did eat 1 piece of wheat toast with peanut butter about 30 minutes before running, so I guess that is fuel... but not during.  I usually ate 1 bananna post run.

  • I've never felt like I needed more than Gatorade on 1/2 marathon training runs, but when I knew I was going to train for a marathon I started playing around with fueling on any run over an hour just so i'd know what worked and what didn't.  I started to feel like fueling was necessary on 15+ mile runs.  I had a lot of muscle cramping issues, so I went with cliff shot blocks with additional salt.  I don't really know anyone that uses nothing for the marathon distance, so my two cents is that you should start figuring out what works for you now rather than later. 

    I ate one piece of a shot block every 2-3 miles after the 6 mile mark for my longer marathon training runs.

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