Running and eating
SG27
Forumite 2.8K Posts
I'm doing some marathon training so have some long runs planned. I currently just take a few jelly babies but as I'm running further I was wondering what everyone else takes when running? What do you eat and at what points in the run? I generally feel hungry after about mile 7 so just scoff a few to see me through until I finish about 15 miles.
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Having done several marathons and Ironman events when it comes to fuelling what you do before the run is as every bit important as on a long run.
What works for me pre long run is crunchy-nut cornflakes. I can eat a large bowl of that two hours before the run along with a cup of tea and I'm good to go. For a training run of 20 miles I'll then take 3 SIS sport gels and a 500ml bottle of Lucozade Sport. I sip the drink when I want to and take the gels at miles 4/9/14. When I run the marathon the only change is one extra gel that I take at mile 20. In contrast for anything up to 14 miles I only take water with me.
What you can stomach while running is a very personal thing though and the best idea is to try different strategies on your long training runs. Once you find something that works for you, use that on race day. Never try something new on race day.
So these energy gels are they carbohydrates or just pure sugar?
What is your typical diet like at the moment?
In terms of marathon training you should not be aiming to "hold a pace" for the duration of a LSR (long slow run). You don't run those at race pace. You should be at least 30 to 90 seconds slower per mile on a LSR, with maybe a couple of race pace miles thrown in at the end.
Long runs are for building endurance and practising your race strategy from pre-run breakfast, to what you eat and wear on race day. Pace work to help you improve your speed should be done in other sessions. Doing lots of LSR's at race pace is a sure fire way to under perform on the day of the event. I've seen many people do this and learn that lesson the hard way.
That's interesting thanks! Although that throws up more questions. How do I actually know what my race pace will be? And how do I actually know I can achieve that pace if I have been running so much slower and at shorter distances. My fastest half marathon distance run so far had been 1 hour 57 so I was thinkng around 4:15 marathon? Then basing my long run pace on this. But the last few miles I up the pace just because I have energy left still.
Also I only have 8 weeks left until the race!
I'd say a good measure for a target time is double your half time and add twenty minutes, so your target time sounds about right. One thing I would say for most is that unless you're a very experienced runner is to forget time goals on your first marathon. A first marathon is a learning experience and unlike shorter distances making a pacing mistake early on (going too fast) will hit you harder than you've ever felt in the final few miles.
For a 4:15 marathon you want an average pace of 9:43 minute mile pace come the event. That should mean you are running your LSRs at no faster than 10:13, really wanting to be closer to 10:30/10:45 minute mile pace. If you feel good then doing the last couple of miles at race pace is worth doing.
Your other sessions is where you build speed. Shorter runs should be under that pace. Something like a 10km run should be under 9 minute mile pace. Have medium distance runs at target pace.
A big flaw I see in most new marathoners training is the jump between shorter sessions and their LSR. Make sure you're getting in regular 9/10 mile runs, take it up to 12 if you are comfortable over that distance. I'd aim for one of those a week as well as a LSR. Do that at target run pace. I've seen people never go beyond six miles outside their LSR and they all crumple in the later stages of the marathon as they're body hasn't adapted.
How do you know you'll be ready? Trust in the training. With marathon training you should be working hard, feeling tired, running regularly and the toil that takes. Three weeks out from the marathon you should start to taper. You do less miles, but keep up the intensity. Come race day you should be rested and trained. A lot of people start off with the running their long runs at race pace, as it seems logical to them. Normally that either results in injury or bad race performance (see also not tapering). That's not the point of that type of session. It's about time on feet and learning how to deal with that. Getting your body used to burning it own resources for energy. Long runs should feel easy. That also keeps you fresh to train harder on other sessions. You make your gains over all the training, not one session.
A friend of mine still did all his LSR sessions close to race pace. I do mine at race pace + 1 minute. At every other distance I'm very marginally faster than him. At marathons without fail I finished a good 15/20 minutes in front of him. He burnt out every single time in those last six miles. This spring he did his long runs with me to force himself to slow down. This year I ran a PB and he was only 6 minutes behind me.
I'll admit sub 4 hour had popped into my head once or twice!
The problem I have is that I work long hours and it's very physical so weekday runs are almost not worth it as I'm already so worn out, my max mid week run has been 1.5mile as fast as possible. Normally takes 10 minutes but have been improving every time.
So my training has consisted almost solely of the long weekend run. This is normally either very early morning or mid afternoon after half days work. So no good for practicing race day routine really!
I will try and do an 8 mike weekday run either this week or next and see how I get on, should this be as quick as possible probably around 8:10 per mile for me (nor counting post work fatigue!) Or should I do marathon pace?
To be honest 1.5 mile runs aren't going to help much with marathon running. It won't be doing you any harm, but ten minute fast as you can sessions won't help you prepare for running 4+ hours.
Personally I'd suggest forget worrying about your time and just try to enjoy the experience. You will learn a lot about yourself and your body on that first marathon. Just be careful though, many like me entered on a I'll do it once and end up running dozens of them!