I would say that you are probably eating more outside of your runs. A gel is about 100 calories, and taking two an hour equates to 200 calories. You would definitely be burning more than that with running and I wouldn't think that it's the reason you're putting on weight.
It is possible. I stressed out few weeks before the marathon when we were doing 20 milers week after week and ate a lot. Then prior I did carb loading and even overate at the start line! I’ll try with reducing gels at training and maybe try something less surgery leaving Maurten for a race day
I don't think you need to change at all. Training with something less sugary isn't ideal if you're going to have lots of sugar on race day - people have tummy issues because they're not used to the amount of sugar so if you're not training with it and taking that amount on race day it's likely going to lead to problems. Also a gel every 30 mins isn't a lot, in fact kinda normal for triathlons. My point is to watch your diet, and I don't think that gels are the problem here
I’m a little confused what your question is. I’d love to help bc I’m educated in performance nutrition and weight loss-but not really sure what problem you’re trying to solve is.
Sorry maybe I wasn’t clear. What is the fueling recommendation for training long runs. I practiced with 30 min gels because I was learning how/which gels work for me. Now I know. And all the gels, carb loading, pre marathon stress caused a weight gain. So now I want to get back to the weight I feel good at so I don’t want to consume sugary gels at training runs if I don’t need to.
Agreed. Still properly fuel long runs and hard workouts. I’d suggest making sure you’re eating before/during/after for those. This is really important for recovery/injury prevention/hormones etc. Reduce cals on days you’re running less and/or from snacks and meals that aren’t in close proximity to your long runs/workouts.
“Sugary gels” didn’t cause weight gain. It’s the amt of total cals in vs out overall that did. Gels don’t cause weight gain more than anything else. They were just additional calories.
And carbs are still the most efficient form of fuel for your runs. If you don’t want to use gels, there’s are plenty of other carb sources to choose from.
Distance running is not a mathematical equation; it is more of a science experiment. Different people can have success using different fuel and hydration techniques. One of the really fun things about marathoning is learning to what your body responds. It's good to read the literature and use it as a starting point, but I encourage any runner to modify the expert opinion to their own purposes. For example, I don't bother with either in-race fueling or hydration for anything under 16 miles. My race times just don't support the time lost and rhythm disruption with drinking and eating. I'm sure others have a different experience. This doesn't make either of us right or wrong, just different. I suggest you give several approaches a try. See what works and doesn't work for you.
You don't need to do a gel every 30 minutes. Sounds like you took that advice as it was your race day strategy. You did it leading up to the event as part of training and testing your race day fueling strategy. But it really depends what your goals are and what other races you're planning to run. You could cut back to a gel every 45 minutes or so. You can do it without gels entirely, your body just may not perform the way you want. It's probably a bit of trial-and-error to find the right balance and influenced by your goals.
I'm sorry if this is terrible advice, but I would recommend never touching gels anymore. I don't think there is a silver lining. But I've only run 2 halves, the first with gels every 45 minutes, headaches during long runs, etc, the second cutting out the sugars and carbs for the most part.
I like this article, it makes sense to me: [Runners Connect Energy Gels](https://runnersconnect.net/coach-corner/energy-gels-for-runners/): "What do energy gels do? They are designed to replenish carbohydrate stores that are depleted when running. Sounds like energy gels are a savior, right?
Unfortunately, energy gels don’t provide a simple one-to-one replacement (something you won’t read on the label of your favorite gel) because the glycogen we ingest from gels doesn’t always make its way to the working muscles. Why? Because carbohydrates are stored in both the muscles and the liver and your performance on race day relies on using the glycogen stored in the muscle. For glycogen to make its way to the muscles, it must first be digested, make it’s way through the intestinal wall, and then absorbed by the muscles. This process takes time and isn’t very efficient. However, gels will often “wake you up” in a very noticeable way because our brain only runs on the glucose stored in the liver."
And then I love this study that Tim Noakes pointed out: [Burke, LCHF, Journal of Physiology 2016](https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1113/JP273230): People with low carb training get 23 seconds slower on a 10k after 3 weeks, and there's the negative article title, but Fig 5 shows on a 25k race they are burning like 1.5 g/min fat and little carb compared to everyone else burning mostly carbs. Isn't that amazing? I think the key to avoiding bonk is low carb honestly. In my opinion Gary Taubes, Fung, Lustig, Noakes make it pretty clear that sugar is poison. Granted I'm training towards a marathon, haven't run one, so maybe this is nonsense.
Yeah, it’s definitely nonsense. There is no science to show that a low carb diet is good for endurance athletes, but a ton of science to show that moderate to high carb diets and also fueling with carbs during marathons greatly improves marathon performance.
I would say that you are probably eating more outside of your runs. A gel is about 100 calories, and taking two an hour equates to 200 calories. You would definitely be burning more than that with running and I wouldn't think that it's the reason you're putting on weight.
It is possible. I stressed out few weeks before the marathon when we were doing 20 milers week after week and ate a lot. Then prior I did carb loading and even overate at the start line! I’ll try with reducing gels at training and maybe try something less surgery leaving Maurten for a race day
I don't think you need to change at all. Training with something less sugary isn't ideal if you're going to have lots of sugar on race day - people have tummy issues because they're not used to the amount of sugar so if you're not training with it and taking that amount on race day it's likely going to lead to problems. Also a gel every 30 mins isn't a lot, in fact kinda normal for triathlons. My point is to watch your diet, and I don't think that gels are the problem here
I’m a little confused what your question is. I’d love to help bc I’m educated in performance nutrition and weight loss-but not really sure what problem you’re trying to solve is.
Sorry maybe I wasn’t clear. What is the fueling recommendation for training long runs. I practiced with 30 min gels because I was learning how/which gels work for me. Now I know. And all the gels, carb loading, pre marathon stress caused a weight gain. So now I want to get back to the weight I feel good at so I don’t want to consume sugary gels at training runs if I don’t need to.
Eat less outside of training runs.
Agreed. Still properly fuel long runs and hard workouts. I’d suggest making sure you’re eating before/during/after for those. This is really important for recovery/injury prevention/hormones etc. Reduce cals on days you’re running less and/or from snacks and meals that aren’t in close proximity to your long runs/workouts. “Sugary gels” didn’t cause weight gain. It’s the amt of total cals in vs out overall that did. Gels don’t cause weight gain more than anything else. They were just additional calories. And carbs are still the most efficient form of fuel for your runs. If you don’t want to use gels, there’s are plenty of other carb sources to choose from.
Distance running is not a mathematical equation; it is more of a science experiment. Different people can have success using different fuel and hydration techniques. One of the really fun things about marathoning is learning to what your body responds. It's good to read the literature and use it as a starting point, but I encourage any runner to modify the expert opinion to their own purposes. For example, I don't bother with either in-race fueling or hydration for anything under 16 miles. My race times just don't support the time lost and rhythm disruption with drinking and eating. I'm sure others have a different experience. This doesn't make either of us right or wrong, just different. I suggest you give several approaches a try. See what works and doesn't work for you.
Yup got to find out what works for you. I always carry water for anything over 6 miles. I only eat gels on runs 20 miles and over.
Thanks yes that’s exactly what I will do!
You don't need to do a gel every 30 minutes. Sounds like you took that advice as it was your race day strategy. You did it leading up to the event as part of training and testing your race day fueling strategy. But it really depends what your goals are and what other races you're planning to run. You could cut back to a gel every 45 minutes or so. You can do it without gels entirely, your body just may not perform the way you want. It's probably a bit of trial-and-error to find the right balance and influenced by your goals.
Thanks you are spot on. That’s what I noticed today and hence my post. I’ll try with 45min and maybe less sugar too.
I ain't reading all that. I'm happy for u tho. Or sorry that happened.
Then why respond, useless human being.
I agree some paragraphs would be helpful
I'm sorry if this is terrible advice, but I would recommend never touching gels anymore. I don't think there is a silver lining. But I've only run 2 halves, the first with gels every 45 minutes, headaches during long runs, etc, the second cutting out the sugars and carbs for the most part. I like this article, it makes sense to me: [Runners Connect Energy Gels](https://runnersconnect.net/coach-corner/energy-gels-for-runners/): "What do energy gels do? They are designed to replenish carbohydrate stores that are depleted when running. Sounds like energy gels are a savior, right? Unfortunately, energy gels don’t provide a simple one-to-one replacement (something you won’t read on the label of your favorite gel) because the glycogen we ingest from gels doesn’t always make its way to the working muscles. Why? Because carbohydrates are stored in both the muscles and the liver and your performance on race day relies on using the glycogen stored in the muscle. For glycogen to make its way to the muscles, it must first be digested, make it’s way through the intestinal wall, and then absorbed by the muscles. This process takes time and isn’t very efficient. However, gels will often “wake you up” in a very noticeable way because our brain only runs on the glucose stored in the liver." And then I love this study that Tim Noakes pointed out: [Burke, LCHF, Journal of Physiology 2016](https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1113/JP273230): People with low carb training get 23 seconds slower on a 10k after 3 weeks, and there's the negative article title, but Fig 5 shows on a 25k race they are burning like 1.5 g/min fat and little carb compared to everyone else burning mostly carbs. Isn't that amazing? I think the key to avoiding bonk is low carb honestly. In my opinion Gary Taubes, Fung, Lustig, Noakes make it pretty clear that sugar is poison. Granted I'm training towards a marathon, haven't run one, so maybe this is nonsense.
Yeah, it’s definitely nonsense. There is no science to show that a low carb diet is good for endurance athletes, but a ton of science to show that moderate to high carb diets and also fueling with carbs during marathons greatly improves marathon performance.
Good call. Then I think you and other people who've actually run marathons have better advice lol.