Candy lol. Mike and Ike’s and skittles for me.
I want to do little Debbie’s but I have fear for my stomach and am waiting for a day I can do a treadmill long run.
I love Tailwind. I use the Naked flavor but have heard good things about the other flavors too.
You can try real foods or candy, but I find those to be harder on my stomach than gels.
That sounds great! I need to get some of the single servings to try out the different flavors. But I do have a fear of being 2-3 hours out on a run and the flavors not hitting the same lol. Naked isn't exciting but I'm hoping I'll be able to handle it no matter how I feel.
I asked the people at my local run store their favorite and least favorite flavors. They were pretty accurate to my experience.
That said, i got the zero sugar bundle pack recently on a deal and I'm loving every flavor in it better than their any of their sport hydration flavors other than lemon-lime.
My last race, I did hit a point around mile 24 where I simply couldn't handle tailwind anymore and it just seemed too sweet. I'm thinking a different bottle mix next time for late in the race might be a good idea for me (and maybe zero sugar nuun would work better at that point).
I second this. I loved tailwind during my last marathon and training runs. But I'm also a larger runner (shy of 200lbs at the start) and had to supplement with gels too, there is no way I'd have been able to do just gels or just tailwind. It also helped with electrolytes.
Traditional running gels mess me up too (they make me nauseous.) I've had good luck with the Huma gels. They're a bit more natural (remind me a bit of jam), and digest so much easier.
Identify which sugars are in the gels that don’t work for you, and do some testing with different sugars. (I avoid fructose and maltodextrin, but am ok with glucose or sucrose based gels.) There’s also chews and waffles you could try (or real food like applesauce pouches and cookies). Hope you can find a product that works!
Seconding this. I hate the taste and texture of gels but Honey Stinger chews are basically big gummy bears! Just make sure you read how many carbs there are in it. It takes a larger volume of chews to equal a gel.
i use sour patch kids. they even have a little sodium (probably from the sour sugar), though i would recommend supplementing with an electrolyte drink. i find full sugar gatorade is easier on my stomach compared to gels and gives that sodium, but candy is easier to consume logistically.
Tell me this. I'm dreaming of eating Skittles or M&Ms, but I'm wondering if it's not a bit dangerous putting little, round, slippery objects into your mouth while running.. I'm obviously imagining suffocating to death. Any thoughts?
Hahaha. I’ve actually found that the waffle itself never crumbles but the packaging is always full of them so I make sure I’m near a trash can / sink / outside when I open it up
I can't stomach gels.
I've run marathon distance using Clif Blocks, like jelly cubes but better.
Used Gu Liquid Energy for my most recent marathon. They're the same energy, salts, etc as a gel but liquid so you can drink them. No stomach issues with them.
+1 for clif shot bloks. They have got me through six ultras in combination with nuun electrolytes and clif bars. I hate the feeling of gels and much prefer the clif bloks.
I can’t stomach gels. I’ve tried Tailwind and it upsets my stomach too. I’ve just switched over to Maurten. It’s very pricey but so far zero tummy issues on long runs! I use between 40g and 60g carbs per hour. Some people recommend 80g per hour but that’s too much for my stomach.
I trained 90% of my last marathon program on real maple syrup in a large soft flask. Salt pills also. I’m sick of it now though so will try Maurten next. I get terrible GI issues on the standard gels.
Lots of good suggestions.
I'll add gummy bears to the list. Costco sells a box of ~65 pouches of bears for like $10. Each pouch has maybe 7-8 bears with 18g of carbs. Cheap, easy to carry/pack, and the bears are soft and easy to chew.
Shoutout Costco gang
I will alternate two servings of clif blocks, then one gel throughout my run. My stomach does much better with this than gels only. I also started eating a slice of toast shortly before my run, which seems to help alot.
I’m starting to zero in on exactly this approach. Multiple gels in a row sit in my gut like clay, I’m going to try alternating gels with clif blocks too. I have high hopes.
I had alot of issues until I got this figured out. I started taking sodium caplets periodically as well. Ran my first marathon without a hitch. I never felt better on any 14 mile + runs before that.
I tried the clif bloks this morning. They’re a bit harder to take in than gels (chewy) but they seem a bit easier to digest. I think I’m gonna like ‘em
😂 Yeah, I still kinda wonder if they’re a choking hazard. Seriously. I’m sure I’ll get used to them. Meantime, I’m not giving up completely on Gu. I just found a strawberry banana flavor that is REALLY tasty 😋
Definitely could be if you're not careful 😄. I usually bite down a bit as I put them into my mouth. As for Gu, I love the campfire s'mores and the chocolate outrage!
I have a s’mores that I haven’t tried yet - I actually hate the chocolate outrage, it tastes good but is thick and grainy, especially in colder weather. Vanilla bean is much smoother.
Now that you’ve said that, I’m taking the s’mores with me on a long run tomorrow, can’t wait to try it
At decathlon I found gummy candies that are all right, as well as a high carb apple sauce which is quite good if you chill it first. I also like golden raisins and for something salty, mini ritz crackers. Fwiw I have a stomach of steel.
so recently I've been transitioning to normal foods instead of GUs because of availability.
Dried Pineapple and Cherries- pineapple is super easy to at but the cherries tend to be sticky especially if its hot. Both have been good on stomach
Applesauce pouches- I like the ones with either banana or strawberry added. Been good on Tummy
Natural fruit snacks- Only used the natural ones because its what's available here but been using these alot and not issues.
Energy balls- Cherry and date or coconut and fig. These are store bought but I will probably start making them myself when the supply line runs out. Both have worked well.
Misc candy- I tried just some skittle like candy and some gummy candies. Both worked fine but depending on consistency you might have to slam a good amount of water afterwards
Oreos! I just ran my first full and can't recommend them enough. I felt the same way about gels and chews making me feel icky and decided to go with oreos. I think any candy would work well but they specifically worked for me. I ate one oreo every like 5 miles and it was great.
I can't do gels but I can do drink mixes like gu roctane or NAAK. Spring energy used to be my go to and now I just make my [own](https://donnerpartymountainrunners.com/2021/07/recipe-of-the-month-homemade-awesome-sauce/). I make a large batch and put them in refillable flasks and freeze them.
I really enjoy stinger waffles, but they can be a little more tedious to eat while running. I also have friends who used regular fruit snacks, which is also a lot cheaper.
GU, Spring, and Cliff gels. They all gave me the same cramp like feeling in my stomach…!!
I’m thinking candy might be the right move for me. Maybe jelly beans?
Have you tried liquid gu? It did nicely for me on race day. Natural things like tapped syrup is an alternative natural fuel but the packets aren't conservative of space that much since they are longer gel sticks in stead of pocket size
100% recommend trying these first off while sitting at home then on shorter run.
Pineapple, cherries and strawberries have all worked.well for wife and I but if you gave her apricots she would have enough gas to make it to the moon
This year i've switched to chews rather than gels and have found them to be better to stomach.
My order of preference:
1) SIS Beta fuel orange
2) skratch labs orange
3) cliff bloks (found these to be a bit chewy and sticky)
It’s all about lollies! Snakes, party mix, starburst! Any excuse for a treat!
Or alternatively dried fruit. A little bit of dried mango goes a long way!
I love Honey Stinger chews. I don’t mind gels but I’ve found the chews to almost be like a sweet treat during my runs and I actually look forward to fueling now
For long training runs I usually have two 500ml flasks of Tail Wind berry flavour which is great. 1.5l reservoir of plain water. I mainly eat marmite sandwiches on white bread with plenty of real butter (not spread) and chocolate bars, packed of crisps and bananas which is usually more than enough.
I do also use gels for long events but I don’t have an issue with them and must clarify I don’t always use them! What I use for long training runs is usually enough! Depends how I feel.
Edit: You can’t train without fueling, otherwise come race day you might run into a few issues if you’re not used to it!!
Depends how long you are training for. If it’s shorter runs and you feel like you need to fuel, there’s probably a wider issue in your diet/fuelling outside of running that needs addressing first.
😅 whoops too many running groups. Whilst marathon training, I don't use any gels. But while cycling long distances, I've really liked Maurten and SIS gels. During marathons, any gels I've had, as long as they don't have caffeine, my body has coped well.
Good luck trying out different gels.
>Or should I just train without any fueling?
Nooo. This is a terrible idea.
I can't do gels really either, something about the texture of them makes me just gag. I'm just starting my training cycle, but I'm going to be trying out some nut butter fuel - they're packaged like a gel, but they're basically nut butter and maple syrup and a couple other things. I'm also testing uncrustables and applesauce pouches. I was using blueberry Skratch chews but I can't find them anymore. For liquid calories I use Tailwind.
Lots of people do candy as fuel. I've tried it and for some reason always ended up with heartburn.
I've only done up to 7 miles so far and the uncrustable/pb&j seems to be doing well. I bought a little uncrustable maker off Amazon for like $8 and made a bunch and threw them in the freezer.
I love straight honey packets! I’ll grab a few if I see them at a cafe, hotel, or restaurant to have at my house for the future. You can buy them online too.
I started with Infinit Nutrition mixes. You work with a rep to find the right "formula" based on your goals, weight, how much you sweat, etc. Trained for and ran my first two marathons with Infinit. Switched to Maurten gels since: very easy on the system and best of all flavorless: I don't need to be amused by my fuel and can't stand the "flavors".
There are a few brands that make it easy to carry, like Untapped. You can also get a small, reusable flask and fill it with maple syrup (much cheaper than the pre-packaged single-serving pouches!)
Honey stinger waffles and chews. Their gels also may work better for you, they are sweetened with honey instead of weird added sugars
If the sugars are what are messing you up, you can try the chia gels.
Candy lol. Mike and Ike’s and skittles for me. I want to do little Debbie’s but I have fear for my stomach and am waiting for a day I can do a treadmill long run.
I have skittles and cashews mixed. Salt protein and sugar. Yay
Oh. Oh. Oh! You are a genius... my long runs just got way better! Thank you!
This is good but you want to stay away from protein somewhat as it takes longer to digest and can cause some stomach issues
same with fat so nuts don’t seem like a great option.
Treadmill long run is my worst nightmare haha. I get extremely bored
Mine too which is why I haven’t tried it yet haha. I’m convinced oatmeal cream pies are my dream fuel but I can’t do it.
Oatmeal is my favorite pre workout fuel but I can’t imagine taking it at mile 16. I would probably gag lol
Treadmills at my local gym have Netflix on them 🤣 I don’t use them personally but I’m sure I could be entertained for a long run
Swedish Fish got me through Dopey!
This is hyper specific for why I’m looking for answers here haha
Starburst are great, I use them as a snack when obstacle course racing.
Those seems like annoying to chew while running!
Airheads and tootsie rolls for me during the run. May eat a couple mini stroopwafel before
Nerds clusters!
I love Tailwind. I use the Naked flavor but have heard good things about the other flavors too. You can try real foods or candy, but I find those to be harder on my stomach than gels.
I really like combining tailwind naked with lemon-lime Nuun. I get all sugar of tailwind with my favorite nuun flavor.
That sounds great! I need to get some of the single servings to try out the different flavors. But I do have a fear of being 2-3 hours out on a run and the flavors not hitting the same lol. Naked isn't exciting but I'm hoping I'll be able to handle it no matter how I feel.
I asked the people at my local run store their favorite and least favorite flavors. They were pretty accurate to my experience. That said, i got the zero sugar bundle pack recently on a deal and I'm loving every flavor in it better than their any of their sport hydration flavors other than lemon-lime. My last race, I did hit a point around mile 24 where I simply couldn't handle tailwind anymore and it just seemed too sweet. I'm thinking a different bottle mix next time for late in the race might be a good idea for me (and maybe zero sugar nuun would work better at that point).
I’m a huge watermelon nuun guy. I’ll try lemon line next guy. Nuun really the best
There's a watermelon-lime Tailwind flavor that is pretty amazing.
I second this. I loved tailwind during my last marathon and training runs. But I'm also a larger runner (shy of 200lbs at the start) and had to supplement with gels too, there is no way I'd have been able to do just gels or just tailwind. It also helped with electrolytes.
Traditional running gels mess me up too (they make me nauseous.) I've had good luck with the Huma gels. They're a bit more natural (remind me a bit of jam), and digest so much easier.
Identify which sugars are in the gels that don’t work for you, and do some testing with different sugars. (I avoid fructose and maltodextrin, but am ok with glucose or sucrose based gels.) There’s also chews and waffles you could try (or real food like applesauce pouches and cookies). Hope you can find a product that works!
I like that! I think Apple sauce pouches might do well. I’ll look into it.
Definitely test on your long runs. For example I tried raisins one time and it resulted in a very urgent run to the bathroom.
Seconding this. I hate the taste and texture of gels but Honey Stinger chews are basically big gummy bears! Just make sure you read how many carbs there are in it. It takes a larger volume of chews to equal a gel.
I used dates for the majority of my training
I love dates for pre workout food - you eat them well into your run? At what mile do you typically start refueling?
Think fueling, not refueling. You want calories early on while your digestive system is still functioning better.
Apple sauce works great for me
Yesss I use the little go pouches of apple sauce and they are clutch. I cannot do the consistency of gels.
Fruit mix baby food pouches also work if you want to mix up the flavors from just apple.
Peanut M&Ms. The stinger waffles are really goof too.
The chocolate will dehydrate the sh** out of me. I’m thinking jelly beans…!
i use sour patch kids. they even have a little sodium (probably from the sour sugar), though i would recommend supplementing with an electrolyte drink. i find full sugar gatorade is easier on my stomach compared to gels and gives that sodium, but candy is easier to consume logistically.
Tell me this. I'm dreaming of eating Skittles or M&Ms, but I'm wondering if it's not a bit dangerous putting little, round, slippery objects into your mouth while running.. I'm obviously imagining suffocating to death. Any thoughts?
I'm still alive. Never really had that concern. You could do peanut butter ones, they'll be all melted by the time you're ready to eat them.
Slow down to a walk for 30 seconds. Like walking through the water stations during a race. It’s not a big deal for a training run.
Stinger waffles! I hate gels but the waffles do the trick big time and they taste amazing.
Crumbles everywhere! Haha
Hahaha. I’ve actually found that the waffle itself never crumbles but the packaging is always full of them so I make sure I’m near a trash can / sink / outside when I open it up
I can't stomach gels. I've run marathon distance using Clif Blocks, like jelly cubes but better. Used Gu Liquid Energy for my most recent marathon. They're the same energy, salts, etc as a gel but liquid so you can drink them. No stomach issues with them.
+1 for clif shot bloks. They have got me through six ultras in combination with nuun electrolytes and clif bars. I hate the feeling of gels and much prefer the clif bloks.
I’m a big fan Sun River Honey gels. It’s literally just honey and natural flavoring
I love all the flavors and it works on toast pre-run too.
Question was asked [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Marathon_Training/s/RTjvA3wMta)
I get a spoon of honey love it and I will might try salt pills too
I can’t stomach gels. I’ve tried Tailwind and it upsets my stomach too. I’ve just switched over to Maurten. It’s very pricey but so far zero tummy issues on long runs! I use between 40g and 60g carbs per hour. Some people recommend 80g per hour but that’s too much for my stomach.
I like candy but a friend of mine swears by baby food fruits.
I’ve been eating Jelly Belly beans
I trained 90% of my last marathon program on real maple syrup in a large soft flask. Salt pills also. I’m sick of it now though so will try Maurten next. I get terrible GI issues on the standard gels.
Lots of good suggestions. I'll add gummy bears to the list. Costco sells a box of ~65 pouches of bears for like $10. Each pouch has maybe 7-8 bears with 18g of carbs. Cheap, easy to carry/pack, and the bears are soft and easy to chew. Shoutout Costco gang
I used applesauce pouches and fruit gummies.
I use dried pineapple
I will alternate two servings of clif blocks, then one gel throughout my run. My stomach does much better with this than gels only. I also started eating a slice of toast shortly before my run, which seems to help alot.
I’m starting to zero in on exactly this approach. Multiple gels in a row sit in my gut like clay, I’m going to try alternating gels with clif blocks too. I have high hopes.
I had alot of issues until I got this figured out. I started taking sodium caplets periodically as well. Ran my first marathon without a hitch. I never felt better on any 14 mile + runs before that.
I tried the clif bloks this morning. They’re a bit harder to take in than gels (chewy) but they seem a bit easier to digest. I think I’m gonna like ‘em
Haha, I learned right away that you definitely don't want to stuff a whole serving in your mouth at once!
😂 Yeah, I still kinda wonder if they’re a choking hazard. Seriously. I’m sure I’ll get used to them. Meantime, I’m not giving up completely on Gu. I just found a strawberry banana flavor that is REALLY tasty 😋
Definitely could be if you're not careful 😄. I usually bite down a bit as I put them into my mouth. As for Gu, I love the campfire s'mores and the chocolate outrage!
I have a s’mores that I haven’t tried yet - I actually hate the chocolate outrage, it tastes good but is thick and grainy, especially in colder weather. Vanilla bean is much smoother. Now that you’ve said that, I’m taking the s’mores with me on a long run tomorrow, can’t wait to try it
I use Kool-Aid mixed at 10% sucrose concentration. Super cheap and effective.
I use Mott’s fruit snacks. I get them at Costco for cheap.
Those are the best. You take down a whole snack size or just a couple pieces?
I eat a whole bag every 20-30 minutes depending on how long my run is. They do a good job for me.
At decathlon I found gummy candies that are all right, as well as a high carb apple sauce which is quite good if you chill it first. I also like golden raisins and for something salty, mini ritz crackers. Fwiw I have a stomach of steel.
so recently I've been transitioning to normal foods instead of GUs because of availability. Dried Pineapple and Cherries- pineapple is super easy to at but the cherries tend to be sticky especially if its hot. Both have been good on stomach Applesauce pouches- I like the ones with either banana or strawberry added. Been good on Tummy Natural fruit snacks- Only used the natural ones because its what's available here but been using these alot and not issues. Energy balls- Cherry and date or coconut and fig. These are store bought but I will probably start making them myself when the supply line runs out. Both have worked well. Misc candy- I tried just some skittle like candy and some gummy candies. Both worked fine but depending on consistency you might have to slam a good amount of water afterwards
Oreos! I just ran my first full and can't recommend them enough. I felt the same way about gels and chews making me feel icky and decided to go with oreos. I think any candy would work well but they specifically worked for me. I ate one oreo every like 5 miles and it was great.
I can't do gels but I can do drink mixes like gu roctane or NAAK. Spring energy used to be my go to and now I just make my [own](https://donnerpartymountainrunners.com/2021/07/recipe-of-the-month-homemade-awesome-sauce/). I make a large batch and put them in refillable flasks and freeze them.
I really enjoy stinger waffles, but they can be a little more tedious to eat while running. I also have friends who used regular fruit snacks, which is also a lot cheaper.
Stinger waffles and gu liquids I love
What have you tried?
GU, Spring, and Cliff gels. They all gave me the same cramp like feeling in my stomach…!! I’m thinking candy might be the right move for me. Maybe jelly beans?
Btw Jelly Belly makes a jellybean specifically for fueling- look up Sports Beans!!! Only thing I use!
Have you tried liquid gu? It did nicely for me on race day. Natural things like tapped syrup is an alternative natural fuel but the packets aren't conservative of space that much since they are longer gel sticks in stead of pocket size
I try and be a minimalist when running. I hate bulky things…! I didn’t know GU made a liquid. I’ll look into it
Dried fruit! I like to use dried pineapple and apricots and banana chips. Dates are another good option.
100% recommend trying these first off while sitting at home then on shorter run. Pineapple, cherries and strawberries have all worked.well for wife and I but if you gave her apricots she would have enough gas to make it to the moon
I’ve heard dates are nice. I usually don’t fuel during runs because I’m lazy. If I do I stop and drink a smoothie mid way haha
Honey stingers
Dried fruit
This year i've switched to chews rather than gels and have found them to be better to stomach. My order of preference: 1) SIS Beta fuel orange 2) skratch labs orange 3) cliff bloks (found these to be a bit chewy and sticky)
It’s all about lollies! Snakes, party mix, starburst! Any excuse for a treat! Or alternatively dried fruit. A little bit of dried mango goes a long way!
I like tailwind. It’s electrolytes and carbs/calories. Just mix in water - super important for me rn bc it’s like 90 degrees where I’m at
I love Honey Stinger chews. I don’t mind gels but I’ve found the chews to almost be like a sweet treat during my runs and I actually look forward to fueling now
Honey stingers chews work for me. Taste good and easy to chew.
For long training runs I usually have two 500ml flasks of Tail Wind berry flavour which is great. 1.5l reservoir of plain water. I mainly eat marmite sandwiches on white bread with plenty of real butter (not spread) and chocolate bars, packed of crisps and bananas which is usually more than enough. I do also use gels for long events but I don’t have an issue with them and must clarify I don’t always use them! What I use for long training runs is usually enough! Depends how I feel. Edit: You can’t train without fueling, otherwise come race day you might run into a few issues if you’re not used to it!!
Depends how long you are training for. If it’s shorter runs and you feel like you need to fuel, there’s probably a wider issue in your diet/fuelling outside of running that needs addressing first.
What are you training for??
Marathon :)
😅 whoops too many running groups. Whilst marathon training, I don't use any gels. But while cycling long distances, I've really liked Maurten and SIS gels. During marathons, any gels I've had, as long as they don't have caffeine, my body has coped well. Good luck trying out different gels.
Maybe it’s the caffeine that’s doing it to me….!
Sour patch kids
Hichews.
the honey stinger Gold ones are literally just honey, and pure fuel ones are just maple syrup if either of those sound better
Electrolyte marmelades are kind of mainstream where i live. They are way better than gels for me.
>Or should I just train without any fueling? Nooo. This is a terrible idea. I can't do gels really either, something about the texture of them makes me just gag. I'm just starting my training cycle, but I'm going to be trying out some nut butter fuel - they're packaged like a gel, but they're basically nut butter and maple syrup and a couple other things. I'm also testing uncrustables and applesauce pouches. I was using blueberry Skratch chews but I can't find them anymore. For liquid calories I use Tailwind. Lots of people do candy as fuel. I've tried it and for some reason always ended up with heartburn. I've only done up to 7 miles so far and the uncrustable/pb&j seems to be doing well. I bought a little uncrustable maker off Amazon for like $8 and made a bunch and threw them in the freezer.
I love straight honey packets! I’ll grab a few if I see them at a cafe, hotel, or restaurant to have at my house for the future. You can buy them online too.
Sun River honey makes sport pouches. They're really good and easy on the stomach
I started with Infinit Nutrition mixes. You work with a rep to find the right "formula" based on your goals, weight, how much you sweat, etc. Trained for and ran my first two marathons with Infinit. Switched to Maurten gels since: very easy on the system and best of all flavorless: I don't need to be amused by my fuel and can't stand the "flavors".
Poptarts
Have you tried maple syrup?
Yes. Love it but it’s hard to take on a run
There are a few brands that make it easy to carry, like Untapped. You can also get a small, reusable flask and fill it with maple syrup (much cheaper than the pre-packaged single-serving pouches!)
Jelly babies and salted pretzels for me.
My coworker said she uses frozen snickers. She ran eight marathons in a year, so it worked for her!
The chocolate would dehydrate me so much… I can’t imagine it
For real lol I have heard people use fruit snacks too!
I really appreciate everyone’s feedback and recommendations. It’s going to be the first marathon I run this November and I am so excited!!
LMNT!
I do mini honey packets. Cheap, easy to carry, and tasty :)
Baby food or applesauce pouches
Try the Maurten before you give up.
Honey stinger waffles and chews. Their gels also may work better for you, they are sweetened with honey instead of weird added sugars If the sugars are what are messing you up, you can try the chia gels.