Half marathon fueling

I'm training for a half marathon. This is all new to me. I done 10mile last week and suddenly hit a wall and was exhausted. I went to the shop and had a can of pop and felt fine. Was thinking of taking gels with me on a run but I really don't want to take water out for my run. Do I have to have water for a run of this distance. Any advice on fuelling would be much appreciated. Thanks
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  • I'm really no expert at all but from what I've read it opinions all vary but most seem to say if you hydrate yourself well in the days before and on the day and running it at the two hour mark or quicker you should be fine.  I'm training and can run 8 mile and am fine but I do make sure I'm drinking plenty of water in the hours before I head out.

    PS You say can of pop? Most canned drinks in the main are fizzy and don't rehydrate you I'd say?
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Well it is getting warmer. I've done 13 mile runs with no water, but that's usually in winter.
    I'd get one of those belts with the bottles attached so it doesn't get in the way. Or, if you don't want to do that, plan a route that goes via a water fountain.
    You shouldn't really need gels for a half - your body generally has enough glycogen for a couple of hours. I usually only use them for marathon training runs where I'm going to be out for much longer. If you want to try, though, I've found the SiS gels are a bit more liquid than some of the other brands (I prefer the flavours of Torq gel but the SiS gels definitely go down easier and you don't need water with them).
  • +1 with Cal - no gels for a half.  A few sips of water maybe if its warm.

    If you're running out of energy after 10 miles -are you eating or hydrating properly the rest of the time ? 
    Maybe running too fast ? 

    You'll get used to it - i know i used to take water out a lot with me when I began but I didnt really need it. 
  • rodeofliprodeoflip ✭✭✭
    There's a difference between running low on energy and being dehydrated. Gels with help with the first of these by replenishing your glycogen levels and giving you a boost. But you don't need these for a half. If you've eaten half-way sensibly, then your body already has enough energy to run 13.1 miles. But hydration is another matter, especially as the weather heats up. Stay away from "pop" and stick to water or isotonic drinks (replaces minerals lost through sweating as well as hydrating). There are umpteen ways to carry water with you while running, but you probably don't need to bother unless you're really pushing it or it's really warm. Your race will probably have water supplied en-route (easy to check), so it's more about what you do in training. Maybe stick £2 in your pocket and see how you get on - if you feel thirsty, pop into a shop?
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    I'll also add, regarding nutrition, that I never eat before running. I have a glacially slow digestive system and I get sick, so just coffee before a run for me. My point isn't that you should do the same (most people do seem to have breakfast at some point before a run) but that if I can get to the end of a half without gels on an empty stomach, it shouldn't be an issue for you. As rodeoflip says, make sure you're eating enough the day before, and don't go off too fast as cougie suggests. A lot of people new to racing make the mistake of trying to do their runs at race pace, when in fact you should be doing your long runs at a pace that's easy to maintain.

  • Chris2304Chris2304 ✭✭✭
    I disagree with some of the above. You were exhausted, you had some sugar and instantly felt better. The clue is right there.

    If you can introduce some re-fuelling into your running, and you can train better as a result, then why wouldn't you?

    Also, I believe the latest science suggests performance starts to taper off long before glycogen stores are depleted. It's thought to be an issue of blood sugar dropping away. This tends to happen around 45mins into running. So a bit of sugar (jelly babies, Starbursts, energy gel, whatever) around 40-ish mins into a run (and every so often after that) can help stop you from crashing.

    If I'm running for 2+hrs (like most new half-marathoners are) then I would want a pocketful of sweeties, and actually some water would be quite nice too.


  • I didn't feel dehydrated at all. That's why I don't really want to take water out with me. I just had a can of pop because I felt I needed some sugar as a little boost. Iv been reading a lot and most says you should practise with the gels or whatever you choose on your training runs to see how you get on. I wanted a little energy boost without carrying water see. I'm new to this so I'm guessing my body is slowly adjusting aswell. 
    All  advice is welcome. Thanks
  • rodeofliprodeoflip ✭✭✭
    Still don't think you need gels, but if you're looking for a quick burst of energy / sugar, I can recommend giant jelly beans. Some people love their jelly babies, I find they get all hot and sweaty while I run, jelly beans are slightly less disgusting. Have one or two after every mile and there's a reward for running further!
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Or Haribo. Can't go wrong with those. ;)
  • rodeofliprodeoflip ✭✭✭
    Or Scottish tablet, which is pretty much the next best thing to an intravenous drip filled with liquid sugar. Like Kendal Mint Cake but even less healthy. With the right tablet, you can actually feel your teeth dissolving.
  • Lol. I like the sound of this. Just wanted to make sure I was ok running that distance without water aswell
  • rodeofliprodeoflip ✭✭✭
    We've been doing a lot of longer training runs in my club recently. Up to HM distance, I don't bother. Beyond that I'll take a bottle of water with me, carried in a waist belt. And if I'm doing that, might as well have a few jelly beans stashed. But I don't really need either, just good to know they're there. Plenty of my clubmates don't bother. If you're struggling for energy / thirsty, take something with you, especially if it's not.
  • You don't need to carry water or gels. What counts is what you do in the 12 hours or so beforehand. Like Iprice said, make sure you're already well hydrated (peeing very light yellow). Starting a run dehydrated is no fun and it's too late to make up for it as you go. Your stomach should be near empty although it affects some more than others. I really notice the difference.

    You don't run out of glycogen after 10 miles (or 13), you just got tired out from the unfamiliar distance, or going too fast, or both.

    In general, get well hydrated, let your digestion clear out, and decide in advance what type of run you're doing. If it's an easy run then go easy (enough to breathe through your nose or thereabouts). It brings a load of benefits and you're good to go again the next day.
  • DazDaz ✭✭✭
    Have breakfast a good 3hr before the race if you can.  Gives the stomach time to sort most of it out and convert the carbs into glycogen.  Inc a 500ml elec drink with this, and then a few sips here and there later up to 1hr before the race.  This will help give you a head start in the race without overloading the stomach (diverts some of the blood away from muscles and increases chance of 'stitches').

    For the race itself, if you're looking at <-1hr30 then a few sips and a gel may be all you need.  If you're circa 1hr45 then something around 45min and 1hr15 would be fine.  Anything 2hr+ and you'll ideally need 3+ stops on a hot day.
    A stop can be simply grabbing a beaker for the faster runners to help down a 100cal gel, to a short walk and half bar with elec drink for slower runners.

    Very much depends on the individual - predicted time, conditions of the day, weight and sweat rate of athlete.



    Endurance Coach @ DazCarterFitness.com
    Elite Ironman, Ultra Trail Runner
  • JD 41JD 41 ✭✭
    A lot of information here seems to be very generalised. e.g. no gels for a half, x amount of water for this time, etc.

    I think its far more personal than that depending on how your unique body reacts, and also perhaps more importantly your background training.

    For example, say 3 years ago when I hadnt been running that long I found a gel every 5km would improve my performance in a half marathon race ALOT, say maybe worth 5-8 minutes in a 1:40-1:50 HM. Now, with a couple more years of solid training under my belt I'd maybe carry one as a backup in my pocket but pretty sure I didn't even have any on my most recent PB, as I don't need them now my body is more adapted. They don't seem to give me the boost they once did.

    Similarly I used to take a lot more water on longer training runs that I simply don't need now my body is more used to running.

    So I would say use your training to experiment and see what you need. If you find you need gels/water at certain distances then go with that. And whatever you do find works for you, be prepared for that to change as your training increases/decreases in future years.
  • Gaz1004Gaz1004 ✭✭
    What gels would you recommend to try 1st jd41
  • I really can't see that gels would be needed every 5k for a half.  Your body wouldn't be very well designed if it needed constant fuelling. 

    Presumably you've repeated the 10 mile since - how did you get on ?  Consistent and progressive running is what you need.

    If you really feel that you need energy  - go get some jelly babies and have one a mile. Easy to eat - a little treat to mark each mile and they go down easy without water.  Also a lot cheaper and less messy than gels. 

    I think it's gonna be more mental than anything if it helps you though.

  • Chris2304Chris2304 ✭✭✭
    edited May 2017
    The SIS gels are quite good without water. I prefer the orange flavour. As Cougie says though, jelly beans or hairbo are a good option too and give a nice 'little and often' sugar intake.

    I think JD 41 has it right though - try a few different things and see what works best for you. I'd suggest try taking a gel after 45mins, and see if you feel better/stronger in 10mins time. If you have stomach issues, then try taking the sweets with you next time you run, and so on. If you feel no benefit from either, then you don't need 'em!
  • Gaz1004Gaz1004 ✭✭
    Iv done 2 13 mile runs since. Iv taken the some jelly babies out with me and I think iv done ok ( apart from my knees killing me after, and cramp after 10mile) so may stick with this for now. It's just new to me and iv got a half marathon race in September and want to do well
  • Iprice1974Iprice1974 ✭✭✭
    Rather than a gel, how does something like Lucosade Sport compare as it'll give the necessary sugar but also rehydrate too?  I'm a slow runner and in reality I'll be looking at a sub 2:30 time so will need some kind of fuelling and I was thinking just a bottle of this might be all I'd need consuming it slowly from 60-90 mins?
  • rodeofliprodeoflip ✭✭✭
    Lucozade Sport does a different job to gels - while gels provide carbohydrates and therefore glycogen / energy, isotonic drinks provide hydration and minerals which have been lost through sweating. If you sweat lots but only replace this with water, then any salts or minerals lost with the sweat aren't replaced and you can run low on these minerals, which can cause various problems like muscle cramps. So gels for energy, isotonic drinks for rehydration - you might want to take both.
  • Chris2304Chris2304 ✭✭✭
    Good point, but may I clarify one point. Lucozade Sport does have some carbs (6gms per 100ml) so it is an 'energy' drink, it just that it doesn't provide enough energy for runners. An SIS gel provides 36gms per 100ml, for example.

    I'd also caution you to be careful of the potential stomach / digestive issues. Some people will be fine, but if I had gels and an energy drink I'd be in a mess... and so would the floor near me! :#
  • It's quite hard to drink AND run - all i can manage is a mouthful to wash a gel down as I run.  I'll avoid drink if at all possible- coughing and spluttering isn't conducive to running fast. 

    In the heat though it may be a necessity but pouring over the head seems to work almost as well as drinking it.  Don't try that with Sports Drinks though.......
  • rodeofliprodeoflip ✭✭✭
    I ran the Liverpool R&R marathon a couple of times and one year it was very hot, particularly in the second half of the run. There was a water station where they were giving out water at one side and sports drink on the other. I had a drink of the Lucozade and tipped the water over my head and neck, but the guy in front of me wasn't so fortunate, and yes, did the same but the other way around. Felt really sorry for him, but kept a sensible distance in case there was a localised wasp cloud around him for the rest of the way.
  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    @Iprice1974 - I find Lucozade Sport does a good job for me, I sometimes take it on longer training runs. Sometimes I get a bit sick of the sweetness and just want some water, but this wouldn't be an issue in a race when water is normally provided.

    Personally I prefer not to be carrying anything where possible, though I do find I need to take on fluids for a long run so will often carry a bottle of water or lucozade. In races I use gels and the water supplied by the race (plus gels in 1 or 2 training runs beforehand to check there are no adverse reactions), so that I don't have to carry anything.
  • Iprice1974Iprice1974 ✭✭✭
    Well my kind of theory was that if I carb load correctly then I might not need much fuelling but will need hydration and the Lucozade Sport will rehydrate me and give me a little extra fuel, or do I really need a gel and just water?
  • For me - you don't need any fuel. And unless it's hot - you don't need any hydration. Runners perform very well when underhydrated.  

    But each to their own. 
  • senidMsenidM ✭✭✭
    And if its hot, forget PBs, and stop at water stations and have a proper drink!

    Still no need for gels/sweets/drinks other than as an effective placebo, but unless you get tummy probs take what you like, won't make any difference except in your mind.
  • rodeofliprodeoflip ✭✭✭
    If you have a half-way sensible diet, then you'll have enough energy in your body to last around 20 miles. Yes you could carb-load and take gels, etc., but the reality is that for HM distance, you probably don't any of this. However, I agree with the other posters, it won't do you any harm either, and if gels are going to give you a boost (even if only just a mental boost) then there's no harm. Up to you.

    Water is something which every runner takes in abundance at every race - whether they need to or not. If it's hot then yes, make sure you drink enough, but most people drink too much rather than too little. I will usually take a bottle at every stop or every other stop - I'll take a couple of sips and then tip the rest over the head / neck / arms to cool down a little and discard the rest.
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