Talkback: ASICS Target 26.2 Team: Craig

1246748

Comments

  • I used to use the SiS gels and carried them in an armband but after an incident at Paris last year when the strap came undone when I was jostled in a crowd I went over to a small bum bag instead.

    I've almost stopped using the gels now and gone over to Shotbloks which contain some electrolytes as well as carbs.  Not too hard to chew on and I only use 2 packs plus a caffeine gel for a marathon rather than carrying 5 gels.

    As I know what my stomach is happy with I don't actually use gels/Bloks on training runs due to the cost implications.  I use jelly babies instead although I have some dates here that will need to be used up too!

  • TenjisoTenjiso ✭✭✭
    Thanks USB, I've never heard of Shotbloks. A bit of research to do there.

    Happy New Year everybody!
  • BoDukeBoDuke ✭✭✭
    Hi Guys.

    Well first (mostly off road) LSR of the programme done. 8 miles at a pace I could do all day. Ignored the Garmin and went on PE and heart rate averaged at around 130bpm. After a quick drink felt like I could have done it again.

    I might try them too Bridget, thanks for the tip. And on the bumbag too, got one at bootcamp, which is handy...
  • Happy new years people, 2012....its the big one!

    had a couple of runs around Pboro over Christmas mate, half expected to bump into you pounding the pavements!

    Gels:ive tried loads of different mixes/types over the years, SIS are by far my favourite. I usually take 1 for every 30mins or so of racing, 4 plus plain water gets me through a marathon just about right. you can also buy the SIS gel belts to carry them around so the gels sit within easy reach on either side of your hips, a little trick ive learned is to carry the last 2 one in each hand to help keep your hands/arms nice and loose in the later stages when youve got the likelyhood of tensing up/loosing form. Oh, and waitrose currently have them at about £1.50 each buy 2 get 1 free, bargain!

    ill be following your progress with interest mate!

  • Bo - I have a little Asics belt with a small pocket I use for short runs to hold front door key, tissues and iPod.  For longer runs when I want to carry sweeties and maybe my phone I use the bum bag and carry a donut bottle.  Once I need more water than that or in the summer months I use my Camelbak as options to refill a water bottle are few and far between.

  • Will be interesting to see how you get on with the gels - I gave up on them due to the messy/sticky factor and just carry a jelly baby for every mile now - I'm sad enough to get a kick out of rewarding myself for every mile!  I gave one away last year in a hilly half I ran - to a guy who looked like he was having a rough patch and I didn't really struggle without it. Plus his appreciative smile made it worth it!

    Remind me - how many calories are in a gel? If you're taking one every half hour that's 3-4 jelly babies in my world  at roughly 60 - 80 calories (20 each)  + sports drink.  Hmmm maybe I should have 2 per mile - now there's a thought. Suppose that's when gels start to take up less space to carry! Still - they disappear the further you go.

    Any nutrition advice -  how many calories should you ideally be replacing (over and above using your body's reserves) as you go along?

    Intrigue Intrigue......

    Happy New Year to you and yours too image

  • Gels every five or six miles in a race for me but don't use them in training till up to 12 miles or more as expensive.......jelly babies I had a few on the Great North this year for the last four miles like sleepy bear as a reward at the mile markers.....9, 10, 11 etc....
    I hate being sticky and find the sis gels can go every where, sprayed my face with one in training once trying to keep running! All the best for training Craig....
  • Sleepy Bear - I have 5 jelly babies at 5 miles on a long run and then 5 every 4 miles thereafter so essentially 1 a mile
  • USB - interesting approach! I have no will power for sweeties so not sure I'd be able to wait that long!  image

    mcs - I know what you mean - maybe I'll start taking out a mixture - a gel for emergencies and JBs as standard!

    Just remembered snack size mars bars - had one at mile 20 and it was a nice change! Jelly babies always taste so much better when you need them most don't you think? (Even the red ones which I don't really like ordinarily!)

    How are your legs today BoD - still feeling invincible? x

  • BoDukeBoDuke ✭✭✭
    Hi Guys.

    DT2: I was out round the borough mate, just South of the river... Where cabs won't go... Have a good time? Thanks for the advice on the gels. Saw the SIS in waitrose too, also got three tubs of recovery shake for £16!!! Love them, yummy. Remind me to take some leave from work over the Olympics... 2012 gonna be quality...

    mcs: thanks for the support too fella. I've had that happen to me too and really put me off till I could wash it off. Just be easier to be able to take sports drinks... Typical...

    Sleepy: the legs feel great. Now sure how they will be tomorrow with 1.5 mile fast repeats though... Gonna regret that statement in the afternoon when I can hardly stay awake... how are you doing?? Mars bars, interesting... Got a box of Lindor for christmas, how about them for mile treats??? Could I justify that???

    Just to let you guys know that I'm gonna be off the forums for a couple of days. My nipper is in hospital tomorrow... Gonna be a bit stressed and attention elsewhere. Still running though. Talk to you all in a bit. Really enjoying this BTW, ta all.
  • All the best craig.......
  • Hope all goes well with the little 'un.  Fingers and toes crossed!

    We'll be here when you get back...

  • p.s - I'm doing good thanks - have 2 cross countries in 6 days so taking it easy in between.

  • TenjisoTenjiso ✭✭✭
    Hope all goes well for the tot. Best wishes.
  • Hi Craig - Hope it all goes smoothly with your littlun.

    Everyone - some thoughts on gels/carbs on the run!

    Here's the science bit - you need between 30-60g of carbohydrate per hour during long runs/races. What does that equal in terms of sports drinks/gels?
    To work it out, you need to know the carb content of your chosen source - they vary quite widely. But in general, it's the equivalent of one to two 500ml bottles of Gatorade/Lucozade or 1.5 to 3 gels per hour or, for the JB fans, 6-12 jelly babies per hour! I recommend starting at the LOWER end of this range to avoid gastro distress, whether it's drinks or gels or food.

    Calorie-wise, 30-60g of carbs is equal to 120-240 calories per hour - that's why it's easier to stick to things that don't contain other nutrients like chocolate (!) that give you calories without carbs. Electrolytes don't contain any calories (or negligible amounts, anyway)

    Personally, I stick to sports drinks as they provide me with fluid, carbs and electrolytes in one hit and it also means I don't have to carry gels.  That said, I am quite partial to the odd jelly baby image

  • Hope it goes well for your little one, take care.
  • TenjisoTenjiso ✭✭✭
    That's good information Sam, thanks. You lost me a bit with your last statement, though. You say you prefer sports drinks to gels so that you don't have to carry gels, but how do you carry the drink? In a 4.5 hour marathon, I would have to carry up to 4.5 litres of sports drink? I think I must be misunderstanding something.
  • Tenjiso wrote (see)
    That's good information Sam, thanks. You lost me a bit with your last statement, though. You say you prefer sports drinks to gels so that you don't have to carry gels, but how do you carry the drink? In a 4.5 hour marathon, I would have to carry up to 4.5 litres of sports drink? I think I must be misunderstanding something.
    Yes, a misunderstanding! Just that in majority of marathons, sports drinks are available at the drinks stations en route so no need to carry them. But it's a good idea to find out what drink they will have, so you can try it out first and check it sits OK with you.
  • Hi Craig, hiope it goes well in hospital for your kid, fingers crossed for you all.

    Hi Sam, hope you had a good Xmas break. Do you know what sports drink they hand out in Paris - and do they also hand out gels?

  • Hi Colin, yes thanks - now I'm over the dreaded bug! Hope you did too.

    I believe Powerade is a sponsor so suspect the sports drink on offer will be that. And not sure about gels. Have tweeted this so will see what replies come back. Hope training has started off well.

  • Hi Sam - thanks for the clarification! image
  • Definitely Powerade in previous years.  Also water and pieces of fruit which can make the surface dodgy round the feed stations.

    There is also a patch towards the end where other French marathons promote themselves with items such as cider and wine image

  • TenjisoTenjiso ✭✭✭
    I appreciate the feedback Sam. I've just checked my marathon (Milton Keynes) and they have three Lucozade Sport stations en-route in addition to the water stations. I'm also glad to see they are handing out bottles of drinks rather than cups. So it seems I won't have to carry around 4.5 litres of sports drink image
  • Tenjiso: You could still carry it in training though... it'll be like resistance training and think how light and free you'll feel come race day! image
  • BoDukeBoDuke ✭✭✭
    Hi guys,

    Waiting to go to te hospital at the moment... Stress... Got a call saying they didn't know if they had a bed, but they have...

    Did however do the repeats this morning. Ended up doing 5.5 in total and not 5 because I set my Garmin up wrong by not noting the recovery bits in Training Centre... Doh... Maintained 8:20 the first 1.5 and then 8:10 on the second. I've not run in full on in the face, eye watering, painful and scary wind before. Found my gait changed completely, toes down and pushing into it. Gonna feel that in my legs later... Reminded me of doing heavy weighted squats on my toes: lush!

    Just finished Born to Run. How good is that book??? Makes me want to find a bit old hill to run up. Suppose that hump back bridge is gonna have to do then.

    Colin: thanks mate! Stressing now...

    Sam: glad to hear your better. Bugs over Christmas period, nightmare.

    Bridget: would that be the Medoc marathon??? Could be tempted with that one... Wouldn't expect to finish it though...

    Tenjiso: I remember as a kid there was a fella around where I lived who used to run around carrying bumbells in each hand. He was massive and damn scary... But always said hello, which was nice.
  • craig - hope your kid is ok and the say isn't too stressful
  • Hi Craig, hope you are doing okay despite wind, rain and hospitals? Where is your schedule is it on here anywhere? Sorry if I have missed it...........is it the RW 4.30 with adjustments? Just printed some off from this site and wanted to compare ready for when we start seriously at the end of January. At the moment on a Hal Higdon one but not much detail on that. My son in law wants one for the fridge!! My wife and daughters want one for their half marathon and guess who sorts it all, I need to get myself a training fee invoiced.

  • Forget that last mail Craig found it two pages back sorry going blind!!!
  • Re : nutrition in marathon- I felt that after about 16 miles, I couldn't face any more sickly sweet gels- best solution?- different types of things to eat- I use a combination of chocolate flavours ( there used to be chocolate gels, but can't find them now, so use FRIJJ milk), cola - clif shot blocks, and watered- down lucozade sport towards the end ( full strength lucozade sport is too much), when your guts seem to get too "tired" to manage anything very solid. I carry some NUUN or ZERO tablets for electrolyte replacments, and add these to the watered down lucozade sport- all this chemistry on the move also means you have to walk through the drinks stations, pouring stuf to/ from various bottles, which is a good walk break, and avoids the risks of breaking an ankle slipping on discarded drinks bottles.

    Post long-run, the best recovery food in the world is FRIJJ chocolate milk!

Sign In or Register to comment.