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Jelly babies or Gel?
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Hi
I am training for my first half marathon and wondering what I should be munching during my runs and when to keep my energy levels up?
MD*
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Comments
Munch whatever suits you best, there's no optimum solution.
But make sure you've got a good dentist
Personally I don't like gels - wallpaper paste with a slight flavour of something or other.
On the other hand, I like jelly babies too much, and the bag lasts no time at all.
I use Lucozade glucose tablets - taste OK, but not so nice you'd eat the whole pack in one sitting!
Gels have the most carbs, but sweets have more flavour.
Wilkie - how do you take glucose tablets on a run without them turning to dust and inhaling them?! A malnourished child in the third world could have lived for a week on the contents of my hankie when I tried it!
Thanks Guys,
I think I will give the lucozade tablets a whirl - jelly babies are likely to be eaten too quickly!
Glucose tablets have a more concentrated CHO content than sweets.
I have a little zipped wrist wallet thingy and the tablets fit fine in there. If you're putting them in a short pocket then wrap in foil to stop them going mushy with sweat.
Can't cope with the texture of gels
Just don't do what I did at my first half marathon - I ate 2 SiS Smart Gels, promptly forgetting that they have a fair bit of caffeine in - should have remembered that I don't get on well with high caffeine drinks e.g. espresso!
I finished the race, then spent the next 2 hours feeling both hyperactive and spaced out at the same time!!! They probably work lots better for other people, and I'm ok if I only have one, but I don't think I'll be repeating that 2 Smart Gel routine at my next half!!!
I've used Lucozade tablets before starting a run just as a top up.
Other than that then its energy drink before and during a race when it provided.
cola bottle, jelly beans, jelly babies...
Last time I posted about JBs it was published
JB's have 20kcals per sweet... so 4 x JBs = 1 x standard gel. Micro Dot, you didn't say how long you would be running for ? We all have about 2 hours glycogen stored in our muscles and therefore the average Jo won't need to take on any additional food during that time. But, you might find, depending on how well fueled you were at the start that you are flagging at the back end of your LSRs, or even in the race in which case popping a JB or two into your mouth every 20 mins during the last phase of your runs will give you a bit of an energy boost for that last blast home.
I can't remember the details, but I seem to remember that glucose sweets lack the calorific value of JBs and other sweets like them. They are also fairly dry and hard to take if you've been running for a while unless you are carrying water....
Good luck with your training & race btw.
I love jellybabies, can bite their heads off when feeling low.
good luck on the race
I actaully finf glucose tablets to be quite refreshing and fine to take while running, just crunch one up in your mouth and let it dissolve.
The glucose ones have 14 tabs per packet with the packet having 180 kcals, therefore each tablet gives 12 - 13 kcals.
I agree with Richard 123 - I have no problem with eating them.
Just don't breathe in through your mouth just as you bite into it, or you'll get a bit of dust down your throat.
They may have no real effect (I don't know), but they make me feel better - so they work one way or another.
I asked the same questions when I did my 1st half as felt like I needed something - just in case.
I take three fruit pasteles (not as sticky as jelly babies) which just fit in my zip pocket and usually get them out at mile 10 if I need them.
My last half I had a bit of a leg situation going on, so I used them as a distraction which managed to get me over the line
Although a few others have said it's probably not necessary I do take a couple of SIS energy gels - probably more psychological but it works for me !!!!
Usually have one about 6 miles, the other about 9-10 to get me round !!!
Thanks everyone.
I'm expecting to manage 10 min miles so should take me about 2hrs 10 to complete the race (assuming training goes to plan).
Thanks for the advice, I will see how I feel without munchies and maybe keep a few sweets handy just in case I need a boost or distracting from the pain as I pass the 10 mile stage.
hi
I find with Jelly babies, to cut them in half - just a bit too big at once and to run at the same time.
I did my first half Sunday just gone and had a couple JB's from mile 11
Just to add another suggestion - Haribo Starmix. My Marathon efforts usually see me alternating gels with Jelly Babies, Jelly Beans and Haribo Starmix. Have also eaten home-made Gingerbread Men and Malt Loaf too - basically have a play round in training and see what works for you and what you can digest ok whilst running. As has been said though, for a Half you should generally be ok and shouldn't need too much.
Good luck
Have to admit, never used gels before, however, used them in Amsterdam marathon for first time ever... was in crud form and shape, carrying too much weight and longest run was a 14, 16 and a 17.5 miler, the rest were all less than 10 mile, and guess what, a 2:58:42... and I had 6 gels with me... so now, I'm a convert!
Cheers Pug
For a half marathon - nothing - some water at the water stations, perhaps!
You have more than enough glycogen stored about your body for a Half.
Anything else is unnecessary - unless you have a known issue with hypoglcaemia.