2:36 guy and I need your help for marathon nutrition at 2015 Boston Marathon (fanny pack?)

Definitely go with the fanny pack also you might want to look into a camel back I think they hold a gallon of liquid this way you won't have to slow down at the water stops. Also you could pick up some arm warmers at the expo to match your compression socks and slip two or three gu's in them.

Good luck.

Sub 2:36 wrote:

Hello LetsRun community,

I'm running the Boston marathon on Monday and would like some adivce for how to handle water/gaterade/gu/gels/energy shots during the race. Looking for advice on how many to take, when to take them, etc...

This is my 2nd marathon, the first marathon I alternated between water and powerade at each water stop and took GU's at 7, 14, and 21. (if I remember correctly...

ALSO, how do I carry the packets with me? shorts pockets? carry them? fanny pack??

Thanks! (good luck to me at boston hehe)

Editor's note: We changed the title of the thread to make it more likely he'd get replies.

Do the same things you did in your first thon.

Why are there no water stations during championship races? Put a volunteer station on the back straight.

And signs, "everyone's a winner", "you're almost there!"

Maybe I am being trolled but I'll answer anyway.

I'd put the gu in your pocket but put them in a plastic sandwich bag so they don't cut up your leg with them bouncing around. Other people like to use the little binder clips that are like paper clips and clip them to the side of your shorts. If I were going that route I'd clip them and put the gu on the inside of your shorts in case they fall off the clip you can still have access to them even if it is a little gross.

He will not be allowed to bring a camelback water pack on the bus to the start. The race has banned them due to the 2013 bombing. Brooks shorts have great side pockets and with the front key pocket you can easily carry 4-5 gels. Boston will allow you to bring a 1 liter bottle of sports drink on the bus with you (if you prefer something pre-race besides Gatorade and water). I would say no fanny pack if you are trying to run fast. If this is just a run to finish with no time goal, a fanny pack can work. Pinning gels into the waist band of the shorts works as well.

never understood how some folks can expend so much energy eating and trying to digest carbs instead of running. I could only ever drink water during a marathon- I either had the fuel at the end or I didn't.

Barrister wrote:

He will not be allowed to bring a camelback water pack on the bus to the start. The race has banned them due to the 2013 bombing. Brooks shorts have great side pockets and with the front key pocket you can easily carry 4-5 gels. Boston will allow you to bring a 1 liter bottle of sports drink on the bus with you (if you prefer something pre-race besides Gatorade and water). I would say no fanny pack if you are trying to run fast. If this is just a run to finish with no time goal, a fanny pack can work. Pinning gels into the waist band of the shorts works as well.

Dam bro I was goofing! !

But to be serious I once pinned two gu's on the inside front of my shorts and by the time I was done I had worn two abrasions in my skin took a

few month's for the scars to disappear not to mention how it felt when getting in shower.

binder clips work

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/707005/OIC-Binder-Clips-Small-34-Black/?cm_mmc=PLA-_-Google-_-Basic_Supplies-_-707005-VQ6-42373727156-VQ16c-VQ17-pla-VQ18-online-VQ19-707005-VQ20-73462265929-VQ21-

Seriously. Do not wear a fanny pack and def don't wear a camelback! Just take some water in after 8 miles and then start taking in Gatorade after mile 18. If you want to have one GEL pack on you for the last 4 miles then great! Otherwise use what they have at the aid stations and run fast! I ran 2:35 in Chicago and all I took were water and then some Gatorade and a couple of mini Powerbars the last few miles. All that other stuff will way you down! In your training you should have been doing some 18-22 mile long runs so you should know what your body needs.

fall for it? wrote:

Maybe I am being trolled but I'll answer anyway.

I'd put the gu in your pocket but put them in a plastic sandwich bag so they don't cut up your leg with them bouncing around. Other people like to use the little binder clips that are like paper clips and clip them to the side of your shorts. If I were going that route I'd clip them and put the gu on the inside of your shorts in case they fall off the clip you can still have access to them even if it is a little gross.

First: Definitely not trolling

Second: Thank you editor for altering my subject to create more visibility to my question.

Third: Love the adivce thus far. Thinking about cliping a GU or two in a plastic bag to my shorts. I do all my training runs without anything. (not even water) Hoping the water and GU along the way will give me a little pep in my step.

Really appreciate the advice/tips.

It will likely give you diarrhea. Never alter from training. Rule #1

First, you need to drink water with GU to digest it.

Second, if you didn't do it it in training why would you do it now?

Third, if by pep in your step you mean doubling over in pain from a gut bomb then by all means...

First: Definitely not trolling

Second: Thank you editor for altering my subject to create more visibility to my question.

Third: Love the adivce thus far. Thinking about cliping a GU or two in a plastic bag to my shorts. I do all my training runs without anything. (not even water) Hoping the water and GU along the way will give me a little pep in my step.

Really appreciate the advice/tips.[/quote]

Please do whatever you did during your "2:36"(im guessing its more around 3:36.

Good luck with Boston though!

MarathonMind wrote:

never understood how some folks can expend so much energy eating and trying to digest carbs instead of running. I could only ever drink water during a marathon- I either had the fuel at the end or I didn't.

But how much energy are you really expending by reaching into your shorts to grab a small GU packet?

And at my first marathon I took maybe half the GU packet with water. I was told that the GU + Gaterade would be too much sugar at once.

I don't think that ingesting a GU packet with water will cause any negative effects. It's not like I'm drinking water from a foriegn country. Oh, and @Shoesmcgoo....I'll see you at the finish line you little punto ; )

MarathonMind wrote:

never understood how some folks can expend so much energy eating and trying to digest carbs instead of running. I could only ever drink water during a marathon- I either had the fuel at the end or I didn't.

But how much energy are you really expending by reaching into your shorts to grab a small GU packet?

And at my first marathon I took maybe half the GU packet with water. I was told that the GU + Gaterade would be too much sugar at once.

I don't think that ingesting a GU packet with water will cause any negative effects. It's not like I'm drinking water from a foriegn country. Oh, and @Shoesmcgoo....I'll see you at the finish line you little punto ; )

I agree, taking in energy isnt costing you much energy. Ill be there.

Sub 2:36 wrote:

But how much energy are you really expending by reaching into your shorts to grab a small GU packet?

Not much. On my first marathon I wasted at least half a minute getting Gatorade. On top of that it was the anxiety of missing the next station. Second marathon I had practiced getting the gels down (had them in side pockets) and just took/was handed water. Had a gel with caffeine at the end. I felt independent and nutrition was never a problem.

I put one in my shorts pocket, one in my hand, and pinned two to my shorts. I did not get cuts.... I pinned them to the outside though... they kind of bounced but thats okay. I took the one in my hand first, then the two on the shorts, then the one in my pocket.

There is also a power bar station with gels around mile 15 or 16. You could plan on that and only have to carry 2-3 gels. Then you could just use a pocket and your hands.

Boston has water stations every mile. It's amazing. To injest the gu, start taking it about 1/4 - 1/2 mile before the mile marker. Just slowly nibble on the gu. Don't eat it all at once. I prefer the caramel or chocolate flavors personally. They taste the most natural as in they taste like what they are supposed to taste like and not some weird fake fruit. Finish it by the time you're at the water station and then chase it with some water. I wouldnt' chase with gatorade.

I do the same. None of them taste natural to me. The powerbar ones are my favorite and they taste like cake frosting to me. But I agree with taking them in before a water station and chasing them down with water. You take 4? I think the most I have ever had is 3 in a one marathon.