How many gels do you eat during a marathon?

Gummy not gel wrote:

Zero because I use the gummy/chews instead of gels. It is just easier and less messy. I don't really understand why gels are more common.

I can't really stomach the gels either, but didn't have any trouble with gummies. I'm sure the gels absorb faster, but what's.

Just make sure you take the fuel before you think you need it, or you might cramp.

Has anyone used maple syrup for fueling during a marathon? I feel like the thinner consistency would make this a nice alternative to gels. Would appreciate it personal anecdotes on this...

Maple syrup is almost entirely sucrose. A good fuel should have a mix of sugars because they're absorbed by different pathways.

I prefer to put gel in a flask and water it down slightly. You can take small swigs every couple minutes, and it's very easy on the stomach. A 5oz flask in you hand is hardly noticeable, and you can toss it after an hour or so.

I do a gel every 5k, but rarely get all 8 down.

2:44 marathon time, but also 200 pounds.

I think a big part of the equation nobody is mentioning is body size.

I know a big part of it is how efficiently you burn fat as a fuel mixture, but Hanson's have a great calculator that can put you in the ballpark here -

http://hansonscoachingservices.com/marathoncarbs/

Seriously mate? wrote:

Zero. I second the Gatorade and water.

This...

Gatorade and water.

Plus a couple of mustard packs about halfway.

Gelly Belly wrote:

3 or 4, for me eating every 6 to 7 miles has worked

+1 that last one can be a struggle especially if it's hot, but worth it if you can choke it down. 3:24 marathon (what can I say, started doing marathons late).

Now I set my watch to beep every 1:20 and do a gel and an S-cap. That's about 18 gels. I sometimes substitute 'real' food instead of a gel. Oh yeah, that's over the course of a 100 miler.

Old and slow wrote:

55yo hobby jogger running 3:15-3:20. 4-5 gels depending on how I feel. No Gatorade, etc. Just water. Haven't bonked in a few years, but I've been running conservatively.

I would wager your bonk is more about exceeding your fitness than not fueling correctly.

That's too many. If you are running close to 3 hours, I would say 2, perhaps 3 at the max. Btw, I would not call 3:15 for 55yo a hobby jogger.

TrackCoach wrote:

Old and slow wrote:

55yo hobby jogger running 3:15-3:20. 4-5 gels depending on how I feel. No Gatorade, etc. Just water. Haven't bonked in a few years, but I've been running conservatively.

I would wager your bonk is more about exceeding your fitness than not fueling correctly.

That's too many. If you are running close to 3 hours, I would say 2, perhaps 3 at the max. Btw, I would not call 3:15 for 55yo a hobby jogger.

I don't know if that's too many, everybody points to some elites who take gels every 5k and they're running 2:05. Feels like this is such a personal issue. Some people get away with just gatorade, others go for a gel every 5k. I tend to fall somewhere in the middle like Old and Slow: gels at miles 6, 12, and 19.

Look....gels have to be mixed with plenty of water to dissolve and digest.

Why do all that work with the huge risk of not getting the water-to-gel ratio correct when you can just drink the race Gatorade which is already optimally blended??? (or darn close to it even if the organizers don't mix it quite right)

I just don't understand why people do this to themselves and then wonder why they bonk (not enough water to digest the sugar) or get sick.

Last marathon: Gold Coast Airport Marathon

#gels: 7 (taped on each water bottle). Set up every 5k of the race. I take the gel 1.5 miles after taking the bottle.

Each bottle contains 1 Powerbar gel as my drink so counting that 14?

(one bottle failed to be delivered to 20k table so potentially 16)

Finish time: 2h36m55s

*i had to train my gut to take in that many gels in a race but it was worth it.

The gel mixed with water probably doesn't count.

Ezzzz wrote:

Look....gels have to be mixed with plenty of water to dissolve and digest.

Why do all that work with the huge risk of not getting the water-to-gel ratio correct when you can just drink the race Gatorade which is already optimally blended??? (or darn close to it even if the organizers don't mix it quite right)

I just don't understand why people do this to themselves and then wonder why they bonk (not enough water to digest the sugar) or get sick.

Probably because 600 calories of gatorade is 80 ounces.

I don’t run Marathons but for REAL manly competitions like the CrossFit Games, fueling is ESSENTIAL. Generally, the science has updated and carbs are out, protein/fat is in.

What works well are chicken wings but not the industrial cr*p you get in a restaurant. Make sure to fry the wings in lard or tallow.

Another good option would be a scoop of coconut oil (gives a ton of energy). And you won’t CRASH later like you do with carbs.

That said, don’t run Marathons. Just look at the pros, all SKINNY. Not a pretty sight. Ever wonder why women prefer BUFF/SHREDDED guys?

5-6 + I start the race with a strong mixed gatorade bottle.

2:28

I take 5. I used to struggle with bonks in the 17-18 mile range. At the time I was doing gels just before the start and at 6, 12, 18, and 22 miles. I switched to doing them at 5, 10, 15, and 20 miles (in conjunction with the closest water stop, so it might get pushed a mile or so in either direction depending on the race) to get ahead of that bonk, and I haven’t had trouble since.

Jajajsh wrote:

Anybody ever taking accelerade as their fueling drinking during the marathon?

Is that the same company that makes Accel Gel? Their gels are super easy to digest and give an extended and even energy boost. I took three while jogging my last 3:30 marathon and had no issues.

Yes, they are the same company.

I have the option to have a drink on the course or just take gels. I've tried both accelerade and the accel gels but don't really know which one would be better

Good topic. Fastest marathon here = 2:48 at NYC, age 42. Everybody is saying "bonking," but sometimes we mean different things by that. My problem has been cramping: by about mile 22-23, my legs tend to cramp from ankle to glute. It's never a problem during training, and I've wondered if there's something wrong with my nutrition during the race. I tend to take 2 gels before the race and one every 8 miles. I also take Gatorade and water as I go, at every other station. Also tend to down whatever they give us at the beginning (a big thing of Gatorade endurance formula?).

Any Which Way But Loose wrote:

Seriously mate? wrote:

Zero. I second the Gatorade and water.

This...

Gatorade and water.

Plus a couple of mustard packs about halfway.

This again.

I'm not sure if many studies have been done to see if sub 2:45-3 hour marathoners can run their PR times with 0-1 gels. Because who's going to fund that study, the gel companies?

I'm willing to bet though that those 2:30ish runners who mentioned they consumed 4-5 gels could run the same time just swigging down gatorade and water.

X FIT Bro the real One 1 wrote:

I don’t run Marathons but for REAL manly competitions like the CrossFit Games, PED USAGE is ESSENTIAL. Generally, the science has updated and carbs are out, PED USAGE is in.

What works well are PED'S but not the industrial cr*p you get at a GNC or another vitamin store.

Another good option would be a scoop of PED'S(gives a ton of energy). And you won’t CRASH later like you do with carbs.

That said, don’t run Marathons. Just look at the pros, all SKINNY. Not a pretty sight. Ever wonder why women prefer BUFF/SHREDDED guys?

Fixed your post, bro.