Marathon Training 2023 - Who's in?

With my first marathon I trained for (12 years ago) I didn’t use gels ( packed peanut butter sandwiches and ate and ran 😆) and I felt fine

I can't begin to imagine how you managed that... !! How fast were you running?!

It's all about trial and error at this stage @HoopaPoop. I have tried lots of different gels. Maurten seem to be very popular at the moment with my running friends and peers. They are very tasteless but I don't like the texture much. Many swear by them so I might give them another go! They come in gel form and then there is an option to add some other form to water a few hours before a long run. But I couldn't face a whole pile of liquid before a race.

@Teawaster I left it that late in case it made me feel sick and I had to hobble home. I will try earlier next time also I didn’t drink enough. I drank half my drink on my recovery walk up my hill

Congratulations @xsquared - PBs are so gratifying!

I did a cut back long run of 12 miles today. I've never fuelled on a run before but took some Kendal mint cake and had a square after an hour and another half an hour later. I didn't bother with more as there were only a couple of miles left when it was time to take it. Easy to eat and came in a bar form so easy to carry and no problems with it so I will probably carry on with this.

Does anyone use Tail wind? I was wondering if it is helpful as I could take the tablets and put them in a water bottle.

I take my gels every 35-40 on my long runs . I use to do one every 45 minutes but I’m experimenting to see if it makes a difference.

With my first marathon I trained for (12 years ago) I didn’t use gels ( packed peanut butter sandwiches and ate and ran 😆) and I felt fine 🤷🏼‍♀️

I took my gel at half way today and finished as fast as I’d started so I think it definitely helped.
well done on the PB!

@HoopaPoop , I think 11 miles to take half with the remainder at 13 is leaving it too late. Certainly the half at 13 wouldn't have kicked in, in my view.
It depends on your pace but for me, if I was to take a gel in a half, I would take at 8 or 9 miles. In a marathon I wouldn't take any gel after 21 or 22, having taken them at regular intervals up until then. I try not to take too many as, although they don't make me sick, I sometimes feel a bit queasy.

@xsquared well done on your PB

I had my first ever gel last week on my 16 mile run. I waited until 11 miles and had half as I was starting to feel a bit tired and had the other half at 13 waiting at traffic lights. I’m not sure if I got any benefit from it . I did get a stitch though on my last mile. I’ll try again next weekend although my long run is only scheduled to be 10 miles. I’ve tried things like naked bars but I can’t run and eat because I can’t breathe through my nose and run at the same time. I can manage fruit pastilles and I also have a cliff block to try. I did a 5K with my daughter yesterday and she was just 5 seconds off her PB

The only difference you might find with marathons @BogRollBOGOF is that you might need something with an immediate kick to sort you out, if you're teetering on the brink of crashing.
I agree with the general principle of avoiding gels and going for longer-release stuff, and you can certainly get away with it in ultras (where you're running more slowly) or shorter races. But in a marathon where you're generally at your limit the full time, you can very quickly tip over the edge. Eg at 22 miles you might be fine, but 22.5 miles you might be seeing stars and going dizzy - and a nakd bar won't rescue you then. I would try and experiment with instant energy that you can stomach, in case you need an emergency hit.

My experience of nutrition (based on numerous HMs not marathons) is that I can't do gels because of the sweetners, but also find excessively sweet too much too. I tend to take Nakd bars, weak full-sugar squash and water. My race day breakfast is porridge made with oat milk (dairy hates me) and I'll have some starchy salt and vinegar crisps shortly before starting. On the run, I'll graze gently from fairly early in run. I struggle if I feel too hungry/ empty.

My marathon strategy is not refined at the moment. I've been running loops on long runs as I build up after injury so I've had the car as a base. With the weather being cold, I've had a warm drink in a flask to help keep warm through the late stages of the run, and spare layers that I can adjust as I warm up and potentially cool down again. As it warms up and I've got more confidence in my stamina I can practice closer to my race day intentions.

Thanks @londonmummy1966 . I think I'll be taking a trip to the physio next week

@Teawaster - I also have a thigh niggle so sympathy. I took it to the physio simply because its taken me 15 years to get a place for London and I would rather be safe than sorry. Mine just seems to be a bit of weakness in the hips protesting about the increased mileage in training (done lots of halves but this is my first marathon) so I've got a 2 week plan to follow which the physio thinks should help get me back on track. Maybe just get it looked at quickly if you can afford the fee?

Hi, I have a few marathons lined up this year, the first of which is London. This will be my 3rd year doing it. I have been running for years and I have never had an injury where I had to stop running. But I have a bit of a niggle in my groin/thigh area at the moment , which I'm hoping will disappear like others always have but I think I'm clutching at straws this time.

I've had to cut back a little with the training on physios orders but I'm going to use my curtailed 10 mile run this weekend to try out some nutrition. I am going to start with either sultanas or mint cake. I'm Jeffing so have some 30 minute intervals to eat in. I was thinking of tailwind tabs to go in my water bottles as I understand that water is easy to get hold of at London.

Thanks for the recommendations. I have been trying SIS as they are easily available in the supermarket but they just make me feel sick and then I can’t have it all so it’s a disappointing waste. Yuck!

My favourite are torq. I convinced myself I should use lucozade gels the first time I did London marathon because that was the sponsor and they were the ones provided along the route. I perservered with them but they made me gag and retch virtually every time. (They might have changed the recipe, it was a long time ago ) But I've tried different ones and torq ones are much nicer and easier to use for me.

Thanks so much @emmathedilemma and @Fizbosshoes thats all really helpful info!
I think going after work and not being hydrated properly was the main problem today. Definitely time to start trialling some gels and jelly babies!

I need to order some more gels. I would normally have 1 for a half marathon (at around 8-9 miles) but I'd probably aim for 4 or 5 during a full marathon, like @emmathedilemma
I often have a few jelly babies or haribos before a long run, I might have to take some with me on Sunday in the absence of any gels.

@Horsesandatoddler start testing your hydration and fuelling strategy now. If you’re trying new products then I would use them close to home or even in a gym for the first time in case they don’t agree with you! I usually start to fuel over 10 miles if I’m marathon training to get my stomach used to the gels again and check they’re still ok. Check what your event is offering (if anything) and maybe try those, but I prefer to carry my own supplies for peace of mind. I’d go for a gel every 5 miles in a road marathon with maybe an extra one nearer the end, and I carry hydration tablets in the water in my backpack then use the race water stations for fresh water (which often goes over my head as much as in my mouth if it’s warm). The only time I haven’t taken my own water was London where there was water nearly every mile. Make sure you’re drinking if you’re taking gels as using them without is often why they don’t agree with people. The guide is that you should take 1g of carbs per kg of body weight per hour but I’ve never managed so much, even in ultras. Also consider jelly sweets and even dried fruit if you can eat it and run without needing to 💩

I’d much prefer running in the cold than the heat!!

Went for my long run today with a friend. It’s the first of our long runs that I really hit a wall on. First 15km were good but we then battled 3km of Brighton seafront wind straight in our faces which really took it out of me and I struggled to finish. But a half marathon distance done and I can have a guilt free rest day tomorrow when it’s pouring with rain!!

this is my first marathon and I have no idea about fuelling and gels so I think I need to work on this next to stop me hitting the walls.

It was actually lovely this morning running along the seafront in the sunshine but my hands are suffering from earlier in the week

@HoopaPoop about 14-16 degrees, over cast but not windy for me!

I don’t like running in the heat either there’s a very narrow temperature range I’m comfortable in I’m just not sure what it is. Wind blows my hair can’t see where I’m going. Rain need windscreen wipers on my glasses. Cold chilblains and Raynauds. Sun need sunscreen. Having said all that once I’ve managed to get out the door I don’t mind.