Runners: gel/drink of choice? Energy struggles

[Stumpedasatree]

I have been running for years, usually on trails and often run half marathons. It may be my age (47) but I have been struggling with achieving my usual times for races and with energy levels - none of which are due to lack of fitness or training as I never really stop with my routine!

I have just done a very hilly 12 miler which I had trained for, and the minute I set off my legs were like lead and it was like running through treacle. I felt like I was barely doing more than walking, and I definitely couldn't run the hills. Got to the halfway mark and remembered a chocolate bar I had in my pack, which I had and immediately felt 100 times better in terms of energy levels and ran the rest of the 6 miles.

I had eaten during the day but not massively as I hate to run with a full stomach, and I also get the need to go to the loo if I've over-eaten.

I don't normally have gels as they don't really appeal, but obviously seems as though I need something. I would also never normally eat for a distance less than a half marathon!

Would love to hear distance runners' recommendations for gels/drinks to help with energy and hydration.

Water for hydration unless it’s really hot then I’ll drink water with an electrolyte tablet in. They don’t taste like grapefruit or cherry or whatever they claim to taste of, they taste crap with a hint of chemical flavour but they do help.
Gels I like SIS, I find hi5 too watery and anything thicker than SIS you need to drink so much water to get/keep down.

Do you eat enough carbs in your normal diet ? Enough to replenish your muscle and liver stores of glycogen ?
Do you have enough rest days to allow muscles to repair properly ?
Is your protein intake good enough?
Do you have enough salt in your diet ?

Sounds like a replenishing problem to me

@isthewashingdryyet I have no idea if I eat enough carbs, I eat plenty of fruit, on the day in question I had porridge, fruit, yogurt, eggs so definitely enough protein and I would have thought enough salt. Rest days - 1 or 2 a week.

I've used both Maurten and Precision Fuel and Hydration. Both work well and definitely improve performance. Both websites also have proxy fueling calculators where you can select race distance and get a suggested fueling strategy.

Precision Fuel and Hydration also have some info on gut training, which you'll need if you're new to fueling with gels.

Pre-race fueling also matters. Keep the fibre low :)

I run frequently but not as far as you. I eat a couple of hours before maximum. I like the sis gels and take one 20 minutes before setting off, and carry a couple in my bag. I also use one of the same brand hydration tabs in my water bottle in case I need an actual drink.

I don't work for the above brand 😀

I tried caffeine bullets. Don't recommend. Foul, like eating putty. I'm not sure I noticed they did anything either.

I'm a similar age and now have to eat during training runs (and races).
I'd never have normally eaten during a half marathon. I'm faster than I was 10 years ago, but I'm definitely more hungry and burning through fuel quicker.
Last weekend, I ran 17 miles...I took with me a banana, a mini Soreen bar and a small packet of Kendal Mint Cake, plus a litre of water in my hydration pack. I ate and drank the lot...and I'd eaten a large bowl of porridge before I started!
I'm not keen on gels but do have an emergency one on me in case I bonk badly.
I am noticing more I eat on the run, the quicker I recover so that's a plus.

Not enough carbs, you need a lot more than that.
You can use something like my fitness pal, or carbs and cals apps to work out how much you are currently eating. I would think you need at least 200g carbs a day.
Look up carb loading which is a way to maximise glycogen stores before a race.

Your protein intake is fine

And traditionally carbs in veg are not counted, except for potatoes

Thanks, it looks like gels and drinks are the way to go and paying closer attention to pre-race fueling (never had to do before!). @brooksghost that is interesting, sounds just like me that it might be an age thing.

Would also appreciate any websites with good prices for gels and electrolytes - they're not cheap are they?!

I buy the SIS gels when they're on offer from Sainsbury's or Amazon. I bought tabs and gels once, not long ago, from Home Bargains (if you have one of those nearby) quite cheaply, around £5.00 for a box of gels, mix of flavours though (I prefer cherry).

Sort your training diet out first with enough carbs. I just did a search and found several sites that have good sound proper advice on training for half marathon, or marathons.
You may not then need gels and electrolytes.
Small cartons of fruit juice are a tiny fraction of the price and are almost as easy to carry

@isthewashingdryyet sounds sensible, thanks! It's funny how things change along the way, I've been running so long yet never really had a problem with this before.

I think the low carbs is good for you has spread everywhere, and it is not at all a good diet for an athlete who trains a lot. Athletes need a lot of carbs to literally fuel their muscles.

Good luck with your research and your training and racing

If you have a local evans cycle shop, they sell gels individually for a £1 or so so that you could try them and see what works for you...sis gels immediately make me need the loo and I hate the lumpy texture. High 5 are the ones for me...like tasty fruit juice. I also quite like cliff shot bloks which are like jelly sweets. High 5 also do an energy drink powder which I find good for a more constant energy top up or I use electrolyte tabs in my water if I don't think I'll need the extra carbs. I use all of the above for running and cycling but try to make sure I only use flavours with added caffeine for cycling as it tends to raise my HR too much for running.
Also once you find what you like, wiggle website sometimes have good deals to buy in bulk...I just look out for my favourites going on sale.

I'm a distance runner. I usually start to get hungry about 10 to 12 miles in. I can't manage much real food when I'm running so I find gels work for getting calories in without the feeling of having eaten.

SIS gels don't get me far, and taste really sweet. I like Rawvelo, but they're not as widely available as SIS and cost more. I really rate Tailwind nutrition and electrolyte mix, which you just add to your water. I can get 5 or 6 miles more out of one of those.

I think you probably have to experiment and find what works for you but I cant see any way you can run long distances without fuelling properly, including the days before and after your run, and as others have said, include carbs.

There's a good book about exercise for women heading into menopause, I really learned a lot from it .

I don't run, but DH is an ultra marathon/fell/mountain runner. He uses Mountain Fuel, you add it to water and put it in your bottles/hydration pack

If OP is eating how she always has, why are her times & energy levels declining now? Why does she need more carbs now than she used to?

I don't get on with artifical sweetners so drink weak full sugar fruit squash. A bag of crisps before long runs, possibly during... I had some halfway through the marathon and felt much better a mile later. Nakd bars. For really long runs, Kendall mint cake for the later stages. I also have a timer every 30 mins which is a signal to consume something regularly and avoid being depleted.

For HM+ it means using a vest, but it's better than making myself ill on gels.

When losing weight, I 5:2 and use carb cycling so I have enough fuel for longer/ harder runs, and reduce consumption on lighter days.

I don’t run as far as you but I do run/ gym/ hiit/ box and I find lucozade sport does the job. Readily available from any shop and tastes good unlike some of the more specialist gels I’ve tried.

You can get away with a poor diet for quite a long time, and very small changes to intake of one macro nutrient or other can soon make a huge difference.
it’s not what she used to do, it’s what she is doing now that affects muscles and thus performance
Her current diet as she posted, shows a low carb intake that is not suitable for long distance running

Forgot to mention over training syndrome, that can cause the type of exhaustion she mentions in the opening post.
Another good one to have a look on line for

I really like the tailwind powders, they give a bit of a boost and actually taste nice. They're also really gentle on the tummy and I've never had any adverse effects.
When I did a solo half marathon I also took along some glucose tablets and banana chips for when I was flagging

I use Tailwind. If I need gels, I use Mountain Fuel.

I resisted gels for a long time and still only use them on the longerst runs, but I like the High5 Aqua gels. They're not as gloopy as most.

One of the best runners I know just carries Hartley's jelly blocks and the little packs of salt from McDonalds....