Hitting the wall, fuel and belts
I LOVED taking Tony Horton’s classes this past weekend at IDEA.
Not only is he full of awesome tricks and valuable info -I used a couple of his moves in my Tabata class this morning- but he’s also a jokester. He called us baby pterodactyls at one point, and even though we were all in pain, he still managed to make me crack up. One of the things that made me chuckle was his impression of marathon runners. He pretended like he had a belt with 16 water bottles on it and shuffled across the stage. (Obviously not all marathon runners are like that, and who cares as long as you have fun and are safe, etc etc, but I thought it was pretty funny.) He was emphasizing the importance of functional fitness (being able to go through full range of motion and move like a child), but when he mentioned the belt with the water bottles, my brain immediately went to race fueling.
I have a tricky time with this one and am trying to figure out some things to try as I get into longer runs with my training.
My friend Monica helped me out with a half marathon training plan, since she’s a running coach and I was looking for guidance with mileage. I also talked a little with her about fueling for races. I ALWAYS hit the wall around mile 10, have to walk, and have a tough time finishing the last part of the race. Even when I was training more consistently than I am now, the wall always happened. I figured I’ve been taking fuel too late (usually mile 6 and 10) when my body’s fuel sources are already depleted. Monica suggested taking my fuel earlier (a couple of shot bloks at miles 4 and 8) to see if it helps. (Here are a couple of posts I’ve found about half marathon fueling, too. )
I’m also trying to figure out the “how the heck do you carry stuff?” dilemma. I have a Spibelt that I’ve used forever, but during my last few runs, my phone has been bouncing all over the place.
They don’t look nerdy at all 😉
After receiving my new training plan -and maybe it’s also because I got it right after IDEA- I feel much more motivated to run. I’ve been looking forward to my next one, especially now that I’m used to the motions again.
So tell me friends: when do you fuel for half marathons? When and what do you eat for a race day breakfast? How the heck do you carry all your stuff?
I’m always looking for new ideas, especially since running isn’t my strongest fitness event. I could Zumba for two hours, no problem, though 😉
Excited to hear your tips and tricks!
xoxo
Gina
*I’m running the Women’s Running Series half marathon this November. If you’d like to register, check out the info here and enter “FITAZGINA” to get $10 off!
**This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Fitfluential. As always, all opinions are my own. I’m just excited to have an opportunity to do a fall race and get my mojo going for this year’s race season 🙂
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I own this: http://www.nathansports.com/hydration/handhelds/quickview and for my first half I managed to fit in two sport beans packets, my ID, money AND an iPhone still in it’s Otterbox case. I realize that not everyone wants to carry something around with them, but the ease of getting to water makes it a win in my book. I have recommended it to several friends as well.
SO glad you wrote this post – my first half marathon is coming up pretty soon (3.5 weeks…) and I currently debate whether or not I should take fuel.
Looking forward to reading comments from people, who have more experience 🙂
btw, I always hit a wall in the beginning, like around mile 3/4, isn’t that strange?? Once I am over that, I can run forever.
I have the same problem, I usually put a few of my favorite songs at the beginning of my playlist to distract me thru this rut.
I do that, too!! Only thing that helps. Today, I was skipping with my mum, that really didn’t make we watch the clock at all 🙂
I have the same spi belt and my phone jumping around was driving me nutty! I even had it tightened as far as it would go and ended up unclipping it and tying it in a knot around my waist!
I have a nathan belt with one water bottle and pocket and its actually my fav for running!
http://www.citysports.com/nathan-swift-hydration-belt/203269/product
I have a friend who’s run fulls, halfs but mostly ultra marathons. She hates belts and swears by vests. Not sure of a brand but if you google I’m sure they’ll pop up.
I love my Camelbak hydration pack! Definitely start fueling earlier. I even start at mile 2 for marathons. Good luck!
I haven’t run a half marathon in a while, but the last one I ran I started the morning off with half a bagel with honey (I will take a full bagel for a full marathon) and then a few minutes before the half marathon starts I will take a gu or shot block. That doesn’t really get into your system for about 30-45 minutes so it is important to take it at the right time so that when it does hit your system you are already a ways in and the energy comes just when you are starting to lose it. Timing is everything for fueling and if you fuel too late then it won’t do much good for you during the race itself.
I am really bad at giving fueling advice. But I LOVE to let all my running friends know of awesome running products! FLIP BELT!!! http://www.flipbelt.com/ LUV LUV LUV this running belt. holds a lot and DOES NOT BOUNCE! You have got to try it!
^This, I LOVE my Flipbelt!
I use the Nike running app, so I like having my phone in my handy…in my hand. 🙂 I like this holder, as opposed to an armband or keeping it in a pocket/belt. http://www.amphipod.com/products/holders/music/electronics/handpod-smartview
Ohhh I love running talk!! 🙂
I always carry a small handheld Nathan waterbottle. At first, I was nervous that my arm would feel “weighted down,” but I hardly notice it anymore! I also bought a wrist wallet from Sprigs (like this one: http://sprigs.com/banjees/polyspandex-reversible/turquoise-waveblack/), where I put GUs, chomps, sports beans, and any other small things. The only downside about this wallet is that it’s probably not going to work well carrying a cell phone, but I’ve LOVED using it for fuel during races.
On long run mornings, I usually have a banana & PB or a Quest bar (or some other nutrition bar) pre run (maybe 30-45 minutes before? Otherwise I get too hungry at the beginning of my run), and I actually start taking my fuel as early as mile 3 sometimes (I find I get hungry quickly!). I usually take 2 GU-Chomps every 2-3 miles, depending on how I feel. I also tend to feel better when I mix a little Gatorade in with my water for additional electrolytes, and I always take water with my fuel.
I hope this helps! I feel like it’s all trial and error…I know I’ve still got a lot to learn myself, so I’m curious to see how other people respond!
I am a creature of habit! Before a half marathon I have a banana with some type of nut butter smeared on it. I bring about 3 to 4 packets of gu with me. I always run in Lululemon shorts (I think they are called groovy run shorts?) or their run crops and they have slits at the front on the inside of the shorts. One packet goes in each slit and two in the back pocket. I try to fuel every three miles. It seems to work for me.
For my last half marathon I ate a banana with a couple tbsp of almond butter on it about 45 minutes before the race, then at about mile 7 when my energy starts to dip i ate a fruit strip. The sugar helped me get thru the last few miles. It also fit nicely in my iPod arm holder. The shot blocks and gels make me thirsty and I don’t like to drink during a run. Good luck, I think it’s all about trial and error.
Hi! I love the spibelt to hold all my sport beans and gels. However, I also listen to music on my big giant iphone and it’s just not practical to keep it in there. I wear an iphone armband and I find it works much better. I like the one that came with my bose sport headphones. It’s more gadgets/equipment to wear, but I’m used to it by now and it’s not bad. : )
you MUST get a flip belt! run-changing, and I use mine at the gym and while traveling too!
I love my spibelt – but if it is overloaded it bounces around and is super annoying. Flip-belts are nice too but I hate having so much fabric around my waist – that thing is drenched with sweat in no time.
I have a cheap-o handheld water bottle from Target – it can hold 2 gels and chapstick.
Yes – fuel early. I start taking gels or shotblocks at mile 4 as well. Bagel/PB and banana is good pre-race food for me – or oatmeal with a banana and a 1/2 PB sandwich 30 minutes before the race.
For carrying stuff, check out http://janna.hipssister.com
I think you would love a Hipssister, modern and stylish fanny pack with a great place for the phone and zippers built for fuel, keys, etc
I LOVE Tony Horton! My Hubby and I did the P90X program several years ago and used to crack up at him all the time! He is pretty funny, in a cheesy way 🙂
When I run half marathons I carry my handheld water bottle. You know the ones that strap to your hand. I fill it with Smart water mixed sometimes mixed with an endurance drink from Vega. Then I take the Vega Gels at mile 5 and sometimes 8 or 9. My water bottle soft strap has a small pouch that is perfect for holding my gel packs. I’ve never tried the belts but I’m weird about things on my waist when I run. If my bottoms are sitting in the wrong spot I get annoyed. Hope you find something that helps 🙂
Glad you enjoyed yourself!
I can’t run with anything! I put Clif Shot Bloks in my bra, but that’s about it. When running in a half marathon, I typically take them at mile 6. I cant take much more without my stomach hurting, but everyone is different! I definitely recommend trying different things when you’re training to see what works best for you!
I usually fueled by mile 5 and 9!
I actually trained for & ran a half marathon while keeping my fuel in a ziplock in between the girls in my sports bra… what was i thinking?!
Besides that, I feel like I did a pretty good job fueling. I always had gu chomps at mile 3, 6, 9 and 12 (with some starbursts thrown in) and never really had a problem!
I think you actually take/teach a lot more classes than you actually admit to. I don’t get why you don’t just say you are teaching like, 4 classes a day? You are much skinnier than you used to be before your daughter (I’m sure you hear that often) – but your attitude on the blog is so much more ‘relaxed’about food and exercise. Coming from a fellow mom of a 19 month old (that has always worked out)….I know that it is HARD to snap back, much less be sooo much tinier than before. I wish you would just be real with your readers.
Really? Let me be real with you. Do you know her? Damn. I had twins and was skinnier then before I was pregnant 3 months post partum. Just how it goes sometimes. Some work for it and some are just lucky.
Your funny to make assumptions. and as a instructor myself, its our job even if we do have to teach multiple classes. It pays the bills. I’m not saying she does, but some days I know that is the case for me.
She eats healthy and exercises daily. Sometimes that is enough.
And to be “real” with our readers. We don’t need or HAVE to share everything on the blog. We know what is healthy and we blog because we love it. Not to give you a play by play. Sorry dear.
Just don’t call out what you don’t know.
Rock on.
Gina, you look fab. Keep it up babe!
thank you, candice <3
I realize shortly after I posted this that it came off kind of rude. I’m a little sarcastic sometimes and it comes off that way. I apologize.
I read the comment in a way you were judging Gina of being dishonest. Which I don’t think she is. (My opinion) Like she said below “what you see is what you get”
As a blogger, it takes time out of our life to dedicate time to the blog. Healthy living blogging is blogging about the healthy and positive things in our life. To motivate people.
Yes, we are normal just l like everyone else. Nobody should ever strive to be like someone else. Eat, dress, etc. etc.
Just be a better version of yourself.
i try to mention it often, but my teaching schedule changes every day that i go in to work. i teach 3 days a week, sometimes i have nothing active (like stretch, treadmill classes, weight room) and other days i’ll get slammed with 4 hard teaching classes. i have a generic schedule, but it changes based on sick calls and what my bosses need to do to make sure all classes are covered.
i think something that helped me lean out a little is that i am a lot more relaxed about food and fitness. when i do work out, it’s shorter but more effective, and i eat pretty healthy most of the time. sometimes i don’t, and it’s NBD.
i think it’s unfair to accuse me of not being *real* with my readers. what you see is what you get. obviously, i’m not going to blog about everything in my life, but when i do, it’s me 🙂
thanks for reading.
Gina, you are so real. Haters gonna hate. Too thick or thin they’ll get you. #chicksbejealous
Riiiiiiight. Lol. Like so real – when talking about plastic surgery, saying ‘I’ve thought about it’, and making a big to-do about how she could NEVER have nose surgery (it makes her HER!)…….when clearly she has had breast augmentation. Not judging – I have no problem with fake boobs – just a problem with people that lie about it publicly when asked.
Yeah, Mari, this crosses the line. I know it feels like you should be able to say anything you want because you’re a big hot-shot hiding behind your keyboard, but a comment like this is never ok.
You wouldn’t say it to someone in real life, and you owe Gina an apology for it. How dare you comment on someone’s body and insinuate that they’ve had plastic surgery. It’s a personal decision and quite frankly nobody’s business whether someone would do it or not.
thank you, ashley <3
i try to be real about fitness and nutrition, which is the focus of the blog. breast augmentation and rhinoplasty are two very different procedures. doing either is my personal decision, not anyone’s business, and certainly not the focus of the blog.
talk about being real.. .you’ve commented previously using 4 different names, and they’ve all been petty gripes.
I think Mari’s comment was rude and I get what you are saying Gina and yes I agree that most of the time it’s not really anyone’s business if someone has implants or not, but I would say you are an exception. This blog is largely centered around your looks. You say it its focus is nutrition and fitness, and yeah sure it is, but it’s focused on YOUR nutrition and fitness. We read this blog because we want to look like you. We want to know how it is you got this perfect body and you are being disingenuous not disclosing if you have implants.
Just for example, something that has stuck with me was when you made a comment about how your breasts went back to normal when you stopped breastfeeding. Mine didn’t. I would say most people I know would not say their breasts went back to normal. I just think if you did have implants it would be nice to know so maybe I could stop comparing myself to you.
This is in response to Mal –
I don’t know about other people, but I don’t read this blog because I want to look like Gina. Obviously, Gina, you’re gorgeous but….I prefer to look like myself, thanks very much. I read this blog because Gina, in my opinion, does a great job of trying to be the best version of herself and is an inspiration to me to try to be the best version of MYself.
And this is exactly why I read your blog every day! Gina, you look absolutely fabulous but moreso than that your attitude and outlook on life and motherhood are what truly inspire me each and every day! Thanks for being YOU!
To echo Kali’s comment…you and your blog are awesome and inspiring. Keep doing what your doing because you rock! And check out this song, “Follow Your Arrow” by Kacey Musgraves. It’s perfect for this situation and my new favorite for my running playlist. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjHt5BJWBhA
Hi Gina! Good luck training with your half marathon – I’m sure you will be great. I vary what I eat before half marathons depending on how early I’m up and how hungry I am at the time but some options that work well for me have been whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter, banana and peanut butter, or a Clif bar. I generally eat this 1-2 hours before starting. I also eat Honey Stingers at multiple points during the race. I try to eat 2-3 chews at miles 4, 8 and 11. I always take water with them so the concentrated sugars won’t upset my stomach.
I carry the Honey Stingers in this handheld water bottle – http://www.nathansports.com/hydration/handhelds/quickdraw-plus. It’s great to have a spot for your phone and money too. You’ll get used to the handheld I promise! I’ve also used fuel belts but typically only for marathons when I need to carry much more liquid. Hope you find something that works for you!
I use the Nathan fuel belt. Kristin of stuft mama recommends it too.
It holds two bottles with Gatorade ( for me) and my cell for safety and audio.
I like it a lot. I carry Gatorade packs for refuel hydration and honey stinger waffle snacks for food, or Gu.
honestly for a half, biggest issue is pacing. you likely overdo the first half or even first quarter of the race, and get your hart rate too high too fast.
I suggest starting a bit slower than you want to and around mile 6 to 8 increase pace if you feel good.
Hydration should come first as well, drink well the day before and then walk to the hydration stations at mile 4 and 8.
As for food, unless you are doing a marathon or finishing the half one in more than 2.5 hours, you dont need anything, though having something that will sustain you well for the race is a good idea. For that a good oatmeal 3 hours before the race is a very nice option that will not get you boated, of course try it on long runs, not the big day 😉
I’m going to echo the suggestions of others and say the flip belt – I don’t have one myself and have been wanting one. My marathon training got bumped down to a 10 mile due to an injury, so I’m not running long enough to need to carry a lot. Once I start for the longer races, you know I’ll get that flip belt.
I live in Tempe and I’m running! I find that as awkward as fuel belts look, it’s really the only way for me to carry water/fuel. Oh well. At least I’m a fit looking running geek 🙂
I haaaaate running with anything around my waist or in my hands. For all 3 half mary’s I’ve done, I check my race bag with my cell phone, ID, some cash and a water bottle so I have all that immediately after finishing. As far as fuel, I depend on aid stations for liquids. I usually stick one goo packet in each side of my sports bra and grab one or two along the course. I’ve always had family members there to cheer me on, so they usually have goodies for me if I need it and they find me at various locations along the route to check in. Pre-race breakfast is always a small bowl of oatmeal with a blob of nut butter, but that’s about 90 min before race start.
Doing my first (Olympic distance) tri in October. I’ll have snacks in my bike bag for that and probably take a goo with me on the run and that will be it! I’m skeerd. :-/
I don’t like to carry stuff with me so I plan my route to include a loop right by the house, that way I can quickly refuel and grab some water. I wear my phone on an arm band, but in the winter prefer the pocket on my running jacket. I wish I had something like that for summer because it is much more comfortable than the band.
I’m surprised no one else has said this yet, wondering if I’m alone in this, but I am a huge fan of running with my camelbak! I live in a place that is hot year round, so I require lots of water for any runner over ~6 miles. I’ve tried the spi belt for storage (hate it, but my husband stole it from me and he loves it for long bike rides), hand held (hated it) and hydration belts and nothing has been as comfortable for me as the camelbak. I have a small one made for running and it doesn’t bounce at all.
i have one and love it, but lately i’ve felt like it’s weighing me down
Ahhh running…a place that I can actually add value!
For all of my races (10K, half and full marathons) I carry the Nathan Quick Draw (that others have linked to above). This allows me to bypass a lot of the early (crowded) aid stations and not stress in case the hydration is not exactly where it should be (a hot/humid 13.1 in Nashville with sketchy aid stations taught me this lesson)
Even with MANY races under my belt I still don’t know if I have my fueling optimized for performance but I consider it a work in progress. I know I AM at the point where I know how not to upset my stomach and can avoid the “sloshy” feeling. That being said…for me, pre-13.1 I would eat half a PB&J about 30 minutes or so prior to the start along with drinking a bottle of water.During the race I take 2-3 Honey Stinger chews every 3 miles (which I store in the Quick Draw pouch)…so at miles 3,6,9..and 11 (for a final push instead of waiting til 12 which would be too late). In the handheld I keep a ratio of 75% water/25% electrolyte drink and will probably take cups from the aid stations in the later miles (I’m a pretty heavy/salty sweat-er so it’s something I have to stay on top of)
Honestly, even though I use it, sometimes when I’m tired the handheld is annoying but I prefer it to fuel belts and find that it IS pretty comfortable overall.
I, too, use a handheld Nathan bottle. Mine doesn’t have a pouch big enough for my phone but I wrap some shot blocks in plastic wrap, and have my ID/money in the small pouch. I use an arm band for my phone. I find it much easier to drink water from the bottle while still running rather than a cup. And the top comes off really easy, so when my bottle runs dry it’s easy to refill with a cup or two. I also like the availability of drinking whenever I like, rather than only as I pass water stations. I usually eat 2 shot blocks around mile 6. Before the race I often eat a slice of toast with some avocado and sliced tomato on top. Seems to tide me over well.
I love my spibelt.
Also I only fuel with ENERGYbits (use code TrainEatRepeat for 15% off at energybitsDOTcom). My first half marathon, I used nothing but water and some gatorade at the aid stations. but since discovering ENERGYbits this year (and becoming an ambassador), I’ve LOVED using them for all my workouts and training. Since I couldn’t use energy gel because of my sensitive stomach. No stomach upset, 100% natural and organic. It’s a total win!
I’ve been trying to get into long distance running for quite some time so I love seeing posts about preparation, fueling, and recovering.
I’ve ran a 10k after 24 hours fasting and run a half marathon with only oatmeal inside me, and rehydrating every time someone passed me a bottle. For ultra athletes then I’d definitely recommend fueling up but for the vast majority of us I think it’s really mind over matter 🙂
Ooooh this is something I could talk about forever! I just ran a half marathon this weekend and stuck to my usual routine:
Pre-race dinner: Great big salad with heaps of veg and protein (this time it was salmon, scallops and shrimp) + some whole grain crackers
Breakfast: 1 Simply Bar + 1 apple + water
20 mins before racing: Vega pre-workout energizer mixed with 1 cup of water
During the run: A bit of water at some of the aid stations (I really don’t like carrying anything for a half, but would use my CamelBak Arc2 Hydration belt for a full marathon, which has a pocket for a gel)
All of that seems to work like a charm every time!
Good luck with the race training! I cannot CHEW and run at the same time, so I always use gels when fueling. Unless I’m training all by myself, I rarely bring water with me. I will either have my husband meet me at specific stops, run on a route with a group that has water stations, or pre-place water bottles myself, but it is IMPERATIVE you have water available when taking gels or else your mouth will turn to sticky concrete. I always use Honey Stingers because they seem to be the easiest for me to eat and the most natural in terms of substance.
My rule of thumb is that I take gel after an hour of cardio intense exercise IF I am not yet finished with the cardio. Sometimes during races, I feel like I can’t keep the gels down, so I’ll just stick with Cytomax or Gatorade, so it is really important you train with gels so you can use them on race day.
My pre-race breakfast is always about the same: Either GF toast (I like the Food for Life Brown Rice Bread) with raw almond butter and sliced banana or I use Plain Unsalted Rice Cakes in place of the toast. I usually have 2 slices and feel ridiculously full, but come race time (I eat 2 hrs prior) I’m perfectly satisfied. I usually also have a cup of black coffee…to make sure I’m cleaned out and pumped for the race!
To carry my stuff I have an iBelt (I think…) and I usually bring my phone, an ID, credit card, a $20 and 2 gels (they have slots on the sides). I just make sure that I keep it cinched REALLY tight and wear it low or high. When you wear it right on your hips like where your shorts rest, it will bounce all over. I’ve found this is the best way to keep it from bouncing, but don’t get me wrong, it still does bounce on occasion.
Sorry for the novel, but you asked 😉
As my runs get longer I am looking for different fueling options. I currently eat a gummy shark or two after running for 40minutes to give me a little sugar push 🙂
The belt you’re wearing in that picture is completely invisible! or I suppose it could be the angle lol but its definitely not obtrusive like some others I’ve seen 🙂
when I did my half marathon a few months ago I brought along a tiny baggy of toasted coconut chips, it was the perfect snack to keep me going strong (or not so strong, since I walked for most of it with an injured knee…. lol but at least I finished!) but to be honest, I carried it the whole time. That was kind of a pain.
I love my Nathan hand-held bottle for longer races (half marathons and up), especially because it has a little pouch attached to it so I can stash my fuel in there. I highly suggest taking fuel in during a half marathon. Your body burns through glycogen after about 60 minutes, and unless you’re doing a whole lot of fasted training to cue your body to burn fat, not fueling is the quickest way to bonk-city. I suggest taking in half of your fuel at about mile 4-5 (half a gel, or some sport bean, or gummies) and then the other half at about 10 miles. Also, make sure you’re drinking water WITH the fuel. Otherwise, your body doesn’t absorb it as easily and it could cause upset tummies. Good luck Gina!
Gosh, I ran my first Minimarathon in 2005 when I was in college, and I never even knew there was such thing as fuel. I ran with cotton t-shirts, cotton shorts, crappy asics that I don’t know what they were meant for exercise wise (not running, and probably also not good that I used them until 2007 in all my runs and gym activities). It does make a big difference, I started when I was Marathon training in 2007 to Boston Qualify for 2008. Now, like clockwork, I eat a banana and some coconut water prior to a mini or longer run (I don’t fuel for training runs unless they are medium length to longer miles, which is 10 for me). And I eat 2 squares of Margarita shot bloks at mile 5, and 9 for mini. The same setup for Marathon, but at mile 14 I take a caffeine GU, 18 two more shot bloks, and another caffeine GU at mile 22. I have emergency swedish fish on me just in case, and a lollypop if my mouth gets dry, but I chew gum when I run, so I normally don’t have that issue. I drink Nuun when I need water.
At the finish line, I’ll eat a cup of white rice, a banana, and a sunwarrior shake that I froze solid and took out that morning, so it’s still cold when I finish. It’s a lot of “drama” when racing a mini and above, that’s probably why I avoid any sort of preparations when I’m training. I just carry a honey packet with me in case I hit a wall on my training runs. Honey works really well. Too hard to use in races, though.
Love my Sprigs wrist pouch I bought before my last 1/2 marathon. I filled it with Shot Blocks. I had my first at mile 4, then 1 every other mile after (mile 6,8,10). Worked well for me.
The last few half marathons I have run, I found I didn’t need any fuel other than a couple Dixie cups of Gatorade/Powerade during the race. But I think my body is more used to the distance (I have run 10+ halves and a full).
I personally do better with chews than with gels, I like Honey Stinger chews specifically. One packet was usually enough for a half marathon, I would try to eat a couple of chews every 3 miles or so. That spacing seemed to work best for me.
Pre-long run or race I always have a whole wheat bagel with natural pb or almond butter. I haven’t played around with anything different, I figure if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! I try to eat this 1-1.5 hr before I run to make sure it has enough time to digest.
I use a SPI belt most of the time, I also have an Amphipod pouch that is a little bigger for longer runs/races. (I call it my fanny pack.) My handheld water bottle also has a pocket big enough to stash my ID and keys.
I have a VERY sensitive stomach, so fueling has been a bit of a pain for me in the past.
Morning of the race:
I’m not in the “wake up 3 hours before the race” club. I give myself maybe an hour to get to the start line, so I have a Vega pre-exercise energizer drink (I also have it before I do my training runs) and the a Stinger stroopwaffle as it’s light on my stomach but still has 150 calories.
Fueling:
I fuel based upon time and not distance. Glycogen stores normally last an hour, so I take a gel every 40 minutes (that means two during a race and most training runs) as it takes 15-20 minutes for my body to process the fuel. I use the Vega gels and find them easy on my stomach. “They” say to take in 100 calories every hour, which is where I get the 1 gel every 40 minutes rule, it works well for me; I definitely notice it if I don’t take my second gel.
Belt:
I have a lululemon belt that has a phone pouch and 3 water bottle holders. I use 2 bottles for a half and will move up to 3 and maybe carry a fourth for my marathon training. I can fit a gel in my phone pouch and carry a second in my gel pouch in my pants. I expect I’ll need 4 or 5 during my full, so I’ll need to start figuring that out.
I’m certainly not an expert, having only run a handful of half and full marathons, but I find that GU is the best fuel pre-race (about 10 minutes before race start) and if I feel that I’m tapering off then I take another around mile 7 or 8. On my training runs lately, I’ve been loving bonk breakers, they’re easy to digest and come in a variety of yummy flavors. Pre-race food is typically a banana with nut butter and lots of water; I don’t like to eat anything heavy before running. If you’re looking for a more natural fuel, chia seeds are great and there’s now a gel made of ground chia seeds called huma that’s pretty tasty! Good luck with your training!!
IDEA sounds amazing! I’d love love love to go one year!
Woa, usually the comments on here are so positive and supportive, I was so surprised to see some of these today!
Hang in there lady, you are in no way obligated to share every iota of your life and it’s very courageous of you to share the parts you choose to!
You don’t HAVE to share anything, you don’t HAVE to help anyone, but you do.
Take a walk haters.
I was also surprised to read some of the negative comments above as well. Everyone’s body is different, and I would never expect Gina to blog every little detail of her life; that would require her to mention every little monotonous detail such as, “So I was suppose to teach two classes, but then so & so was sick, which resulted in me teaching this class as well and blah blah.” No offense, but that kind of “play by play” is not nearly as interesting to read as far as content goes. I really enjoy your blog Gina! I appreciate how open you are and your writings provide me with daily inspiration to live a healthy lifestyle, with treats included 😉 Life is way too short for us to not enjoy every second by living a well balanced life and aiming everyday to achieve our goals, while loving people.
I’ve never actually ran an official race. I’ve set goals and trained for distances though! I’m going to train for my second half marathon this fall, and if provided with enough blow money sign up for my first official race! As far as race day fueling goes: I have a sensitive stomach, so experimenting is the game I’ve played. It’s usually best if I haven’t had anything to eat for at least two hours before longer races. Eggs and toast are my usually go to. If I need to eat something right before, because I’m feeling low then I’ll have a banana sometimes with nut butter too. During longer runs I’ll have honey stinger chews every 3 miles or so with water. I usually just have my iPhone arm band and headphones, put the chews in my sports bra, and find water. I probably need to work on that part haha..Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions!
Thank you for such a great post! Thanks to the comments I just read, I just bought a flipbelt, and I am SO excited! I am training for my first half marathon, and I was worrying about how I would hold all my stuff since I am running alone and need my phone and ID. I got a lot of great ideas about fueling as well. If you try any of the fueling options I would love to read a post on them. Thanks, Gina!
i struggle with fueling during races, as well. i hit the wall pretty early during my last half (usually it’s around mile 10 or so, but last time it was closer to the half way mark) and i attribute this to lack of proper fueling while running. however, i’ve found what does work for me pre-race is a bowl of gf oats with a banana approx 90 mins-2 hours before the race. it’s bland enough that it doesn’t upset my stomach, but it’s hearty enough that it usually keeps me full and energized.
that being said, good luck with your training plan! 🙂 i’m sure you’ll rock it – and if you experience hiccups along the way, you’ll learn from your mistakes like i did and come back even stronger for your next race <3
flipbelt!!! i do wish i would have sized up so it fit on my hips instead of my waist
I always take fuel (gel, block, jelly beans, etc) 45 minutes in and then every 45 minutes after that. It is a plan that has worked for me and I have avoided the wall so far (except in the marathon…mile 24 every time).
As far as carrying things is concerned, there are a ton of options. I use an amphipod hydration belt. I like that it is customizable. I carry a couple of bottles in training but pair it down to only 1 for race day. They even have a little container with a snap top that fits on the belt to give you instant access to non liquid fuel (chomps, blocks, power bar bites, etc)