Water/energy question

[simonwilliamstutor]

At what sort of distances should I really consider taking water and/or food out with me? This could be a long way off yet but if I did do a HM and I was doing say 10km+ runs in training when should I think about carrying a water bottle? 13k? 15k? 18k?

[misswobble Graduate10]

You will find out what your needs are once you get cracking. For 10k jogs I never take anything unless it's really hot then I might take a sweet to suck to keep my mouth moist. Once you get training for your HM and your practice runs get longer then that's another story and you might need water and a healthy/easy to transport snack. Some folks need a drink on 10ks. Do make sure you are drinking plenty, eg water or a cuppa tea on a regular basis so you are constantly well hydrated,not just on runs. I make my own energy bars which I take with me in my jacket pocket if I know I am going to run say 20-21k. Maybe a coupla sweets and a drink in one of those bottles with the hand hole. I ran my last race with that filled with Vita coconut water, which I'd never, ever done before but I recall being very thirsty from the time I'd done the race the year before. Everyone is different but just see how you go. It's different in winter to the height of summer so your fuelling needs will be seasonal. Some dried fruit and nuts in your pocket are healthier than sticky sweets which gum up your mouth and feel yukky.

Have fun!

[ju-ju- Graduate10 in reply to misswobble]

Oooooo can I have your recipe? I hate taking sweets and been taking raisins etc lately which are nicer but looking for more ideas!!

[aliboo70 Graduate10 in reply to ju-ju-]

healthunlocked.com/api/redi...

Hi juic yju

Here irishprincesse's link to a great power flapjack. I did it for my HM, cut some of it into tiny chunks and froze then and carried them in an arm wallet so they didn't get too hot! If the link doesn't work you can find it in one of her old posts. So yummy! 😊

**The only thing I would say is it seemed to need a higher oven temp than stated and longer to make it firm enough to cut 😊

[ViaM]

My training book and also the guy who speaks to me from Audiofuel say: for a run that's over 60 minutes long, drink, for runs over 90 minutes, drink and eat. So, they go with duration and not distance...

Hope this helps!

[Hidden in reply to ViaM]

I found exactly that this morning ! I normally take a water bottle if I'm planning on going around 8-10k - it's just nice to have rather than being absolutely required. This morning's long run was 12.5k which took me just under 90 mins and for the first time I really felt like I should have had something with me to eat - so I think I've found my threshold for such things (and that I'm still running too quickly !)

[ViaM in reply to Hidden]

Oh never mind, we run and learn! Now you know exactly what to do next time you go out for a long run

I hope you consumed appropriate stuff for recovery after today's run and that you can have a nice break.

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

I sometimes take a sweetie on a 10k as a treat for halfway! I find anything after 8 miles I need fuel and water. After 1.5 hours the body will start to burn fat and I guess that's why. I have a Camelbak and I take water with an electrolyte tab in it. I also take dextrose tabs, high energy food and sweets. I have a 'break' every 3 miles and eat/ drink. I hope that's helpful... The only other thing I would add is to go slowly on long runs as you first start to do them. Enjoy!!!

[ViaM in reply to ju-ju-]

Totally off subject, sorry post's owner, but I have been stressing: have you collected your jacket from the church's wall? (I am a bit OCD...)

[Hidden]

Definitely does depend on the weather too. I've been out with nothing before and had to stop because of thirst after 5k (in the height of summer). But at the Liverpool Winter 10k at the weekend I didn't take any water (which was rather stupidly handed out at 4k - but that's another story!) and was totally fine.

[misswobble Graduate10]

The trail mix varies JuicyJu. Not that I've done any longer runs lately requiring food as I haven't. I did take a few WW tiny sweets on my last 10 k race. I like non-sticky stuff eg cashews, almonds, with a few cranberries, sour cherries (fab!), raisins. Some dried fruits can be really sticky so you have to be discriminating. LOL

If I take a home made energy bar I put it in my jacket pocket but keep my jacket tied round my middle to stop the thing melting against the heat of my body during the run. If you wear those running belts with various compartments then it's not a problem. I like to travel light.

[Hidden]

One thing that I've found about eating after running is this - if I long run in the morning, I'll have a banana pre-run and then have chocolate milk on return, and porridge after I've had a shower, around 11-11.30am. Because I was having 'breakfast' so late, I wasn't eating lunch 'til about 3pm - mainly because I wasn't that hungry after the bowl of porridge. But I was really beginning to feel a bit headachy by the time I ate the lunch and afterwards.

So the last couple of times I've actually eaten lunch closer to the bowl of porridge - proper lunch time - despite not really feeling that hungry, and it seems to have done the trick

[ViaM in reply to Hidden]

Nice one!

Apparently, for after long runs shorter than half-marathon etc., we have almost up to two hours (and not only 30 minutes) for refuelling so we can always have chocolate milk straight after, plenty of water and wait for our next meal so perhaps we can skip "breakfast" and just eat a proper, high in protein lunch.

The truth is that we are all different and the best way is the way you have done it: experiment and find out what work best!

[Hidden in reply to ViaM]

Oooh no - porridge is the highlight of my day

[simonwilliamstutor Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

I love porridge too! I put fresh blueberries in mine.

[IannodaTruffe Graduate10]

12k is one of my regular routes for which I like to be as unencumbered as possible so after a banana and a pint of water before starting, I am fine up to about 12k, but if I don't refuel then my pace starts to drop. If doing 15k +, then I find that refuelling every 45 minutes, with water as required, works for me.

[rmnsuk]

I've found that I'm ok with nothing up to 12k or so. Apparently the threshold is around 90 minutes . Longer than that and I start out with an energy bar, then a gel every 5/6k. Gels don't kick in for around 30 minutes, so I stop eating 30 minutes before the end of the run. I take water with me but often don't feel the need to drink. Make sure you try different foods. One brand of gels makes me run but not in a good way, while another brand is fine.

[simonwilliamstutor Graduate10]

Thanks everyone. One morning, if I have a surfeit of time (as if!), I might just keep running and see at what point I start to flake out!