best gels to take during marathon?

[Puddocks]

first marathon and wobbling now as it’s in 8 weeks. Looking for palatable gels to eat/ drink. A

So I sweat a lot- anyone used electrolytes in water or is there a ready made drink? Thanks and wish me luck!

[Blackberrypie Half Marathon]

I can't help with gels as I loathe them but I do get on well with tailwind - fuel and rehydration in one.

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to Blackberrypie]

thank you- Tailwind coming out well!

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Blackberrypie]

I like tailwind on marathon day but I eat too 😀😋. I make the peanut power bars (recipe as seen hereabouts 👀). I now take a gel along with me in case I get pins and needles in my feet (as happened once). A guy opened me a gel to slurp down straight away. It seemed to work 🙂. I hate the mouth feel of them though and they can make you gag 🤢. Difficult to open too 🙄

You have to try things out over time and see what works 🙂👍

[Frizzbomb67 10 Miles in reply to misswobble]

why do gels help pins and needles? I get tingling in one foot on longer runs and it’s not due to my shoes.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Frizzbomb67]

I have no idea other than possibly it’s a quick way of replacing salts and minerals depleted from the body.

[RunWillie Marathon]

I’ve struggled to find a hydration drink that doesn’t make me feel sick so I use gels. I’ve tried Maurten, SIS, Pure sports nutrition which have all been ok on my stomach. I’m currently using Huma +

As my answer & Blackberrypie illustrates though - we are all different so you really need to try different things out on your long runs to see what works for you.

I really would prefer to gobble Haribo Star Mix but I take the gels as well to make sure that I’m getting enough carbs in.

Hope that helps. I haven’t run anything over a HM so my fuelling has just been practicing for future long runs. 👍🏻

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

thank you- currently trying SIS - Go Isotonic which I quite enjoyed plus no I’ll effects.

[RunWillie Marathon in reply to Puddocks]

That’s good Puddocks 😍

My husband loves them. I gave up with them as I couldn’t get them open on a long run. Think it was a bad batch but not risking that again. x

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

🤮

[RunWillie Marathon in reply to Puddocks]

There was nothing wrong with the gels. I just couldn’t open them. Super frustrating on a long run.

I forgot to say that I also use Bix Active electrolytes daily. It’s pretty hot here in Western Australia so I find that helps with my recovery.

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

have bought some salt sticks- not tried them yet!

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to RunWillie]

I guess the gels won't upset your stomach if you can't open them!

[misswobble Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

me neither! Bl**dy ridiculously slippery things to open with cold or sweaty mitts 😁 I hate sticky hands when I’m running! Shudder

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

agreed!

[aliboo70 Half Marathon in reply to Puddocks]

SIS are my favourite tried others 1st but they definitely are gentle on the tummy. Good luck with your marathon!😁💪

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to aliboo70]

tried SIS and agreed with you

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

You might want to check out this post from a few years ago when this topic was discussed.

I appreciate the post covers fuelling for a HM and you are doing a FM but hopefully you might pick up some tips.

Good luck with the final few weeks and let us know how it goes 🍀

healthunlocked.com/marathon...

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

thank you, Irish Zprincess- super useful article!

[Hedgehogs123 Metric Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

thanks from me too, got my first HM coming up in 3 weeks1!😬

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Hedgehogs123]

👍 the flapjacks are particularly delicious and so easy to make!

[Hedgehogs123 Metric Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

just had a look and does look easy to make. Im not a butter eater so wondered if something like olive spread would do the same. What do you reckon, do you use butter?

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Hedgehogs123]

I do use butter so wouldn’t know if olive spread would work. It might make the texture less firm because butter binds the ingredients together.. but you could try testing with a small amount and see what happens.

A few people have mixed other ingredients in like different berries and nuts so it’s fun to experiment.

Enjoy!

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Anita Bean does some lovely flapjack recipes for runners. I did one for London and I was chomping on them around Canary Wharf! 😋

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

If they got you around London they must be worth it TC..😋

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Hmmm…I need to make some more, thanks for the reminder!

[Hedgehogs123 Metric Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Ive made a massive batch, slightly over cooked them, so I know for next time!! Ive got the Yorkshire 3 Peaks in May, so thought they would be useful for that too. Ive cut them into chunks to test on my next long run, just to see how I do when I eat a bit, as I'd welcome the energy but not a stitch!!🤫

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Hedgehogs123]

I’ve heard that some people freeze theirs but mine never make it that far!

Let us know how you get on with them.

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

tried a lemon and lime one at mile 8 of a 15 miler-no ill effects !PLUS, since I’ve given up coffee, far fewer poo stops- go me!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Puddocks]

Did you try a gel or something else?

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Yes, SIS caffeine based one

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

That’s a good idea 👍

[Hedgehogs123 Metric Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Yep, I've had to freeze some as I've made so many!!🤣🤣

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Hedgehogs123]

I have to hide mine from my husband….

[Hedgehogs123 Metric Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

I did a trial HM last Thursday and took a couple of cubes of the flapjacks. Don't know if it was psychological but wow, I felt like I'm been given a power injection! So I'm definitely taking some with me this Sunday!🤞

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Hedgehogs123]

There’s a reason they’re called Power Flapjacks 💪

[Hedgehogs123 Metric Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Let's hope they help on Sunday!!!😄😄

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Hedgehogs123]

They will! Good luck and enjoy 🍀

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to Hedgehogs123]

good luck!!

[nowster Metric Marathon]

The best advice is to try them ahead of the race. Don't risk trying something new on the day of the race that might disagree with you.

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to nowster]

absolutely!

[Pugwash Half Marathon in reply to nowster]

Sound advice @nowster. This stuff isn't cheap but 'on the day' is no time to find you don't get on with a particular formulation😳.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Pugwash]

tailwind is pricey but I only use it on half’s and on marathon day, so a box lasts me a season and a bit 🙂

[Pugwash Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Good strategy @misswobble! My comment was more about finding what works for you BEFORE the event because mid-half or full is no time to discover you don't like, for instance, Tailwind/High 5/SIS etc.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Pugwash]

absolutely. It can take a while before you nail your race day strategy. I mainly know now what suits and what doesn’t My biggest bugbear is leaving my food and drink at home 😖🙈🙄. Or the bottle of tailwind hanging on the hook in the loo ☺️

[TailChaser Marathon]

Another vote for Tailwind here. You can use it as a drink or turn it into a gloopy gel. I don’t get on with gels so it suits me fine. I also use Salt Sticks for additional electrolytes as I sweat an awful lot. It is very much trial and error though.

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

Didn’t know about salt sticks- buy online?

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Puddocks]

You can but Holland and Barrett sell them. They are quite tasty, you just slowly suck them.

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

thanks tailchaser!

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Puddocks]

No probs. Good luck 👍

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

bought them- not tried yet!

[Hedgehogs123 Metric Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

don't they make you feel sick?? I just have visions of salt sticks making me want to throw up, which definately wouldn't be a good look! 🤮😂

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to Hedgehogs123]

I’ll let you know!

[Hedgehogs123 Metric Marathon in reply to Puddocks]

🤞🤞

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Hedgehogs123]

No, they don’t taste salty at all, they’re a bit like less flavoursome Refreshers, so I could keep chomping on them! I really get on with them (touches wood!!). Whereas gels have a horrible effect on my insides. However, you could all have a different experience 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

salt sticks were lovely!

[Runnin-g Half Marathon]

Can’t help you with gels etc. but good luck, look forward to hearing how it goes 😊

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to Runnin-g]

thank you- I’m alternating between it’ll be fine and then saying ‘ you can’t run!’

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Yep, Tailwind (or SIS tablets) for me Puddocks. I have to confess I’ve never tried gels, but the mere possibility (probability in my case) of ending up in a sticky mess puts me right off. Maybe try a few beforehand though; you may love them. Good luck, and how exciting that you’re doing your first FM. London? 😀

[Hidden in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Hi cheekychipmunks - i'm with you on the sticky mess - but hi-five (and other brands) do a gel soft flask where you can squeeze in all your gels which means no sticky mess - just in case you want to use gels in the future.

[RunWillie Marathon in reply to Hidden]

I did not know that Hidden

That’s an awesome tip 😍

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

I didn’t know that either Hidden . Definitely something to consider 😀

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

no, it’s Edinburgh

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Puddocks]

Enjoy. 😀

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

tried an SIS (?) and all good. It’s Edinburgh

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Edinburgh, my home city

[Freecloud Marathon]

I've been trying Tailwind and my usual jelly babies for my marathon end of April. I used gels last year. I think I'll stick with the Tailwind and add salt stick and maybe the lucozade energy sweets instead of the gels.You have to get used to carrying a hydro bag and get used to drinking on the run which I find difficult sometimes. But then I found it difficult taking the gels on the run as well 🤣.

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to Freecloud]

there is no easy answer!

[Freecloud Marathon in reply to Puddocks]

Very true. I'm hopefully running a 30k over the weekend as part of my plan, I'm almost out of Tailwind but I got a similar thing to it in H&B and will try that instead (it's cheaper and available locally), I'm also going to use the salt sticks, they come in small packs which are easy to carry on pocket.

[Pugwash Half Marathon]

I'm with Blackberrypie - gels are horrible. I've used High Five stuff before which was OK.

[Hidden]

Hi, so i'm running the Paris marathon this sunday and so during my training long runs i've had to test a few gels as i'm aware that for a full marathon i will need to take on fuel. For a HM i dont need additional fuel. I could not stomach normal gels, and tailwind was too much for me also. The ones that dont upset me are SIS isotonic - they are palatable and you dont need too much water to be able to digest them. i think that this is the problem with non-isotonic gels as you need more water to make them digestible. I normally just take water with these but for the marathon i am planning on taking an electrolyte tablet in the final hour as well.

As others have said its down to personal preference and taste but i strongly recommend to test different types on your long runs - you will find something that suits - this is a link to a gel comparison chart that gives you handy info like how much water you need to take with the gel to make it digestible - this might help you to choose a gel to test. fellrnr.com/wiki/Comparison...

Good luck with London 😀

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

thanks for this, Tracy! It’s Edinburgh btw x

[Hedgehogs123 Metric Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the link, very helpful.

[mrrun Ultramarathon]

You need to experiment well on time and settle down with something that won’t upset your stomach and will keep you hydrated and ‘fresh’ ( in relative, marathon speaking terms 😉). I can’t take anything solid and even a humble gel will upset my delicate little belly. I did marathon and 50k distances with nothing but my own stuff that l also produce (if interested you can visit my website) and needed just two 50ml bottles of it that l carried on my vest.

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to mrrun]

interesting! Can you give me your website address please?

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Puddocks]

runmrrun.com

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to mrrun]

thanks- will have a look

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon]

First off, “bon courage” for your marathon!

With lots of slow running, I’m hoping that I’ve built up my ability to burn fat to fuel longer runs. Did a 22 miler the other week fuelled by one biscuit so maybe it’s working! Alternatively, I may just hit the wall!

In the past, I’ve reached around 25k before starting to get low on energy. I’ve nibbled on flapjacks to keep me going but that can be tricky whilst running. This time, I’m going to try eating a flapjack just before the start to see how that works. I’ve an HM this coming Sunday which will be a good test of how I can run soon after munching a flapjack. As yet, I’ve no idea how well this will work out! My FM is in a couple of weeks’ time. Seems that, this time, I’ve left it a bit late to sort out my nutrition!

As for fluids, I use water mixed with lime (or lemon) juice and a pinch of salt.

[Puddocks Half Marathon in reply to SkiMonday]

thank you- food for thought!

[Tasha99 Marathon]

I’ve tried so many but my absolute favourites are Torq! A little pricey but effective! Especially those with guarana 😋 Tailwind is ok but psychologically I never thought it could possibly be enough🤣 SIS make me bork but the double espresso ones are rocket fuel 🤣🤣🤣

[Puddocks Half Marathon]

hi, did 16 miles yesterday. Tried salt sticks - good. Some Tailwind good and two SIS gels- lime and. Caffeine berry one- good.

Returned home, then played football with 7 yyera old grandson for an hour, cut the grass, played keepie-up with a balloon for 50 mins before bed at 10 pm.

What a day PLUS still had some running left in the tank which has left me a bit more confident re the marathon at end of May.

Thanks everyone for ideas and support x

[Puddocks Half Marathon]

can anyone point me in the direction of the flapjacks recipe please?

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Puddocks]

Here you go. Very easy to make and they taste delicious. Enjoy 😋

rockrun.com/blogs/the-flash...

[Puddocks Half Marathon]

Thank you, Irish Princess- will try soon!

Am running first marathon at end of May.

Ran 20 miles last Monday but a bit unsure whether I should now be reducing or maintain mileage- thought please?