Gel strategy

TheRoadRunner

I know this has probably been discussed before but I was just wondering what are peoples strategies regarding taking gels during a marathon?

I have never taken a gel in any of the 8 marathons I've ran. This is not through choice but due to the fact I can't stomach them at all. Previously when hen I tried them out on training runs I usually usually hurled them back up. I try and compensate by taking glucose tablets and jellies during my marathons but it's very hard to get the same quantity of carbohydrates into the body relative to what the gels contain.

Hopefully this is going to change. I've managed to find a couple of gels that are pretty palatable and have been taking them during my long run in an attempt to get use to them.

I will look into this in more detail but for now would like to know how many gels people consume and roughly at what stage during the marathon.

robinph

In my excessive consumption of them I do restrict myself to only taking them just before the water stations so that you have an immediate opportunity to wash your mouth out. Made much easier in DCM by them having the bottles that you can carry with you, other races it has sometimes been a bit of a rush between seeing the "100m to water" sign and trying to get the gel in and a position to grab the water in time without getting bumped too much by others.

RayCun

I took them at 6, 12, 18, and 21 miles, just before the water stations.

rainbow kirby

Every 5-6 miles for me, but I struggle to take anything on in the last 5-6 miles. Stomach doesn't like anything at that stage of the race.

galwayspur

DCM 2010 was my first marathon and I used the High 5 brand during the race having used them in training on runs over 10 miles. I had a plan to use 6 during the race, having taken one 20mins before the off and then every 30 mins after the race had started.

I supplemented the gel intake with water and energy drinks at each of the drink stations around the course. I had a handful of jelly babies in the pocket of the gel belt and was glad I had them. I ate a couple at the halfway point and then again at mile 18 & mile 22.

I grabbed an extra gel at the last gel station, only because one of my own on my belt burst during my warm up (and made my left calf very sticky and an embarassing stain on the back of my shorts too).

Better runners than me will obviously have different strategies, but this one worked for me and it's one I'd follow again. I'm by no means a fast runner, at the start line I was 83kgs, 5'11 and crossed the finish line in 3hrs 44mins.

menoscemo

Like yourself RR, I can't stomach any kind of gels on their own.

What I have found is that if I premix them with water I can swallow them down no problem. The only unfortunate side is that i have to carry around a water belt with me. What I did for the last marathon was premix 6 gels with water into the 4 little bottles on the water belt. I took about 2/3rd of a bottle every 5 miles and wahtever was left over during in the home stretch.

shels4ever

menoscemo wrote: »

into the 4 little bottles on the water belt. I took about 2/3rd of a bottle every 5 miles and wahtever was left over during in the home stretch.

Was looking at water belts while watcing the Dublin Marathon last year, Think I spotted 1 runner running sun 2:45 with a belt.

There was a study been done on gels in the Dublin marathon the year before last, not sure if the results were ever published.

heffsarmy

I usually take one at 6miles, 13miles and 20miles. Taking one early helps settle the stomach and then at 13miles to give me the mental boost to run hard for the last half of the marathon, then one at 20miles, this too make sure I don't hit any wall. I take them with water, towards the end of most marathons there are energy drinks, I just grab whats on offer for the extra carbs.

Oryx

I have found clif shot blocs to be kinder on the stomach than the power bar gels I also take. You dont have to take water with them, I do with the powerbar gels, as they are sticky and coat your mouth. But both kinds kill my appetite for ages afterwards, I think thats just one of those things.

Have done endurance events last year but no marathons. In ARs and such, I dont have a system of taking them at a certain time, generally I only take gels when I begin to feel the strain in my legs or I know I have a big climb coming. Maybe not the best strategy, but works for me. On the one marathon I did, and on any lsrs, I would take gels at regular intervals, as it just works better to divide them across the mileage, eg 6, 12, 18, 24.

TheRoadRunner

Oryx wrote: »

I would take gels at regular intervals, as it just works better to divide them across the mileage, eg 6, 12, 18, 24.

That's what I was kind of thinking or maybe 5,10,15 & 20.

Any body any idea how long before the gel absorbs is absorbed into the blood stream? Last year one of my club mates took a gel with 400 metres to go in a marathon. He was in a bad state and obviously didn't get any benefit from taking it so late. Was very funny.

Krusty_Clown

If you read the packet or refer to the website, it usually spells out how long it takes before you should reap the 'benefits' of a gel. I put the word 'benefits' in quotes, as gels are useful for some, and unnecessary for others, so the claims may be somewhat dubious, and there may be a certain amount of placebo benefit (but benefit nonetheless).

Having said all that, they work for me. I take SIS Isotonic gels, as I find them the most palatable, and being isotonic, I don't need to take water with them (very handy at mile 23 when there's no water station, and you are parched/in need of sustenance/need an emotional crutch). Isotonic gels provide less carbs (meaty goodness!) than traditional gels (because they have additional water), so typically you should take them more often than traditional gels.

For myself, I plan on taking them every 6-8 miles, so would have four with me. I don't use hard and fast rules though, so if there's an aid station with Powerade or some other sports drink I know I can stomach, I'll hang on to the gel for another while. But typically it would be: mile 6, 12, 18 and a spare one if I need it, at around mile 23 or 24.

If gels start to work for you, I look forward to seeing what your Berlin time will be! They do hand out PowerBar gels on the course (at around mile 18) but I skipped 'em, as I prefer carrying my own and not depending on race organization. A cheap gel belt is a fantastic investment.

TheRoadRunner

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

If gels start to work for you, I look forward to seeing what your Berlin time will be!

I'm hoping they mean I can power on at the pace I start out at. Last year was the first time I ever hit the wall properly and it's an experience I would like to avoid in the future. I've 8 months to see if the gels suit me but so far so good.

Nwm2

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

That's what I was kind of thinking or maybe 5,10,15 & 20.

Any body any idea how long before the gel absorbs is absorbed into the blood stream? Last year one of my club mates took a gel with 400 metres to go in a marathon. He was in a bad state and obviously didn't get any benefit from taking it so late. Was very funny.

There is quite a bit of research indicating that simply swilling carbohydrates around in your mouth and then spitting them out without swallowing improves performance, probably due to central nervous system action. So you don't necessarily have to get the stuff absorbed into your bloodstream to see some benefit (over and above an additional possible placebo effect). Although I can't say whether your buddy would have seen an effect from this mechanism in the last 2 mins of the marathon!

TFBubendorfer

Nwm2 wrote: »

There is quite a bit of research indicating that simply swilling carbohydrates around in your mouth and then spitting them out without swallowing improves performance, probably due to central nervous system action. So you don't necessarily have to get the stuff absorbed into your bloodstream to see some benefit (over and above an additional possible placebo effect). Although I can't say whether your buddy would have seen an effect from this mechanism in the last 2 mins of the marathon!

I remember that study, it was done with cyclists. When they tried the same with runners, they found no benefits.

On the other hand, I know the guy who won the Fargo marathon in 2008. He took a gel around mile 22 when feeling crap and within a minute he was feeling great. I quote from his race report:

There's no way that I digested that fuel in a useful way, but here I was, one moment in the throes of utter fatigue, and the next moment, jacked up, feeling good, and closing the gap.

Sure, it was most likely pure placebo effect but if that helps you along just as well, who cares.

Nwm2

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

I remember that study, it was done with cyclists. When they tried the same with runners, they found no benefits.

As I said, there is a body of research, not just one study.

Some were done on cyclists, others on runners - which did show benefits over and above that of a placebo. For example:


Rollo I, Williams C, Gant N, Nute M: The influence of carbohydrate mouth rinse on self-selected speeds during a 30-min treadmill run. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2008 , 18:585-600.

TheRoadRunner

Nwm2 wrote: »

As I said, there is a body of research, not just one study.

Some were done on cyclists, others on runners - which did show benefits over and above that of a placebo. For example:


Rollo I, Williams C, Gant N, Nute M: The influence of carbohydrate mouth rinse on self-selected speeds during a 30-min treadmill run. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2008 , 18:585-600.

Just read that paper now. That's gas, never came across this before

RedB

shels4ever wrote: »

There was a study been done on gels in the Dublin marathon the year before last, not sure if the results were ever published.

I think the 'study' was by High 5 and is referenced here (http://dublinmarathon.ie/news.php?article=322).

I read up on this here before DCM10 and Woddle had a favourable post (think he took part in the study?). I struggled in previous marathon attempts but most of that would've been down to inadequate training . I trained better for DCM10 and followed the high 5 strategy exactly and had a very satisfactory experience (for me) that day. I took High 5 gels before the start, 40 mins in and every 20mins after that with water and managed ok albeit I had enough of them 10 gels later. Previously I used power bar gels but found them a bit sticky / sweet to be popping as frequently as recommended.

shels4ever

RedB wrote: »

I think the 'study' was by High 5 and is referenced here (http://dublinmarathon.ie/news.php?article=322).

I read up on this here before DCM10 and Woddle had a favourable post (think he took part in the study?). I struggled in previous marathon attempts but most of that would've been down to inadequate training . I trained better for DCM10 and followed the high 5 strategy exactly and had a very satisfactory experience (for me) that day. I took High 5 gels before the start, 40 mins in and every 20mins after that with water and managed ok albeit I had enough of them 10 gels later. Previously I used power bar gels but found them a bit sticky / sweet to be popping as frequently as recommended.

I would like to have seen the full data from that, going on whats published by Hight5 everyone was about 10mins faster then expected.. either magic high5 gels or some of the results were left out ...

Krusty_Clown

Nwm2 wrote: »

As I said, there is a body of research, not just one study.

Some were done on cyclists, others on runners - which did show benefits over and above that of a placebo. For example:


Rollo I, Williams C, Gant N, Nute M: The influence of carbohydrate mouth rinse on self-selected speeds during a 30-min treadmill run. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2008 , 18:585-600.

Can you imagine the mess in Berlin, when 48,000 runners swirl sticky gels in their mouths, and spit them out when arriving up to a water station? Carnage!

TheRoadRunner

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Can you imagine the mess in Berlin, when 48,000 runners swirl sticky gels in their mouths, and spit them out when arriving up to a water station? Carnage!

Just need to make sure you are ahead of 47,900 of them at the first and subsequent water station. Problem solved

PeakOutput

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Just read that paper now. That's gas, never came across this before

i havnt read the study and wouldnt be a runner by anyone heres standard but find this thread interesting

those studies in theory shouldn't be that suprising as we can absorb things into our system from virtually anywhere

through our skin even. i get it that it might be mainly placebo but there is a biological ability to absorb things through your mouth

drug users would take advantage of this quite a lot

TheRoadRunner

PeakOutput wrote: »

i get it that it might be mainly placebo but there is a biological ability to absorb things through your mouth

I think the experiment was set up to minimise placebo effect by having a blind control group who took a solution similar in texture, taste etc. Guys who swirled CHO solution seen a 3-6% increase in performance.

I find this quite amazing. I don't think the CHO is being absorbed some receptors in the mouth must be switched on and they in turn effect the nervous system (my own little theory, no basis for this really).

opus

RedB wrote: »

I think the 'study' was by High 5 and is referenced here (http://dublinmarathon.ie/news.php?article=322).

I read up on this here before DCM10 and Woddle had a favourable post (think he took part in the study?). I struggled in previous marathon attempts but most of that would've been down to inadequate training . I trained better for DCM10 and followed the high 5 strategy exactly and had a very satisfactory experience (for me) that day. I took High 5 gels before the start, 40 mins in and every 20mins after that with water and managed ok albeit I had enough of them 10 gels later. Previously I used power bar gels but found them a bit sticky / sweet to be popping as frequently as recommended.

That's some amount of gels they're recommending you should take :eek: Love their 12-gel belt! I'm very much a beginner at this marathon game having only done three but four gels is the max I've been able to stomach during the runs. As well I took an energy snack half an hour beforehand for no other reason than I spotted them in my local heath food shop and figured it might be a good thing to do, lot nicer than the runny marmalade taste of gels as well.