Marathon Improvers Thread.

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119518822#Comment_119518822

I find the strawberry ones the best. Just got a box of 18 packets on Amazon for ~€50 but they are hard to find, there are a lot of the caffeine cherry ones for sale on amazon, they can be a little harder on the stomach so if you are going to use them then use them sparingly. I tend to eat one and then put one in my cheek and let it dissolve/chew on it slightly so there is a constant stream of sugar hitting the system but not all hitting the stomach at the same time

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119518995#Comment_119518995

Thanks for that, I did have a quick gander on amazon this morning and only saw the cherry flavour. Who in Dublin stocks these, does anyone know, as I won't have time for an internet order to arrive before Sat?

diego_b

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119519094#Comment_119519094

Run Logic in Temple Bar I think stocks them.

https://runlogic.ie/product/clif-shot-bloks/

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119519094#Comment_119519094

Just checked the supplier where I got them on Amazon clif (@)woowoo and they have no more in stock, will come up again soon I'm sure

Laineyfrecks

Might give these a try myself, also looking for alternatives to using only gels. What are these like? Are they like a soft chewy sweet?

diego_b

It's hard to describe the texture of them, they are not as soft as jelly but they are not as firm as wine gums either....something inbetween. I've always found them to be slightly too big but letting them dissolve in the mouth works well. Like gels my only real issue with them was the suggested quantity you should be taking on board...what will all the running I couldn't find the time for the near constant eating! I find I max out around 4/5 gels in a marathon as can't stomach anymore. So shot bloks is something I'm considering doing solely to see if I get on better with them.

Sandwell

Wheelworx stock those Clif blocks too. My wife and I are both running marathons this autumn and we're trying out different gels at the moment. She arrived home with a pack of the black cherry and caffeine ones just yesterday, coincidentally. I look forward to trying them out. I'm lucky enough that I have a fairly strong stomach and have never had issues taking gels but I don't enjoy faffing about with sticky wrappers each time I take one. The Clif blocks seem like a cleaner option.

Speaking of gels, has anyone been using the Maurten ones? Are they worth the money?

Wottle

Gels are pretty individual. Having tested loads for Seville at the start of the year, I'm loving the SiS beta fuel 40g.

I found the Maurten gels did nothing for me.

I combine the sis beta fuel gels with 2x250ml soft flasks worth of tailwind (very easy on the tummy).

52 days to go till Amsterdam and mileage is good. I'm unsure what shape I'm in though as for the last 4 weeks I've been training in pretty warm conditions and paying more attention to heart rate and before that I was just getting over COVID.

I've got the Ratoath half in 2 weeks where I hope to go sub 90 but it'll be close.

The cycle superstore in Tallaght is good for gels.

FinnC

I use Kinetica gels for training. Irish brand so nice to be using something that’s Irish.

I do use Maurten for racing enough. They are smaller than other gels so can carry them easier and also i find they work better than anything else I’ve tried. You can really feel them working.

They are expensive though, much to expensive to be using in training hence why I use the Kinetica gels for that.

Kellygirl

I’m considering going with Tailwind rather than gels this year. I wear a hydration pack with 2x500mls soft bottles of Tailwind for my long runs and toying with doing that for Dublin too and just making the Tailwind a little stronger. It’s much easier on the tummy. I’ve 29km to do tomorrow and 20km of that is speed work so I’ll see how it goes at pace.

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119519581#Comment_119519581

That's the consistency alright! If you find the a bit big then you can bite a bit off and then keep the rest in your mouth.

I've found to date anyway that it's ok to just keep topping them up as you go as it's easy to just get another one out of the packet

Laineyfrecks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119519581#Comment_119519581

Cheers. I'll see if I can get my hands on one to try, don't want to buy in bulk if they don't suit!

Laineyfrecks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119519904#Comment_119519904

Doing Rathoath myself. Have you done it before? Best of luck with your target.

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119520799#Comment_119520799

I haven't, a few friends have and recommended it highly. Although they did say the finish appears to go on forever, I'm sure I'll find out what they mean.

Best of luck to you too, you seem to be going fantastically well.

Swashbuckler

I tried the Clifblocks training for Limerick. Not for me. Too much chewing. If I recall, the advice was to eat an awful lot of them and I just couldnt stomach that. I prefer to get the gel in fast and be done with it rather than have something sitting in my mouth or having to chew.

SIS gels worked really well for me. I didnt need any water with them which was a big plus. Didnt need to time them to water stations.

Maurten mix 320 I found disgusting. Never tried the gels but I recall someone saying that you would need water with them.

Laineyfrecks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119521031#Comment_119521031

Ah cheers something to look forward to at the end so🤣 Yeah I'm tipping along nicely, enjoying my training & do feel it's going well.

Just arrived home to my number in the post! Hopefully the weather plays ball!

Kellygirl

How do the SIS gels compare to the High 5 isogels? I mean in terms of texture. The isogels are quite liquidy. I never had a problem with them besides getting all sticky from them. I found the Maurten handy from that perspective.

Unthought Known

Maurten is the only gel I've still used towards the end of marathons. You don't need to take them with water, but I would normally try to time them just before a water station anyway. The 320 mix certainly takes some getting used to, but I've found it really good to drink a couple of hourse before a marathon then use the gels in the race. Also had a couple of small bottles of pre-mixed 320 on the table during Donedea this year and they seemed to work well.

If you have a sweet tooth get some Torq rhubarb & custard gels. It's like a mini dessert.

py

Maurten works for me. I use a combination of the 320 drink mix and the gels (normal and caffeine) on long runs out in races. I carry a running vest with 500ml flasks * 2.

turfman1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119521534#Comment_119521534

Do many people wear hydration vests in the Marathon? Dublin specifically. Was going to wear one but didn’t want to seem out of place or whatever.

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119521927#Comment_119521927

There is no problem with wearing one. It specifically says it on their website though subject to search. You won’t look out of place.

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119521344#Comment_119521344

Can’t stand rhubarb. I seem to be the only one!

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119521927#Comment_119521927

Absolutely wear one if it’s what you want to do. You see plenty of them on the course.

event

I called out few weeks ago I would struggle to hit LSRs due to other commitments and it proved that way over past 2 weeks.

This is how I have looked since Mid July

WO 11/07 - 40 miles

WO 18/07 - 12 miles

WO 25/07 - 42 miles

WO 01/08 - 38 miles

WO 08/08 - 10 miles

WO 15/08 - 20 miles

This week I am on track to hit 49-50 miles. Then its 6 weeks of about the same mileage. Also planning to do ratoath.

For nutrition, I like the SIS Beta Fuel gels and drink. Each Gel has 40g of carbs and each drink has 80g. So plan is to take 2 drinks and 2 gels on board in the marathon. I find it easy on the stomach, but will properly test in the LSRs from now. Trying to find a place that stocks the gels can be tough. For the drinks, I bring my own collapsible flask. Fill it with water at the stops and then just lash the powder in on top of it

Laineyfrecks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119525029#Comment_119525029

I'm gonna try the Sis beta fuel gel this weekend on my long run to see how it goes, it was recommended by a few people. I got mine in the cyclestore in Tallaght only recently, they seemed to have a lot in stock there.

FinnC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119525029#Comment_119525029

What I have done before is bring two pre mixed soft flasks with water and powder already mixed, and also then bring two extra soft flasks with just the powder in them, then all you have to do is add water, no messing with trying to add the powder to the flask during the run! I find I can add the water to them easily enough while still running.

The soft flasks are small enough to fold up even with the powder already in it, and when the two pre mixed flasks are finished they also then just fold up small. I use the 250ml flasks.

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119525265#Comment_119525265

Thats genius, having the powder already in there. Gonna get some 250ml flasks, they have them in decathlon

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119525098#Comment_119525098

Yeah they have double the carbs than normal gels, carry less

Unthought Known

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119525265#Comment_119525265

A few years ago I used Tailwind for Manchester and DCM. I had this routine to carefully fill 7 wide straws which each held the right amount of powder for the 250ml bottles on course, folding over and taping the ends. More than one person told me I looked like a drug dealer as I sometimes failed to get all the powder in the bottle.

Moral of the story...Don't be like me, use soft flasks. Or gels.

MisterJinx

Based on all this nutrition talk I decided to try a gel yesterday. I had bought some a while back and use one on the bike I think. They are "manuka sport" a honey based gel. Took my time taking one and it was fine. A bit repeaty but no stomach cramps. I'm figuring a back up plan of a spare gel would be a good call rather than 100% relying on the chews as a single food source, just in case I need an additional boost at some stage or was totally sick of the chews.