Ideas on what to eat while running?

[Memoryissues 13]

Hi All,

Just posting here hoping for some ideas, I am currently training for a marathon/half marathon and my long runs have reached 2 hours. This means I have started to need to eat mid-run.

Luckily I don't suffer too badly with nausea my issue is dumping. Normal times I don't suffer too badly with dumping but when running I think the movement pushing things through my system that bit faster and refined carbs make me feel awful! like really really bad, worst dumping of my life. It passes but it's hardly helpful. This rules out all the off-the-shelf running supplies/typical refined sugar-heavy suggestions.

I have tried sweets, bread, ect but have the same issue unless I stick to more "wholefood" options. My only success has been sultanas paired with cheese, but the cheese made me feel nauseous, but the fat and extra bulk did prevent dumping. So I need something high in carbs, but also a decent amount of protein/fat, which is easy/at least possible to eat while running and will survive in a plastic bag at room temp. I don't care if it's processed or not, I am happy to cook/bake, but as I need to use it once a week would prefer it not to be too much of a hassle.

I really need to start refueling mid-run so any ideas are very welcome!

[The Greater Fool 2,054]

Congratulations on preparing for a marathon.

I hope you have a plan on training and the ramp-up to the actual marathon.

I never really ate anything during long runs. I focused on pre- and post- run stuff. Running and eating didn't mix for me.

Good luck,

Tek

[Memoryissues 13]

5 hours ago, The Greater Fool said:

Congratulations on preparing for a marathon.

I hope you have a plan on training and the ramp-up to the actual marathon.

I never really ate anything during long runs. I focused on pre- and post- run stuff. Running and eating didn't mix for me.

Good luck,

Tek

I think that might end up being the case for me tbh, but feel like I should give it a good go to be 100% certain :). I think I might need to try upping my carbs generally the day before instead... hummm.

I have the half at the end of Sept, so peaking this and next week, which I feel vaguely prepared for, then a good gap with the marathon next easter.

Thanks, Tek.

[ChubRub 1,709]

Have you tried GU or any of the other energy gels? I've used them for cycling, and they work well. I've also heard people make a simple PB&J, cut into small pieces and frozen the night before, and it thaws during the race or run, etc. Also try bananas, as they are usually offered on the race course. As I'm sure you already know, you don't want to try anything new on race day, so you want to get it figured out and practiced with ahead of time.

Good luck!!

[The Greater Fool 2,054]

I experimented with Gu. Sitting at home it seemed ok. I tried it on a 10 mile run and there again was no problem. When I tried it on a 20 mile run I dumped like a Tonka truck. I abandoned the idea. It probably wouldn't have been a problem for someone who doesn't dump on sugar, or even someone not so sensitive. In the years since my time running they have come out with several other products that don't have sugar that may be workable.

I could probably get away with an orange slice that they were in the habit of handing out back when, but since I didn't train with them I didn't take them. Banana's weren't a thing handed out at the races I was in. I probably wouldn't have taken them, again, because I didn't try them during training runs.

But, again, the world has changed since my running days. There are lots of possibilities now.

Good luck,

Tek