Sub-4hr marathon support and celebration thread
178 watchers
Mar 2023
5:40pm, 6 Mar 2023
2,427 posts
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Bowman 🇸🇪
Yup, what he (larkim) said pretty much 
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Mar 2023
7:37pm, 6 Mar 2023
16,132 posts
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Badger
I'm not sure what I think about this discussion. I mean I know that for *me*, it's different, I definitely need to drink on long runs and I do always take fuel along, partly because I want to get in the habit of taking calories on regularly and try out different things where the worst case scenario is cutting a training run short rather than DNFing a race, partly because for a long enough run then yes I do need them. Absolutely the experience of a race is different (and I've learned from that what I need to carry to use early and what to save for when it's all I can stomach 45k into a hilly 55k). But. I may just be a complete wimp, but to anyone reading this for ideas on tackling a sub-four marathon and wondering whether they should be taking water and nibbles on long runs, they are very much something you'd rather have and not need than need and not have. |
Mar 2023
7:42pm, 6 Mar 2023
3,138 posts
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Ally-C
If I’m on a 20 miles training run I’ve now started taking water & gels. In the past I’ve taken things like buttered pancakes too.
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Mar 2023
7:48pm, 6 Mar 2023
62,785 posts
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Velociraptor
If you've got a stash of buttered pancakes I'll be chasing you round the Solway Coast, Ally-C Last marathon I did, I finished with more gels than I started with. |
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Mar 2023
7:54pm, 6 Mar 2023
3,139 posts
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Ally-C
If you've got a stash of buttered pancakes I'll be chasing you round the Solway Coast, Ally-C Last marathon I did, I finished with more gels than I started with. For a while I found Sainsbury's syrup pancakes easy to eat. |
Mar 2023
8:51pm, 6 Mar 2023
444 posts
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jun1
This is a very interesting topic. My best marathons have been run by doing all my long training runs without anything bar breakfast an hour or so before. I usually practice fuelling in a couple of half marathons prior to race day. I have read a lot recently about fuelling in long runs to aid recovery though and have been using one gel at about 14 miles this time. Yesterday I didn't have any gels so I did 20 on my breakfast only. The run felt tougher for sure but heart rate was very low for the whole run. |
Mar 2023
10:31pm, 6 Mar 2023
5,801 posts
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Oscar the Grouch
Badger makes an important point. It's only after many years of running that I now choose not to run with water and food. I'd certainly recommend people take it if they want to! I suspect this is what Larks was getting at with the individual need thing. We are all an experiment of one. I have found that I can run for 3 hours with nothing to eat or drink. I am of course starting to flag by the end and maybe I *would* be better with fuel.... BUT I like it that way and I always start well hydrated (coffee and water) and having eaten breakfast as jun1 says.
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Mar 2023
10:53pm, 6 Mar 2023
20,459 posts
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larkim
I was surprised when I found I really didn't need any water or additional fuel on long runs. Physiologically you shouldn't *need* it if you're well fuelled or hydrated at the start, but that doesn't mean your head or mind won't *want* it - and that's perfectly fine. Long runs are long!!!
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Mar 2023
1:27pm, 12 Mar 2023
3,161 posts
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Ally-C
1:45 for the Alloa half marathon earlier, reasonably happy with that.
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Mar 2023
1:36pm, 12 Mar 2023
62,847 posts
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Velociraptor
Good work, Ally-C
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