You should ingest a liquid with carbohydrates and a little protein within the first few minutes (less than 30 minutes) after a No-Fuel/Slow-Fuel long run. But on the other hand, if you stop taking in your liquid calories, you risk emptying your calorie tank and bonking. Here is what were going to cover in the rest of this article: How many calories you burn while running depends on three main factors: duration, intensity, and body weight. UCAN marathon fuel: Utilizing a super starch they claim both no stomach issues and no crashes. For example, a runner might use UCAN or another slow-acting carbohydrate for the bulk of the race but then supplement with a fast-acting gel or sports drink in the last 30-45 minutes for the sugar high. Some runners even choose a caffeinated fast-acting carbohydrate source for an even bigger mental boost. This seems to provide the best of both worlds. Before longer or low-intensity training sessions, it is acceptable to consume more fat and protein in your diet. Gels. Thanks Trevor, sorry I missed your reply! HOW DOES SUPERSTARTCH WORKS FOR DELIVER STEADY ENERGY? Most traditional sports nutrition with simple carbs provide a spike and crash effect, and youre left managing the sugary roller coaster. If you have a misstep in your fueling protocol, then you might end up running out of energy or hitting the wall. This led to the traditional fueling strategy that most runners have used (or at least started with). To gather a stronger understanding over time of how much you need so that you are optimally fueled on race day, without hitting the wall or having stomach problems. While the blood glucose level is really important to fuel your brain, running also pulls some glucose from the blood so as you run your marathon, you need glucose in the blood to supplement the intramuscular fat and carbohydrates that are the primary fuels for marathon running. You can learn more about this nutrition strategy in The Performance Zone: Your Nutrition Action Plan for Greater Endurance & Sports Performance, by John Ivy and Robert Portman. UCANs breakthrough complex carbohydrate, LIVSTEADY, delivers consistent energy without the unhealthy, jittery blast you get from caffeine and sugar-laden products. Electrolytes are vital on hot days, while the carbohydrates from a sports drink or soda help keep your energy levels full. Ideally, you should have this carbohydrate-based breakfast four hours before the raceto give your body plenty of time to digest the food. You just get your carbohydrates once every hour and then just need to drink water and electrolytes in between. UCANs breakthrough complex carbohydrate, LIVSTEADYTM, delivers consistent energy and helps maintain stable blood sugar. The performance benefits of carbohydrates were discovered many decades ago and since the 1970s, fast-acting carbs like simple sugars (i.e. By the end of this article, youll know how to execute the perfect marathon nutrition strategy on race day. Electrolyte needs are very individualized but a good starting point is to consume 500 to 1000mg of sodium per hour during exercise. But if you go out and do 10 miles at race pace, you might need 4-6 gels to fuel your workout. Based on fueling and hydration recommendations, you may need 1-2 scoops per hour of racing. These foods can cause GI issues such as bloating, gas, constipation, and/or diarrhea. ", American Marathon & Half Marathon Record Holder, U.S. Olympian, "UCAN was my secret weapon to help me win the NYC Marathon, the Boston Marathon, and qualify for the Olympics at age 40! Here, were going to take you step-by-step through the crucial fueling windows for a marathon. It can no longer tolerate as concentrated or as much carbohydrate as it could earlier in the race. From staying adequately hydrated, to training your gut, to taking in enough fuel, these are some of the logistics that marathon runners need to consider for fueling during a marathon. Dont try anything new on race day. With all this talk about eating, fueling, running, and food, it is inevitable that we talk about ideal running weight. You dose frequently with fast-acting carbohydrates to boost blood glucose levels. This has been a popular strategy and there are hundreds of products available that aim to provide fast-acting carbohydrates in lots of different flavors, textures and carbohydrate types (glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltodextrin, etc.). UCan's gels come in larger pouches than other energy gels and are made of their signature SuperStarch, which is a complex carbohydrate made from non-GMO corn. As with most things in running, its hard to find a one-size-fits-all with marathon fueling. Designed to optimize post-workout muscle repair. Then, well guide you through the details of creating a nutrition plan for marathon training and racing. Learn more here. But if something goes wrong, thats no reason to give up there are a number of things that you can do to get back on track. Running coach and exercise scientist Greg McMillan and Generation UCAN share the secrets to running your best marathon. The strawberry banana flavor does not contain erythritol and I plan to experiment with that one in my next training cycle. . If your calorie expenditure is greater than your calorie consumption, you will start losing weight and you will no longer be able to fuel your workouts. Consuming 2 servings of UCAN pre-race will allow you to go longer before needing to re-fuel. Instead, it is best to prepare a meal plan that contains a mix of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein to fuel your workouts. Then once that is dialed in, try it in a tune up race. Runners often find they have energy but if they are used to this rush of energy, they may find the lack of it strange. Salty sweaters may do well with The Right Stuff, Drip Drop or salt tabs to get enough sodium. heat exhaustion. You guys helped a physically broken and down-and-out gal finished a marathon the way I always wanted to, healthy and happy. You can choose either theUCAN Sports DrinkMix or theProtein-Enhanced Drink Mix. Once the race has started, your nutrition window or how often you eat or drink comes in 17-30 minutes increments. There are lots of things that could go wrong the weather might change, you might forget a packet of gels, or you might start bonking with 7 miles to go. Drink 1 serving of UCAN around25km. Listen the podcast bellow! I want to thank MTA for all the advice I received as I trainedit was appreciated! Stations in destination locations like Santa Barbara, Napa and Truckee mean weekend getaways with your FCEV. As I mentioned, Ive had better success with this strategy than the traditional strategy but there are a few considerations. The coordinated deployment of hydrogen stations across the state is providing the freedom to travel. Now, there's also the UCAN Edge gel. If you are planning on taking on fuel during your race, you can probably get away with around 300-500 calories before the race, if you run 1:20 or under so will not be needing fuel, try to have 500-800 calories. Your email address will not be published. I don't use UCAN Energy Powder on race day; I use Maurten gels. You can move it up or down to understand how much weight makes a difference in marathon nutrition. Compare All Plans, Login Training Plan/Run Team Consume 1 serving Energy + Protein within 30 minutes after a long run or hard workout. That effort will help you work out the kinks and give you rock solid confidence that your race day nutrition will be spot on. fructose and glucose) and maltodextrin have been used in a big way by sports nutrition companies to fuel runners. As you know, I give you my honest feedback on all products. I've used those Power Gels from Power Bar is a couple of marathons in the past and never felt it made a difference compared to doing nothing at all so I kind of tossed the gel thing aside. I tried to do this at the Rocket City Marathon but my stomach rebelled. You also need to practice your calorie intake in pre-race training sessions in order to train your gut. Studieshave shown thatcarbohydrates in liquid form are the best food to consume during a marathon for most runners. But UCAN isn't just for elite runners - it's for anyone looking to improve performance and fitness in training without having . That said, no coach will recommend running a marathon at marathon pace prior to the marathon. Gatorade, powerade, Skratch Labs, Tailwind Nutrition and UCan are some options. With some experimentation, you can use more or less UCAN each feeding and/or take it more and less frequently. Or so I thought. If you suffer from runners gut symptoms, youll want to evaluate your nutrition plan pre marathon andstay away from unfamiliar foods before running. It is recommended to mix this with 20-24 oz. You know what they say about the best-laid plans Marathon nutrition is not as simple as writing a plan and executing it. (2012), Subscribe for updates and get the FREE eBook:5 EASY ON THE GO SNACK RECIPES, Your email address will not be published. Ready to try it?? For all but the last 30-45 minutes, use the Strategy 2 regimen above. LIVSTEADY also has a very low osmolality, meaning it exits the stomach quickly and does not require lots of water to digest. Fuel early and often! Compared to Tailwind, thats a little less carbs (fuel) and a little more sodium per scoop. You may not feel you need the fuel that early on, but it is better to start fueling early rather than waiting until its too late. The others are chocolate peanut butter (sounds amazing), peach passion (worth a try) and coffee bean (yuck, I am not a fan of coffee). Whether you have time for a whole morning meal or not,you should be fueling with 20-50 grams of carbohydrates 15-30 minutes before the race starts. Runners often skip fueling because they cant figure out when to eat or what to eat in order to feel good throughout a workout. To illustrate just how universal marathon fueling has become, here are the race weekend eating habits of runners from five countries: Australia, Finland, Wales, Venezuela, and the United. water or sports drink 10-20 minutes before activity drink 10 oz. Early in exercise science, researchers found that blood glucose dropped across the marathon and a drop in blood glucose results in decreased performance. You will discover whether you prefer fluids or solids or a combination. Marathoners have been encouraged to drink 4-8 ounces of sports drink every 15 minutes and/or to take a gel every 30-45 minutes to keep glucose moving through the GI system and into the blood stream. First, youll plug your numbers into our Marathon Nutrition Calculator. You can concentrate the Energy Powder with 4-6 oz. Sub-threshold. Many people rate UCan as a great product for sensitive stomachs. We answer within 24h. The number revealed by the Marathon Nutrition Calculator is more than just a number you cannot fuel your marathon with equal amounts of chocolate cake, sports gels, or broccoli and expect the same result.Not all calories are created equal when it comes to marathon nutrition and fueling your training session. But theres a catch you cant have too many simple carbs at once or youll be at risk for GI distress and overly high blood sugar levels, and you cant take too little or youll bonk. More recommendations here for what to eat the night before a long run. The slow-release of carbohydrates provided by SuperStarch helps athletes and active people maintain steady energy levels without the spike & crash. I'd be interested to try Maurten someday. When Im on the go and making a lot of appearances, I eat the UCAN bars to curb my cravings for sweets!, Meb Keflezighi, 4x U.S. Olympian, Boston & NYC Marathon Champion. Agree with what Trevor said about the Ucan bars including chocolate/peanut butter being my favorite too. Check out the Energy Lab blog for recipes, podcasts and posts that will help you optimize your training and nutrition! Experiment to see the quantity and frequency that provides the best energy with the least GI distress. Nailing your nutrition is a key aspect of marathon training and racing. One of the keys to marathon nutrition performance is that it involves much more than the run itself. PodcastFest! Ahead of hard workouts and especially race day, your diet should consist of mostly carbohydrates which are the best fuel source for high-intensity exercise. Sports Nutrition: A Practice Manual for Professionals, 5th ed. So it's important to train my body to digest those gels. Top dietitians, elite trainers and more than 400 professional See what you find works. The secret is out! Can they be used together? Strategy 2 - Slow Acting Carbohydrates Plus, the tangy, citrus flavor provides a refreshing treat when you feel like you've hit a wall. Do you have a long run fueling strategy in place? This is essentially to try to get you to stabilize energy and blood sugar levels. water and mix it into a small flask or carry multiple servings in a bottle. Join us as we tag along with her for a workout. You should still have a carb-based breakfast on race morning to make sure that your carbohydrate stores are completely topped off. Theres no chewing required, and in a matter of seconds, you will have another 20-30 grams of carbohydrates flowing into your bloodstream. This rise and fall (or commonly called the spike and crash) cycle would be interrupted by the regular dump of glucose into the blood stream so that the blood glucose level would remain at optimal levels. BCAAs and creatine are not necessary supplements if one is getting enough protein in the diet. But upon further review, isomaltooligosaccharide is found naturally in some foods. Sign Up to Receive a Weekly Newsletter with Top Running Tips, Best Running Belts That Wont Slip or Bounce and Carry it All, How Far Did I Run? (Theres been more than one race where the sports drink on course wasnt mixed correctly leading to many upset stomachs.). It is vegan and gluten free., so great for a vegan ultramarathoner or marathoner. If you dont have to take the extra weight, dont. 25th Floor - 700 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC V7Y 1B3, The Performance Zone: Your Nutrition Action Plan for Greater Endurance & Sports Performance, An average runner will burn anywhere from 400-600 calories per hour during an easy-to-moderate run, Carbohydrate Recommendations for Marathon Runners, Hydration Status After an Ironman Triathlon: A MetaAnalysis, Energy expenditure comparison between walking and running in average fitness individuals, 1 gel and a mouthful of water or electrolyte mix (<30 calories per serving). Skratch is another popular option. Fellow U.S. marathon stars Sara Hall and Emma Bates also relied on UCAN to power them to top 10 finishes at this year's World Championship Marathon. Using UCAN pre-run is the best way to ensure you have steady energy throughout. It comes available in four non-caffeinated flavors and four caffeinated flavors. Most of your hydration should come from electrolyte mixes and some water. On Sunday I completed the Austin Marathon. Some may not consider fat a nutritional value but being able to burn fat makes it worthwhile. Avoid the highs and lows of sugar-based fuels with our slow-releasing SuperStarch ! SuperStarch exits the stomach quickly and gives you steady energy without the heavy feeling. 4-8 oz. My testing and research has definitely paid off, not only for my health but my race times as well. Some questions you might ask yourself, and test in training, to dial in your UCAN usage: You should use the nutrition that you plan to race with for your training as well for the following reasons: All of these reasons are best covered during a race simulation day where your intensity level and length of workout is as comparable as possible to what you will actually do on race day. But for those still sorting out GI distress, bonks and other issues, I would recommend experimenting beyond the go-to gels. All runners need to start practicing pre race meal for the morning of the race. What to eat while running a marathon is so individual. Many runners will go back to bed or even take a nap between their early morning breakfast and the start of the race. Stomach troubles derailing your marathon fueling? When it comes to how easy or harsh sports nutrition is on your stomach, osmolality plays a big role. Consider 1-2 servings of. Energy bars. Hydration for runners is of utmost importance and should be practiced continuously. Since the marathon lasts 2, 3, 4, 5 and even 6+ hours, it makes sense youd need to fuel to maintain your blood glucose level. And this should be the biggest take away. Youll also want to decrease your fat intake such as cheese, ice cream, fatty meat, avocado, nuts, and seeds as these foods take longer for the stomach to digest and therefore may cause GI issues. If you are truly unable to eat anything the morning of a marathon, I would recommend drinking something with carbs such as 100% fruit juice or sports drink. Earlier this summer, I started sampling Generation Ucans energy bars. Drink 1 serving of the UCANSports Drink Mix30-45 minutes before the race starts. Our Marathon Fueling Guide will help you nail your nutrition, give you tips on how to fuel with UCAN, and teach you to avoid the pitfalls that many runners fall into. Read on through the rest of this article, and soon youll be able to put together your marathon nutrition plan. I thought of you during the race! As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. This makes sense, of course, because even if you arent running a marathon, your blood glucose level will fall after 2-4 hours. With LIVSTEADY, you dont get the spike & crash in blood sugar and energy that you do from fueling with simple carbs. and college teams rely on UCAN to be at their best. It can be hard to stomach solid food on the run, and it may take longer for your body to absorb the calories, too. Low-calorie electrolyte mixes not only provide fuel and hydration but also increase absorption of carbohydrates. And, these products are often the type provided by races on the course (and race websites will let you know the drinks/gels that will be on the course). Strategy #1) Fast Acting Carbohydrates The Traditional Strategy. An average runner will burn anywhere from 400-600 calories per hour during an easy-to-moderate run. The best fuel during a marathon is 100% what works for you. What is LIVSTEADY Trusted by the Best. When my body needed a boost and a cheerful volunteer offered up a free packet of energy in an easy-to-open package, who was I to argue? Rough guidelines are 30-90 grams of carbohydrates per hour in this strategy. It comes in seven different flavors, including one caffeinated flavor (matcha). Do you have trouble fuelling before or during your training? No matter what the distance (5K-Marathon) I drink the Maurten Drink Mix 160 starting 3 hours before the race. The amount and frequency of carbohydrate fueling depend on the length and intensity of the event, as well as the runners body weight. UCAN Edge - - Long run fuel 70 calories (less than half of most gels) with 19 grams of carbohydrates and 55mg of sodium. What works best for me is to take about 2 servings before the marathon starts. My favorite flavors are Berry and Watermelon. The longer you run, the more calories you will burn. Our Marathon Nutrition Calculator is based on your body weight and the pace you will run. You can drink water to help reset your stomach if it starts to turn in the middle of your run. I, myself, made the switch to this strategy a few years ago and found it to easily overcome the issues I had with the spike/crash and GI upset in marathons (from using Strategy #1). 2023 Nutrition for Running.