Running thread

[cmcm0808]

Good luck with the training.I tend to take 5 gels with me for a marathon.Get used to having them on your long training runs.Have a look at a running belt or a gel belt for carrying stuff.No need to carry water as there are enough water stations.

Thanks for the advice. According to the website there’s 11 drink stations and 5 gel stations. Strange that it says the gel they provide isn’t available for purchase, as I would prefer to use the same one during training then not have to worry about carrying them with me during the race.

 

[BlueHammer85]

I've just signed up for the 2023 Manchester Marathon, which will be my 1st Marathon. Any tips or advice on refuelling during the race? When I've done Half Marathons in the past, I've only ever needed water during the race. Also how do you carry all the stuff with you in training or on race day itself?

Nice!

when i got up to 15-18 miles training, i would have a couple gel packs in my zip shorts and take a couple quid perhaps stop at a newsagents for a water

Race day you should be fine with the amount of water stops, never ending supply of jelly babies people hand out and other stuff

personally i dont run with gel packs anymore and i'm fine just water for training

for marathon i will just use the water stops and odd sweet near the end

 

[ob]

I've just signed up for the 2023 Manchester Marathon, which will be my 1st Marathon. Any tips or advice on refuelling during the race? When I've done Half Marathons in the past, I've only ever needed water during the race. Also how do you carry all the stuff with you in training or on race day itself?

Good luck mate, not done marathon but for my HM I took some saltchews and jelly babies as they fitted in my shorts pocket easily. I carried bottle of water but could have got away with using the water stations.

 

[Paladin]

I've just signed up for the 2023 Manchester Marathon, which will be my 1st Marathon. Any tips or advice on refuelling during the race? When I've done Half Marathons in the past, I've only ever needed water during the race. Also how do you carry all the stuff with you in training or on race day itself?

I did the Manchester Marathon a year ago. I carried four SIS gels with me, and some salt chews. I took the salt chews during the second half of the run. I didn't use the gels though.

I think there were water stations every five or six kilometers, and every second one also distributed SIS gel sachets. You can take more than one, so there really is no need to carry them with you, unless you intend to take one at the start or before you reach the first gel distribution station.

There was no need to carry sweets either, because they were offered by spectators virtually all the way around the route. I was offered jelly babies and haribos, and other sweets. A Mars Bar in Sale Moor after about 20 miles, and churches and other organisations had their own water stations.

The support from the residents and organisations of Manchester and Trafford lining the route was really overwhelming.

 

[gaz76]

I've just signed up for the 2023 Manchester Marathon, which will be my 1st Marathon. Any tips or advice on refuelling during the race? When I've done Half Marathons in the past, I've only ever needed water during the race. Also how do you carry all the stuff with you in training or on race day itself?

Fuelling is a big part of marathons, one that I'm still to get to a stage where I'm satisfied I've done it right, the gels want to be loaded with carbs, I used ote supergels for one as they have the most carbs in, they were good. I used maurten for manchester last year when I ran 3hrs 14s so there must be something in them!! Although I've found with using gels they do tend to send your guts a bit haywire, I've recently used veloforte chews and they were very good and kind of relaxed the stomach which is important, with any gels you still need water to get the best out of the gels, even a small sip as its quite hard to guzzle loads when going at speed and I'm about as good at mahrez is at penalties at getting the water bottle in the bin after!! Have nearly hit a few people with the bottle mind!! Luckily they not going to give chase!!


Is a good podcast about fuelling. As for carrying the gels, shorts with pockets have turned out to be the best solution for me, the gels do stay in the pockets, check out ron hill marathon shorts which have loads of pockets, just make sure you take them with you, unlike me at the last manchester half, resulting in me putting a gel in my sock, trust me DONT do that, I've still got a scar on my ankle to prove it!!

You'll get loads of good advice on here for marathons, a few of us have done manchester a few times. Good luck with the training, winter training is the best

 

[cmcm0808]

I did the Manchester Marathon a year ago. I carried four SIS gels with me, and some salt chews. I took the salt chews during the second half of the run. I didn't use the gels though.

I think there were water stations every five or six kilometers, and every second one also distributed SIS gel sachets. You can take more than one, so there really is no need to carry them with you, unless you intend to take one at the start or before you reach the first gel distribution station.

There was no need to carry sweets either, because they were offered by spectators virtually all the way around the route. I was offered jelly babies and haribos, and other sweets. A Mars Bar in Sale Moor after about 20 miles, and churches and other organisations had their own water stations.

The support from the residents and organisations of Manchester and Trafford lining the route was really overwhelming.

By the sounds of it I'm not going to worry about race day. It's probably more the training side of things I need advice on.

Are hydration packs any good for longer training sessions, or will it be irritating running with one on my back? I usually just use a hand held water bottle, then loop back to my car or stop at a shop if it needs refilling.

 

[gaz76]

By the sounds of it I'm not going to worry about race day. It's probably more the training side of things I need advice on.

Are hydration packs any good for longer training sessions, or will it be irritating running with one on my back? I usually just use a hand held water bottle, then loop back to my car or stop at a shop if it needs refilling.

Running with a hydration pack would do you no harm, if anything it would give you a boost on raceday if you aren't carrying the extra weight and would come in handy while you build up the stamina for the longer miles

 

[cmcm0808]

Running with a hydration pack would do you no harm, if anything it would give you a boost on raceday if you aren't carrying the extra weight and would come in handy while you build up the stamina for the longer miles

Actually that's a good point about the race day boost. Similar to wearing my best race shoes.

Any suggestions on which hydration packs are the best please?

 

[Stuuuuuu]

Actually that's a good point about the race day boost. Similar to wearing my best race shoes.

Any suggestions on which hydration packs are the best please?

My opinion but you won't need one in the winter months in my experience. I doubt you will need to drink at all so I really wouldn't bother but I appreciate that everyone's different of course.

 

[ob]

First run of 5k post COVID and also almost 3 weeks since my HM. Meant to be easy 5k but tough enough. Felt very leggy and struggled with breathing. Almost gave up at 2.5 miles but started pouring with rain and I'd have had to walk home anyway so kept going (slowly).