Fueling/hydration so that you don’t hit the wall!

But first, last night.

When Brooke woke up from her nap, the first thing she did was tell me exactly what she wanted to do:

1.  Ride her bike and take a selfie (okay, the selfie part was my idea).

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2.  Eat broccoli.  (I can’t make this stuff up, okay actually I probably could but seriously… she woke up and told me broccoli and insisted on watching it while it roasted). 

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My trail running buddy is recovering like a champ after her surgery to lengthen the tendons in her knee and clean out her meniscus.  Word on the street (from her doctor) is that she may be back out on the trails again with me soon!  

Good knee.  We are proud of you.

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Mothering fail occurred last night.  We got home right at bed time and I had forgotten to put Brooke’s favorite thing (her blanket) in the world into the dryer before we left so when we got home it was still wet.  She somehow forgave me and helped me load it into the dryer.  

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 A reader sent me this.  Why didn’t I think of this a long time ago!?

Did you know that you can load up a refrigerator’s ice dispenser with candy?

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Every now and then I will wear my Jawbone (an activity tracker) mainly because I love to track my sleep and motivate myself to do better with it.  This was what my Jawbone told me I did on the day of my marathon.  The mileage was a little bit off but still kind of cool to look at.  

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A reader asked me the other day to talk a little bit more about how I avoided hitting the wall during my last marathon.  

First, I love what Hal Higdon says in THIS BOOK about hitting the wall: 

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During my first marathon I seriously had no idea what I was doing.  I saw people around me taking in all sorts of fuel but I had no idea when or what I should be eating.  I knew that it was important to be hydrated during the race but the whole eating thing while racing was foreign to me.  And that is why I bonked/hit the wall at miles 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 26.1 and 26.2.  

Over the years I have tried a trillion different ways to fuel and hydrate during races and I think at this last marathon I figured out how it all works for me.  What works for me may not work for somebody else but I’ll just share what I have found is best for me.

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1.  I take in more calories race morning than I used to.  I used to just eat a bagel about an hour before the marathon but this last time I started even earlier.  I had one plain bagel 2.5 hours before the race, another one hour before the start and about 50 calories of a honey stinger waffle 30 minutes before the gun went off.  Probably about 650 calories race morning.  That is what worked for me (remember test all of these things out on a long run, not a race:)

2.  I really thought for a long time that shot blocks/chews were for me but they just aren’t.  I just can’t chew all of the calories that I need to eat while I am running.  It takes too much time and too much energy and so I definitely get behind on keeping my glycogen tank filled with shot blocks.   Salted Caramel Gu is my thing.  

3.  To slowly take in the gel.  Taking an entire gel all at once makes my stomach really cramp up.  I usually start taking a gel after a water station (where I grab a water, not gatorade) and take in little sips of the gu at a time.  It probably takes me about a mile to finish off a gel and I take in about 25% of the gel at a time.  All at once is just too much to me and I like to feel the gradual increase of blood sugar rather than one big shot!

4.  I’ve said this before but it helped me so much especially while racing in temperatures hotter than what I am used to.  WALK through the water stations.  This allowed me to actually drink the entire cup of water or gatorade rather than 90% of the cup being all over my face.  I also switch off at each aid station between water and gatorade.  

5.  I start early with fueling.  I take in my first gel about 45-60 minutes into the race and another one every 50 minutes after that.  I start drinking at the first aid station—>  I take in my fluids and calories long before I start feeling thirsty or low on energy because once you get thirsty/low on energy it is too late to try to catch up.

6.  No more FLY AND DIE (at least I am trying real hard to not do this).  Attempting to keep an even pace throughout the race helped me to be consistent with my fueling too!

Related articles that are awesome and you should really read if you are wanting to get more serious about figuring out your fueling:

Energy Gels for Runners:  How They Work and When You Should Use Them. 

Sports Drinks vs Water: When It’s Best To Use Each

How To Tap Into Fat For Fuel(an article for triathletes but the idea about training your body to turn fat into energy at a faster rate is the same for runners)

Marathon Fueling- How Not To Bonk  (He recommends training your body to use fat as fuel by ‘practicing running fast while tired and teaching your body to be more efficient at marathon pace.’)

PS the reason it is so great to train your body to burn fat more efficiently as you run—>  our bodies have a lot more fat storage to draw from than glycogen storage:)

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What have you found works best for your fueling/hydration during a race?

Anyone have an activity tracker?  How do you like it?

Favorite veggie to roast?

What candy would you fill up your ice dispenser with?

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77 comments

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I do a bagel with peanut butter a couple hours before the race starts, then I start taking in chews/gels about 5-6 miles into the race, then about every 45 minutes after that. I used to not take in any calories while running (and not nearly enough water) and I’m getting better about it as I go.

I have a Garmin Vivofit and I like it. I’ve had the fitbit and they’re nice too, just depends on what you want to use them for. I do like the sleep mode though!

I like roasted cauliflower alot. I thought it was weird at first but I love it now.

Candy in the ice dispenser is awesome! I never use ice in my water unless its super hot out so that would be a perfect use of space!!

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Great tips, thanks Janae! Starting to fuel early on in a race really works for me too – if I wait too late I just feel really blah right to the end!

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I do some glycogen depletion training in the form of 2 fasted long runs so my body gets that it can run long without a lot of fuel. During a marathon though it’s a banana and baby food packet before and then 3 powerbar energy blends during. Hydration I’m not great with. If I drink anything beforehand it seems I need to stop for the bathroom. My solution is very cold races!

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I would fill my dispenser with PB m&m’s :). I haven’t found what fueling works exactly yet….but I am getting closer I think! Salted caramel is the only gel I can stomach and barely. I have stopped trying so hard to make that work as my only fuel though. Candy also works for me and at first I felt like that was so unhealthy until a friend pointed out to me that gels are not any healthier so go with what works for you :).

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During a race I alternate between water / electrolyte drink too… and during the later stages of my marathon I was taking a cup of each at every aid station. The day was really warm and there was no shade. I could see the salt on my body so I knew I was losing electrolytes! I start eating during a race right around the 1-hour mark – Honey Stinger Chomps in Orange Blossom! YUM!

Mini pb cups would definitely go in my freezer!

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I love these tips! I like shot bloks and GU so it depends on how I’m feeling or what I have around the house.

I would put sweet tarts in the ice maker. It is my favorite candy this week :)

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I have only run one marathon but fueling is something I need and want to work more on. I think it’s a huge key (as well as finding a flatter course) of how I’ll get closer to my goal race. I’ve heard a lot of people say they take a lot of calories before racing. For NYC, I ate about 1000 but due to the late start time I think I should have eaten more honestly. Oh well, it’s a life lesson that I’ve learned from and can use. Thanks for sharing Janae!

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Fueling during before and during a race is def a tricky one for me. I can tell that I did a way better job with fueling for my May marathon opposed to my September marathon…even though my time in September was better. I never hit the wall with the first race but man was I tired by mile 16 of the second one.

Favorite veggies to roast: a combination of brocolli, sweet potatos, and red onion. Yum!

My ice dispenser would be filled with Cadbury Mini Eggs and peanut M&Ms!

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I have roasted broccoli three times so far this week. My husband thinks it smells terrible when he gets home, so I have had to light a candle afterward!

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Love this fueling tips! I use AccelGel for my fuel, love the taste! But I do still need to try the salted caramel flavor Gu. I hit a little bit of a wall during my first marathon, but I didn’t feel like I crashed, but I definitely think I need to eat a larger breakfast before long runs!

Don’t you miss being tiny enough to camp out in front of the oven and watch whatever is cooking? Brooke is too too cute!

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Candy in the ice dispenser – genious!! My favorite veggie to roast are Brussels sprouts!

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Roasting parsnips and Brussels sprouts are my faves
Ooh peanut m&ms would be fabulous in an ice dispenser.
My fueling and water strategy is similar to yours.
I use soft pretzels in place of plain bagels. One when I first wake up and the other about an hour before race time. I use honey stinger chews rather than gu because I have a texture issue. :) but I will let them melt in my mouth over the course of a mile I might actually digest two to four pieces. And I walk thru water stops and alternate water and Gatorade.

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Broccoli and Sweet potatoes…..It’s the only way to cook them!! So easy!

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Thanks for sharing the articles about using fat as fuel – I feel like I have my fueling down for shorter efforts, but as I train for ultra marathons, I feel like it is beneficial for me to start learning about this and training my body to do it, since there is absolutely no way to take in enough calories to keep up with the burn during an ultra. I have also relied primarily on gels in the past but want to start experimenting more with real foods while running…I’ve had some success with pb&j sandwiches, but they are a little dry so they can be hard to choke down in the later miles. This weekend for my 20 miler I plan on bringing some salted potatoes with me (and Gu for a backup if the real food doesn’t work out!)

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Although it was my first marathon, I played around a lot with GU and refueling during my training. I had a very successful first marathon and heres what worked for me.

1. My water belt: I don’t think I would have been successful without it. I had one bottle with Gatorade and one with water and my GU’s were in the pocket on my belt. This belt is AWESOME, light weight, doesn’t move around when you run. I was that girl who would run half marathons and not stop at on aid station because who needs water, who has time to stop? This has helped me tremendously with my fueling during a race/run. http://www.fitletic.com/hydration-belt-12oz.html

2. I am awful at eating before a race/run. On Marathon day I ate a bagel with peanut butter 2 hours prior and about 30 mins prior I ate half of a power bar

3. GU- I ended up using 3 GU during my marathon. Salted Caramel is my favorite :) I had one 45 mins in, then at mile 12.5 and mile 19.

I just got a Garmin Forerunner 15 that tracks your steps like a fit bit/jawbone. I am excited to try it!

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Every time I take a gel my stomach is in so much pain, maybe I need to take them with water! I now use peanut butter and pitted dates as fuel!

Fave veg to roast = butternut squash. It tastes like candy!

Candy from ice machine = Twix….if it would work? I guess I’ll have to try.

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My friend David sent me that freezer candy idea yesterday! So cool. I would probably load it with mini reeses and Hershey’s Minis and m & m’s. Great tips on fueling. Right now I use jelly beans for long runs and half marathons. Should I ever do a26.2, I would need to look into something more substantial I think.

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I would love to know what lipstick you’re wearing in the pic with Brooke :)

I too, love Salted Caramel Gu! The chomps make my mouth raw.

Is there a veggie that doesn’t taste amazing when it’s roasted? I guess if I had to choose, I would say brussel sprouts.

My fav frozen candy is probably junior mints.

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I have been working on this by eating less before my training runs and running a few glycogen depleted runs. I have also been loving the Powerbar performance energy blends. For my half-marathon last week I ate some eggs 3 hours before my race, then a honey stinger waffle and banana as it got closer. This worked really well but I am still figuring out how I will modify for the full marathon next month!

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My favorite posts of yours are when you talk about technical running stuff and them share what you’ve learned from your own experience! I’m new to longer distance races and learn a lot from your blog!
My favorite vegetables to roast are cauliflower and any winter squashes! I would totally fill an ice maker with peanut butter M&Ms. It balances out if I eat lots of roasted vegetables, right?

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I love that Brooke appreciates roasted broccoli too, yum!

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Great tips. Salted caramel is definitely the best flavour of GU’s. I actually look forward to them during my runs.

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I’ve done a few half marathons and 10 mile races and have never fueled, but I think it could help! I tried once, but it was so hard to chew something while running, so maybe I’ll try gels.
I love roasting cauliflower! It gets crispy and caramelized and amazing.

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I like roasted zucchini and yellow squash–yummmm! :) I haven’t figured out the fueling while running thing, but I’ve only gotten up to a half marathon, so it hasn’t affected me too much. As for the candy is the ice dispenser…hmmm, I think I’d go with Reese’s pieces!

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brooke seems like the best little friend ever!!!

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I love the tip to take gel slowly, because I suffer from the same thing if I eat a gel too fast. But I would never think of taking it over a mile! I’m definitely giving that a try. I drink 2 tabs of Nuun the day before a long run, then in the morning I fill up my hydration belt with 2 bottles of Nuun and 2 of regular ole’ H2O. I refill my water as much as possible and then start to drink the Nuun for the last bit when I feel myself getting tired. That mixed with the salted carmel Gu works best for me to finish, and finish strong.

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Oh geez. I love the candy dispenser idea. That would be a fun april fools prank! I’d do milky ways!

I think most my friends get stomach aches doing gel bc they use it too fast–so that’s a great point. I’ve only used gel during the ragnar relay and it was alright. I’m a fan of salt tablets.

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I have a Jawbone and I really like it. I have a hard time getting my steps in for the day since I work a desk job so it helps remind me to move and keeps me accountable, which I like.

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Fueling every 5 miles for me has worked. I’m the exact same with the Gu’s – a slow drip is better than all at once. I alternate b/w something sweet and something salty – I’ll put a baggy with salt and chocolate covered nuts or gluten free pretzels. And also I alternate between Gatorade and Water and NEVER chase a Gu with gatorade (too much sugary-ness at once). The last two fueling times – at mile 15, 20 are hard because my stomach does NOT want anything but I’ve just got to force it down and do it. I’ve bonked once and NEVER want to experience that again!! So far so good with the every 5 miles strategy.

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Salted Caramel Gus are my favorite flavor and got me through my two triathlons this summer. I used to use Sports Beans but the whole chewing them up while regulating my breathing was too much work. I tried something new this last weekend, the Gatorade chews, and LOVED them! They are soft enough that you don’t have to chew very much and they tasted delicious. I think I’d put M&Ms and Reeses into my ice candy dispenser! What a genius idea!!!

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Candy in the freezer is the best idea ever! Reese’s peanut butter cups would be what is fill mine with.

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i’m also a non-chewer when it comes to gels. But, I down my Gus all at once just to get them over with! :)

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even in your cyclopes selfie, you look so pretty :)

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I never hit “the wall” in Chicago…woo hoo!
I carried a handheld with Cocogo. I walked every other water stop and drank a little gatorade. I ate a Gu about every hour.
I LOVE roasted veggies…especially broccoli and brussels sprouts.
I would fill up my ice dispenser with the mini Three Musketeers!

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It’s great that Brooke loves her veggies so much! She is such a beautiful little girl, inside and out!

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i love that in the picture of you and brooke, you can almost hear her saying “CHEEEEESE!” adorable.

i think i have to pick reese’s cups for my freezer candy because i guess cookies wouldn’t work as well?

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Thanks so much for the tips Janae! I’m gonna put some of these to work in my next long run and try to figure out what works for me! Thanks again!

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Omg I want my freezer to do that!! Haha

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I would struggle a lot if I ever did a marathon. I struggle eating before a short run now. My stomach just can’t seem to handle running with anything in it, sometimes even a yoghurt will cause cramping. It’s so frustrating not being able to figure out what fuel I can eat without upsetting my stomach :(

I have the FitBit and I used it all the time for like the first 6 months I had it, once I forgot to charge it, I gradually stopped using it. I did like seeing how well I slept though!!

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Still thinking about training for my first half marathon and was wondering if you need to fuel during those or is that just the full distance?

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I am right there with you on the pre-race fueling. I used to think that eating a lot before a race would hurt me (make me feel sluggish), but now I have learned to eat high caloric foods without feeling full. Peanut butter is a must. I also eat a bagel and banana before a race. During my last marathon I ate a GU every 45 minutes, which worked well for me. I always have two GUs with caffeine and two without.

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Sadly, my Jawbone UP24 fell off at the gym, so I’m without a tracker. I used it for a few months and loved the sleep tracking the most. I need something new now!

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My favorite veggie to roast is sweet potatoes. I eat them at least once a week. And I would definitely fill my ice dispenser with Reese’s Cups!

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Seeing that video makes me wish I had an ice dispenser at home! SO jealous…

I ran my first marathon 2 weeks ago and officially confirmed that my fueling strategy works – I cut Shot Bloks in half and take in a half piece every 2 miles starting at mile 2 of the run. It works like a charm! I even ran negative splits in the marathon :)

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I eat GU…when I first started training though I would take the bloks/gels. They are so hard to chew though when I run. I will also take a wate bottle with me to remember to hydrate. Especially for the races where they don’t have as many water stations.

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I have found GU works best for me during a race. I usually have one 20 minutes before the race and then one at mile 4-5 and one at mile 8-9 for a half marathon. I usually alternate between water and Gatorade at water stations

I have a Fitbit – it’s fun, but I have definitely gotten less obsessed with my stats lately :)

Broccoli and Brussels sprouts are my favorite veggies to roast, but I’ll roast just about anything! :)

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I want an activity tracker. I am not sure I would like it telling me how long I was sitting for. But maybe that would motivate me to get off my butt more often?

My favorite veggies to roast are asparagus and cauliflower.

I usually eat a lara bar an hour before the race and gu every 45 ish minutes. I think I definitely will be fine tuning that though and/or trying new things when it comes the marathon distance.

Dude. That candy dispenser/ice machine just rocked my world. Mind. Blown. Any candy that would be good frozen – junior mints, reeses, Charleston chews…I will keep thinking. I am sure there are more….and this is very important.

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I absolutely love hearing all of these marathon tips! I have big dreams of running a marathon (sooner rather than later) and am soaking up all the advice I can find with the hopes of having a super successful first race!

Also, I still get annoyed with my mom if she doesn’t put my blanket in the dryer. And i’m eighteen years old. :) :)

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I don’t fuel myself before, after, or even during the workout, it doesn’t matter as much when your body isn’t burning sugar but instead is burning fatsm :)

Brooke is so lovely :) I can’t wait to watch her grow.

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My favorite veggie to roast is definitely brussels sprouts. Especially with some grated parmesan and bacon. Yum!

I would fill my ice dispenser up with gummy bears and Reese’s cups. For sure.

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My girls and hubby will eat most vegetables except brussel sprouts, but I bet if I add cheese and bacon they will dive in. So glad I saw your post!

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My favorite veggie to roast is asparagus! Potatoes are a close second. I use a fitbit flex from time to time. I really like the sleep tracker aspect of it!

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My fav roasted veggies are cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts doused w/ balsamic vinegar. Yum-o!

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I love your marathon tips! I have never ran one before but this is super helpful because I am not used to running and eating either. I have only ever done a half marathon and I didn’t eat during it because I didn’t bring anything.

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I never really hit the wall during St. George either! Maybe it is just the course that is so awesome. For me, I ate a plain blueberry bagel (no cream cheese) while I was riding the bus to the start, and drank 9 oz of water. Right before the start I drank one cup of Gatorade and half a banana. During the race I took in 3 gels (mile 7 – for Veyo!, mile 12, and mile 18). I carried a water bottle so I filled that up at most aid stations with either water or Gatorade.

I used to have a Fitbit Flex but I really wanted something with a GPS that would track my runs in real time. So I sold it and got the Garmin 10 which I love! The one cool thing about the Fitbit was the sleep tracker.

I love roasted broccoli but my favorite roasted veg combo is potatoes, bell peppers, and onions with rosemary and s&p on top.

I would fill my ice dispenser with peanut butter M&Ms!

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I chop up a Snickers Energy Marathon bar into about 8 pieces, and safety pin it in a snack size baggie to my waistband or spybelt. I alternate with the gu every 3-4 miles, walking through each aid station. It’s worked great so far, tested it at a half last weekend and PR’d and felt fantastic the whole time. Janae is right, start fueling early in the race!

Have my first marathon next month… aaahhhh! Hope all the fueling practice holds true for the full :)

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My favorite vegetable to roast lately are green beans with olive oil and garlic salt, they are delicious!

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Perfect timing for this post- I’m running my first marathon (NYC) next weekend!! Thank you!

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Another piece of advice that is important to recognize is to not deplete your glycogen stores through training. If you run your long runs faster than the recommended pace, you deplete these glycogen stores, which makes it difficult to replace in time for marathon day. This is why so many people will hit super fast paces on their long runs during marathon training and bonk on marathon day. Paying attention to these paces while training, as hard as it may be, ensures that you are able to keep your glycogen stores where they need to be so you can access them on marathon day!

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What have you found works best for your fueling/hydration during a race?

TAILWIND!!!! I cannot speak enough about how much this product has changed my running life. When I get nervous, my stomach becomes VERY upset…and I become nervous at the beginning of every race. I cannot tolerate gels or blocks. I just fill my handheld or hydration pack with Tailwind and I have everything I need – calories, electrolytes, carbs….never bonk or hit a wall. It’s amazing! Highly recommended for that has been plagued my stomach issues while running.

Favorite veggie to roast?

Butternut squash and carrots. Even my picky youngest son loves this mixture (just a little olive oil + sea salt)

What candy would you fill up your ice dispenser with?
So hard to choose….since it’s almost winter, I would say York Peppermint Patties

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I’ve had some close calls with the whole hydration thing, but I still don’t have a set plan. Fueling though I do pretty well. Um… candy in an ice dispenser? Brilliant. HUGS!

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I used to be an avid GU eater but over the years they’ve incorporated caffeine into them. After 2 different races, I would be doubled over in pain from them. Either I was curled in a fetal position or on the pot. It was that bad. I switched over to CrankSports E-gel. They are 150 calories instead of the usual 100 so I don’t have to carry as many while racing. I love them b/c all their flavors taste like sweet tarts.

I love roasting brussel sprouts. but on my last trip to Costco they had their giant bags of broccoli for $2 so now I’m obsessed with them. I’m determined to get my 15mo to love them too!

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Okay, I love that she insisted on broccoli. Smart girl!!! :) Thanks for the helpful tips too. I’m getting back into running after having my baby, and love reading all I can!

xo

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fave veggie to roast = Brussels sprouts, hundo P!

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I love this info, thank you! I rely solely on gu/water, because sports drink makes me so nauseated that I can’t eat or drink anything at all.

If you can find a second blanket identical to Brooke’s favorite, it might help! It saved my life.

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BRILLIANT!! Thanks Amber!

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I take a GU about every hour with water. Other than that I drink mostly Gatorade at the stops. I too do not wait until I am thirsty, all about staying ahead of the game here! I roast the daylights out of broccoli. It is my favorite and I don’t roast much more than that. I eat it with everything!!!

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All of us, me hubby and 2 kids, have been enjoying ALOT of roasted acorn squash, delicati squash, and a baby butternut squash we grew in our garden!

I don’t use an activity tracker but rather a polar ft4 with workouts and garmin with walks/runs.

Only up to 5k now, so no need to fuel/refuel yet.

Definitely mini pb cups just like the picture would be in my ice maker.

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OMG this could not have come at more of a perfect time! I have my first marathon in less than 2 weeks and I’ve been stressing about hitting the wall! Oh and I’m totally filling up our ice dispenser on April Fools :) I just need to remember to mark the “crushed” ice button as “broken” lol!

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Thanks for your race fuel suggestions! I definitely need to try taking sips of Gu instead of downing it all at once!

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The candy in the ice dispenser…ahh amazing!! I’d put reeces cups and peanut m&m’s in there for sure, and probably some sour jelly belly’s :)

It took me awhile to find my best race fueling strategy, but I finally found what worked and did not hit the wall at all during my last marathon. I start fueling early, before my body feels like it needs it, and I also eat the gel slowly. It may be mental, but I feel like it lasts longer in my system if it’s slowly ingested :) I keep one hydration bottle on my belt, so that I can take sips if I am fueling between aid stations and there is no water in sight.

I LOVE mixing bell peppers, zucchini, and asparagus together and roasting it!

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Thanks for sharing your race fuelling strategy! And I’m so checking out that book by Hal Hidgon.

My favourite vegies to roast are brussel sprouts!

I have a Samsung Gear Fit that syncs with my phone and tracks my activity and sleep patterns. I love me some data, so I find it all probably too interesting!

I would fill up my ice dispenser with all things Reeses, but I’d also have to include some Ferrero Rochers – my favourite chocolate.

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I love your lipstick shade in your bike selfie! Would you mind sharing the brand and shade??? Is it lipstick or lipgloss? Do you use liner??? You look beautiful :) Thanks so much for sharing!

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I’m such a big fan of salted caramel gu! For races I tend to rotate between cran razz and margarita flavored shot bloks.

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These are all great advice, thanks x

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Marathon fueling is such an experiment! I’ve recently been trying a 10 day fat loading followed by a 3 day carb loading method used by Matt Fitzgerald. I’ve tried it twice and it seems to be working well. The biggest take away during my trial of it, was finding out that when I thought I was carb loading, I was actually hitting the carb “norm” for others. I was lucky to hit 60% carbs for day. Now I’m better at hitting closer to 70% for the 3 days and race morning. Best race day breakfast (for me) is oatmeal with PB2, cacao powder, and banana. Yum!

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I love the strawberry Gu!! So good and I also really like the powerbar gels- the strawberry banana flavor is the BOMB.COM!

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