Running Fuel

Catch up on my running series with these posts:

My Running Story

Apps, Watches, & Training Plans

Must-Have Running Gear

When you start running longer distances, keeping your body hydrated and properly fueled is extremely important. This is definitely the part of running that I struggle the most with, and know the least about, but I'm learning.

Up until I started training for a marathon, I didn't use any special fuel. I just drank water and sometimes gatorade. When I would do races, I would drink some water at each aid station, and mix in gatorade a couple times if it was more than a 10k race. When I would do training runs, I'd just wear my running belt (talked about here) with two water bottles. But now that I'm running for 2.5 - 3+ hours for my long runs, I know I have to do more to keep my body fueled.

A lot of runners I've talked to use some form of Gu. I've tried it, but there's something about the texture that I just can't do. So, I've been using Gatorade Chews. They taste good and don't have a weird texture. They are kind of like a big fruit snack, which is probably why I like them. When I know I'm going to run more than 6 or 7 miles, I eat one chew every two miles. I don't wait until I start feeling like I need something, because it takes my body too long to recover. Every two miles I eat a chew and drink some water. So far, it's been working pretty well for me.

I've noticed that I start getting hungry around mile 11 or 12, so I think I may need to try and add more in to my runs. I've heard of people eating pretzels, cookies, oranges, and gummy bears during runs, so I may try adding one of those to my longer runs to see if it helps with the hunger.

I also make sure to drink lots of water the week leading up to a long run or race, and drink some gatorade the night before.

My advice would be to try a few things and see what works best for you. Everyone is different, but just make sure you are staying hydrated during your runs. And whatever you do during your training, don't change it up on race day, because you don't know how your body will react to something different. 

If you're a runner, I'd love to know how you stay fueled during long runs. I'm still figuring this part out, so all advice is appreciated!

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