The half marathon is a difficult distance in terms of fueling. You completely want gasoline, however how a lot, what kind and the way typically will depend on a variety of elements; just like the period of time you’ve been working lengthy distances or how briskly you’ll be able to full the race.
For these concentrating on their first half marathon, realizing when to gasoline, how a lot to eat, and what to eat could be complicated. Okay positive, even after working them for years loads of us are nonetheless attempting to determine what we’d like!
Having half marathon fueling technique might be the ultimate piece to hitting your subsequent PR. I’ve seen this in so many athletes that we’ve coached during the last 10+ years. It’s the factor that helps to place your coaching to work.
So let’s break down some half marathon fueling questions and methods to make it simpler for us all, we could?<
Do I Have to Gas Throughout a Half Marathon?
Your physique depends on two major sources of gasoline to feed the muscular tissues throughout lengthy runs—fats and carbohydrates.
Since fats breaks down slowly, it’s not the best supply of fast vitality, nonetheless it’s what your physique will use extra on throughout base constructing and lengthy simple runs. That is what individuals discuss with when speaking about being fats tailored.
That’s nice, however DOES NOT MEAN that you simply don’t want carbohydrates.
Particularly when working at sooner paces (or more durable efforts), your physique will change from largely fats to largely carbs. And if you find yourself in a race, you need the completely best and quickest type of vitality obtainable.
We are able to usually retailer about 90 minutes value of glycogen shops (aka carbohydrates) in our muscular tissues earlier than it begins to deplete. Since most of us will take longer, there’s going to be a repay for a wise race day fueling technique.
Through the half marathon taper, your physique goes to construct again up it’s glycogen shops from restoration and carbo loading. And that is essential in your greatest race day efficiency! You want carbs.
When To Eat Throughout a Half Marathon?
The 1st step is to make sure you’ve eaten sufficient previous to the race, which is roofed in depth in what to eat earlier than a race!
An important a part of half marathon vitamin is getting these energy earlier than you really need them. For those who’re feeling low vitality or have already bonked, then it’s too late and your efficiency will endure.
What’s attention-grabbing is it’s much less concerning the energy and extra about telling your mind that gasoline is coming! Some research have proven even that little bit of sweetness in your tongue from a sports activities drink may give you a lift. 
Picture from @sandinypaver preparing for an extremely.
- rule of thumb is start consuming gasoline between the primary 45-60 minutes of a race.
- Proceed each 45-60 minutes after that.
- Attempt to time your consumption with the help station so you’ll be able to wash it down with water (not sports activities drink, that’ll be sugar overload).
Figuring out when to gasoline throughout a half marathon takes apply and studying to learn your vitality ranges. Which is to say you have to gasoline earlier than you begin hitting the wall!
Pattern Half Marathon Fueling Plan
Whereas I’ll not soak up a lot throughout lengthy coaching runs, on race day the next has labored nicely for a lot of runners within the 2-3 hour ending time:
- Begin line pre-workout and or a gel
- Sipping hydration each mile or at most water stops (with out hydration gels could make you are feeling sick)
- Mile 3 first vitality gel (attempting to hit 45 grams in that first hour)
- Mile 6 second vitality gel or vitality chews (I like one thing with slightly caffeine)
- Mile 9 slightly bit extra gasoline
- Mile 11 last gasoline
If that appears like rather a lot to you, it’s as a result of most of us haven’t been fueling sufficient. However when you begin hitting these numbers, you’ll be shocked how significantly better the race feels. Nevertheless, YOU MUST TRAIN YOUR GUT. Observe in your lengthy runs and even throughout velocity exercises.
After all that is extremely depending on loads of elements. However do not forget that we need to be taking in 45-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
So if you happen to take 1 gel that’s 25 grams at half-hour, you have to soak up one other gel that hour to hit your objective.
**Hilly races could be an exception as a result of the upper your HR is capturing up, the extra carbohydrates your physique is burning. In these circumstances, I’ll really manage my fueling round taking one thing slightly earlier than any of the foremost hills.
Keep in mind if you happen to eat breakfast two hours earlier than even beginning, you WILL profit from fast carbs on the beginning line. You need your physique to really feel primed to go.
As at all times it’s key to seek out what works for you. Although you could not want a ton of gasoline in your coaching runs, check out only one or two issues to see what your abdomen does.
Perhaps you are feeling good with gels or perhaps they provide you a direct abdomen ache. Perhaps you have got an enormous enhance from caffeine or perhaps it simply makes you have to pee (and thus want caffeine free vitality)!
Mid approach via your race is not the time to attempt new meals!
What to Eat Throughout a Half Marathon
The endurance gasoline sport has modified a lot since corporations began manufacturing them for distance athletes.
Because the understanding of sports activities vitamin has developed and improved, there at the moment are infinite choices obtainable for fueling your physique throughout lengthy runs.
How do you even go about sorting via all the alternatives? For many, it’s trial and error. The appropriate vitamin plan is the one which works for you and doesn’t provide you with an upset abdomen.
Whereas some choose gels, others go along with chews or complete meals. I’ve executed loads of testing to give you the greatest working gels, however right here’s a breakdown of the choices.
Pure Vitality Gels for a Half Marathon
Vitality gels vary from commonplace manufacturers like GU to extra pure choices listed beneath. Commonplace gels can typically result in GI misery because of the fructose, so attempt a number of totally different manufacturers to see how you are feeling afterward.
Your half marathon fueling technique wants to start out throughout coaching!! Go to a working retailer and purchase particular person packets to check out issues, then you should purchase a bigger pack when you realize what feels good.
A couple of pure vitality gel favorites (of mine and people I polled) embody:
Simpler on the Abdomen Vitality Choices
Chews are a fantastic various for individuals who can’t abdomen vitality gels. Simply needless to say you’ll have to apply chewing one thing gummy whereas working.
It’s not as simple as you assume and 1 blok or a pair beans will not be the identical quantity of vitality as a gel (which is right for some, however not all!). Observe what it feels wish to chew rather a lot when you are doing a velocity exercise to know if this can be a good possibility for you.
A couple of of my go to picks are:
The principle draw back right here, is I discover individuals munching on them as snacks. HA! We don’t want that a lot sugar between runs.
Complete Meals Operating Fuels
If all of the sugars in gels and chews makes your abdomen revolt, complete meals is perhaps a greater possibility.
Recently, I’ve been breaking apart complete meals vitality bars just like the vegan Higher Than Espresso Vitality Bars into small items to eat throughout longer runs or on race day as a result of I like that regular little drip of caffeine and gasoline.
For those who select complete meals, you could need to take into account consuming fewer energy, however extra typically, say each 30-45 minutes. These are some nice complete meals selections for race day:
I’ve received a complete submit on what you have to learn about utilizing complete meals for gasoline, so go learn that for all the small print and lot extra concepts!!
Are Sports activities Drinks Sufficient for Half Marathon Diet?
Perhaps. Like gels, chews, and complete meals, sports activities drinks exchange among the misplaced glycogen shops.
As well as, the electrolytes contained within the sodium and potassium assist with fluid retention misplaced from sweating.
For those who plan to rely solely on sports activities drinks as your half marathon fueling technique, then decide one with extra carbs and energy. That is NOT The time to scrimp on carbs or go sugar free. You additionally want sodium to assist the intestine deal with all the sugars.
Listed below are three I’ve examined and like:
One Nuun pill accommodates simply 10 energy and 1 gram of carbohydrates. Whereas it’s nice for hydration, it’s not your best option for gasoline.
Regardless, hydration is a part of fueling and needs to be included into your coaching and racing vitamin plans as a result of we all know dehydration goes to drop your vitality and slam you in to the wall.
What about Caffeine on Race Day?
Half marathon fueling is usually not simply concerning the carbs, however that additional vitality enhance.
Many vitality gels and chews embody caffeine for an additional enhance throughout a long term. For those who’re not a daily shopper, then don’t simply go all out on race day. That might be a recipe for catastrophe.
As a substitute, experiment with one gel or chew per hour and see how your physique takes it.
Or attempt consuming a cup of espresso within the morning half-hour or so earlier than heading out on a long term, as caffeine can take 45 minutes to peak in your system.
Make sure you take note of how espresso impacts your GI system. Does it make you have to run to the toilet instantly, or does it take a short while to work its approach via? Ensure you know the reply earlier than leaving for that long term.
For those who’re a daily espresso drinker, you may get a much bigger caffeine enhance by giving it up fully for 3 weeks previous to the race. It would really feel like rocket gasoline that day. Actually, that’s why I wish to apply it to race day. I hardly ever have caffeine, so it’s a fantastic vitality device for me.
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Half Marathon Fueling Strategy: Why and How You Need to Fuel
