UKC

Morning all

Following a very informative response from parishoners to my thread asking for advice on pre-run food:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=635969

I'm now on the hunt for tips on food/snacks to carry/eat during a long run (20 - 26 miles). So far, suggestions include bananas, cereal bars, gels and even ella's kitchen baby food pouches! I know it can be a case of trial and error and seeing what works for you but all suggestions and tips would be gratefully received.

Many thanks

Rob

In reply to rob sykes:

Generally I prefer to fuel my long days out with fats and complex carbs with a lot of fibre towards the start of the day, so very small wholemeal or seed rolls stuffed with cream cheese and cured ham, or cheddar and bacon (etc), then moving on to other, simpler carbs as the day wears on, but ideally still "proper food", usually home-made cereal bars or fruit leather, and saving the pure sugar rocket fuel for the last few miles. I like to take a pouch of pure honey for this. The simple sugars really give you a good kick up the arse, but you need to save them for closer to the end or you'll crash.

I also like to stuff a screwtop pouch with melted chocolate, milk, and instant coffee, for a caffeine-packed gel-style fuel.

In reply to rob sykes:

I've done a few trail marathons and I found that it was hard to stomach too many gels. What I found did work was to use something like an SiS Go bar https://www.evanscycles.com/sis-go-energy-bar-00114532 but cut up into tiny chunks (typically eighths) and then placed in a sandwich bag. Even a short stop (e.g. to negotiate a stile or check directions) is enough to pop a cube of bar, and they are sufficiently small that you can run and chew at the same time.

I use the same approach for cycling too.

My current favourite is peanut and chocolate.

Rob

In reply to rob sykes:

Sesame seed snaps
Dried mango, raisins and walnut mix
Snickers bars

It's all a bit dry, but I like that as it forces me to drink. More generally I prefer to get my pre-run fuel sorted rather than have to eat too much on a run. The food I do eat I try and keep as natural as possible (except the snickers bars which are just amazing and it's the only time I can justify eating one).

In reply to rob sykes:

For my last trail marathon I carried a mix of SIS energy bars/gels and had crisps at the checkpoints to add a savoury dimension. If I'm not doing an organised event then I substitute cold baked potatoes and/or pizza for the crisps.

I can highly recommend the SIS double espresso gel as a suitable 'pick me up' once you get near 20 miles...

In reply to rob sykes:

With proper training it's possible without. That is your ultimate aim so go hungry apart from a few emergency chocolate/gels. Beyond 30 you need to have a think .

In reply to rob sykes:

Clif Shot Bloks work for me. Never been one for gels, but I get through several hours on the bike with just a packet of these. Quite chewy, which I like, but that is slightly harder when running. Easy to get out of the packet.

During the Sheffield half the other week someone was offering a bowl of fudge - but unfortunately they were on the other side of the road and I saw it too late Reckon that would have been a perfect boost.

In reply to rob sykes:

You might find these Food Programme episodes interesting:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06zqd89

Scott Jurek likes burritos on the go, apparently.

In reply to rob sykes:

rather than name any specific product, just think about food that is easy to chew/swallow, tastes ok, won't fall apart in your bag/pocket from the running motion, easy to hold and energy dense. Scott Jurek's burrito's don't meet these criteria, although I don't know if he carries these or if his support hands them out to him and I guess for really long runs some nice real food is a welcome sight.

when I am knackered I hate having to fiddle with hard to open wrappers etc.

In reply to rob sykes:

I run ultras

In training I eat Mars Bars and Salted peanuts along with odd energy gel
In the few races I do I eat anything/everything on offer

My wife makes me energy balls with Chia Seeds in

When I did Lakeland 100 best thing I had was chia seed flapjacks made by Chia Charge - they gave them out for free and there were brilliant.

Also before a long run I will have bowl of oats banana with chia seeds in

In reply to all your suggestions....

many thanks for all the ideas - much appreciated!

In reply to rob sykes:

I've been getting quite involved with prepping real food for cycling, for longer rides it makes a real difference. Got lots of great recipes from this book. The polenta cheesy squares are a doddle.

https://feedzonecookbook.com/portables/

In reply to rob sykes:
My food for a run of that length will probably amount to a Torq gel or a mars bar. ClifShotBloks are good too. Chia Charge bars are fab, I like the ones with the salt crystals in. On a mid distance ultra (40ish) miles, I'll pretty much make do with a mixture of these plus a bit of whatever is at the aid stations. Bananas are great, unless they get squished in your bag, which is where the babyfood pouches come in! Apple and mango ones are great too.
Interestingly, I ran a 100 miles last year on a mixture of watermelon, torq gels and complan and that worked brilliantly!

In reply to liz j:

"which is where the babyfood pouches come in!"

i actually thought that this was a cruel joke but now you've suggested it too i fear it isn't. for the record i've never fed my children one of these and i'm not too happy about taking one myself. do they really work??

In reply to rob sykes:

They are simply fruit puree, unless you fancy one of the savoury ones! I find that the banana is a bit sickly but the apple based ones are pretty refreshing and tasty!

In reply to Chris the Tall:
I've used fudge.

I use anything tbh, mainly bananas. But fruit, gels, bars, flat coke, Kendal mint cake, cliff shots, peanut m&ms..

I think it depends on you, your past diet, your intolerances and also it's looking more and more like our own gut flora matter.. It's why it so personal.

In reply to rob sykes:

I like a bit of a mix of techno food and real food - Shotblocks go down ok, gels usually under slight protest, jelly babies slide down and win on lb/£. 'Food' I quite like buttered current teacakes or hot hot cross buns cut into quarters, or small peanut butter sandwiches. Malt loaf's ok on the bike but a bit too chewy for running.

I had a run too soon after a meal on Sunday to simulate a longer run and coping with having something in your belly. Try different stuff when it matters less.