Marathon after RNY?

Hi All!   I was wondering if anyone has run a full marathon after their RNY.  I am at the VERY beginning of my running - we are talking the end of my couch to 5K program.  Making it this far has honestly been a miracle.  I am not at the point of loving running yet, but I am at a place where I don't want to stick pins in my eye instead of doing my workout.  So that's good.  
I am signed up for the Chicago Marathon in October - I have no worries that I won't follow through, as my motivation for this race is in memory of a very missed bessed friend - I have zero excuses and know this WILL be done.  That being said, I try my best to not think about the actual 26.2 miles; instead, I am resolved to finishing the next workout on my training schedule.
So, instead of thinking about the actual distance, I have been filling my mind with arbitrary worries.  Here is the latest:  since my surgery, I have been really careful about carbs.  As with many of us, I have issues with carbs and just do better avoiding them as much as possible.  However, I have been reading about training and everyone seems to say CARBS CARBS CARBS!  I worry about this.  A.) I am afraid of letting them back in and 2.) how do we eat enough to sustain ourselves for long runs?  Our pouches are so danged small!
If anyone has suggestions, insights, secrets - I would LOVE to know!

I have done 2 marathons, 6 half marathons, an half ironman, and an ironman. Way to go on getting into Chicago! Many people here are marathon runner so many will chime in after me. I hate to be the first one to tell you this, but you will need carbs. Good, clean carbs to get you through training and then the race. Protein isn't a good energy source.

To sustain energy, you will need to start trying different gels, sport drinks, etc. that your body can tolerate to get you through training and the race. You can't run long distances on water alone. For us RNYers, gels are great because they practically go strait into our intestines and absorb quickly. This might take awhile because you will have to experiment with different product to see what you can tolerate. I personally like GU gels and Honey Stinger gels, but you might not be able to tolerate them, its all trial and error.

It will be ok, you will end up burning off your extra carbs as long as you don't overdo it.

Jillian gave you some great advice.
What I had to do with the gels early on was dilute them.
I would squirt a couple of them into my water bottle and shake it up.
I can tolerate them full strength right now so it's not an issue.

You can get them in bulk bottles and add some to your water bottle, or they sell little squeeze bottles that will hold several servings.

Congrats on decision to run a marathon.

Scott

Thank you both so much!  Congratulations on both your awesome accomplishments!!!!

RNY has been an enabling factor in my life and has allowed me to do things I never thought possible. Your body will need some carbohydrate for fuel so add in some fruits and also complex carbs as well. Your body will tolerate them better as time goes on. Congrats on setting your goal and taking the daily steps (Training) to get there. As I always say... "The will to win means NOTHING without the will to train". Best of luck on your journey, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE...

Again, thank you all so much!  I can't wait to be like each of you and be able to say I accomplished this; although, I won't lie, I am considering just about every step an accomplishment!

Can you let me know what you eat BEFORE a big run (or on race day)?  You hear all this stuff about carbo loading - there are pasta dinners all over the place - can we "carbo load" given our limited room?

I try to get up and eat at least 2 hours before any race.
Standard for me is either a bagel with some peanut butter on it and a banana
or I like to put some irish oats in the crockpot the night before so that they are ready in the morning.  I like to add fresh blueberries or strawberries to this, or a banana

I pick 2 hours before because that gives time to make sure it isn't going to cause any gastric distress.

I also like to make sure I have gotten a good dose of fluid in the morning.  I make sure I have drunk enough that I have to use the restroom.  "if you aren't peeing, you aren't drinking enough"

Then right before the race, I will have a gel or two, or a couple sports beans or a shot block something like that which is small in size but packs a calorie punch.

You don't want to be running with a lump of food in your stomach.

As for carbo loading, it is better to carbo pace.  Increase your carbs 2-3 days out and then slowly decrease them as you are nearing race morning.  This has worked well for me and was a recommendation I picked up online from active.com in an article written by a multi Ironaman winner.  Race morning I want that little carb splurge which is why the bagel or oats, but I don't do the big spaghetti dinner the night before. 

You need to experiment now and find what works for you.
I recommend you try something at home, make sure it doesn't upset your stomach or make you go running for the restroom.
If that work, then try it on a shorter distance run, some place with access to a restroom if you need it.
If all is good, keep increasing the distance and make sure that prolonged exercise isn't going to cause any GI issues for you.  You also want to make sure you are getting enough out of it.

You really don't need anything for a workout of under 1 hour.  Your body has enough to carry you through that.

Don't try anything new on race day.  That is just asking for a disaster.

Good luck.

How do you do Irish oats in the crock pot (sorry...I realize that's off topic)?

4 parts water
1 part oats
maybe some vanilla or cinamon if you like that
Can also add fruit to it

Put in crockpot on lowest setting over night.
Here are more details.  I have a small crockpot I use for making single servings, but have also done it in a larger one as well

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 2 cups steel-cut oats, (see Ingredient note)
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preparation

1. Combine water, oats, dried cranberries, dried apricots and salt in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Turn heat to low. Put the lid on and coo****il the oats are tender and the porridge is creamy, 7 to 8 hours.

Tips & Notes

• Ingredient Note: Steel-cut oats, sometimes labeled "Irish oatmeal," look like small pebbles. They are toasted oat groats—the oat kernel that has been removed from the husk that have been cut in 2 or 3 pieces. Do not substitute regular rolled oats, which have a shorter cooking time, in the slow-cooker oatmeal recipe.

Nutrition

Per serving: 193 calories; 3 g fat ( 0 g sat , 1 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 6 g protein; 9 g fiber; 77 mg sodium; 195 mg potassium.

 How do you store the larger batch?  Does it last for a couple of days?   I only eat oatmeal once a week or so, but I like the idea of an easy meal that I could just heat up.
Thanks!!