Running a half marathon- keeping up energy

Hello everyone.

I havent been on this site in quite some time but a hurdle came up and i thought who better to ask then people who are in my same place.

i am a little over 4 years post-op. within the past 6 months i have gotten heavily into running. ive done 2 5ks and am training for a half marathon. the issue i am running into is nurtrition along the way. many people have advised me on gels, honey stingers, chews etc but i worry about them all. i do not dump, never have so thats not really a concern but if i do not have adequate levels of protein vs carbs in me i can have a tendency to get a little bit lightheaded.

so any runners out there....what do you do for runs over an hour?

any answers greatly appreciated.

I do what non-WLS people do and it's always worked fine for me. I've tried all those things and found some of them work better than others. Mostly the stuff that doesn't work is because I just don't like them. Like gels are okay if it's just one or two but after about four, my stomach says "put one more of those in me and I'll make you sorry."

For a half-marathon, I'm generally out there two hours if I'm not injured and 3 if I am. That's not really that long a time, when you think about it. I've done IMs and for those you have to fuel all day and the longer you go, the bigger your deficit. So it's more critical for that.

For a HM, I just have a regular breakfast -- a protein shake usually -- and maybe I'll do a small snack at the race site like a bagel or a half a banana. The on the run I do water mostly and maybe every couple of aid stations I'll have some grapes or oranges or, if they have them, cookies. I just LURVE cookies when I run.

I much prefer solid food to things like gels or sports drinks because I find too much of the softer stuff makes my tummy sloshy. But I think I'm unusual in that respect. Most of my friends prefer sports drinks and gels.

I actually just had this conversation this morning wiht my trainer. She recommends a bar called "picky bar" - said she puts it in a ziplock in her shirt pocket and just breaks off small pieces throughout her run so she never rock bottoms

http://www.pickybars.com/pages/ingredient-science

During my 1/2's I've done, I prefer Gu. I use one about every 5 miles but I ALWAYS wa**** down with water after. I've also used the gummies. The gels are just much easier to carry. I also prefer the fruit flavor over the chocolate but they all are kinda strange at first. My suggestion?? During your long training runs, try multiple products to see what works for you!! Also, start experimenting on good breakfast choices for you. On event day you do not want to be at mile 3, have your coffee and bagel kick in, and have to make a porti-potty detour. Same goes with mid-race fuel. Some products might upset your tummy and some might not. It's best to know now and not on the course!!! Good luck and ENJOY!! I'll never forget the feeling of pride I had after my first 1/2. It's AMAZING!!!

I agree with the other posters - experiment with what will end up working for you on those long runs, especially one's over 9 miles. Anything under 9 miles I don't do any mid-run supplementation. I do dump but surprisingly DON'T if I ingest carbs while running! Not sure why that is but I'm sure there's a science behind it. Anywhoo.... I'd recommend avoiding GUs with caffeine as they can be a bit hard on your guts but if you can tolerate caffeine without getting the runs then you may be immune to this effect. I like Chomps, as they can be taken in smaller doses than GU packets. Additionally important is your hydration & nutrition before and after runs - increasing your carbs just a tiny bit the day before runs, having something in your system (breakfast, shake, etc) that am, and recovering with something like a protein shake are all part of my plan.(btw, I'm over 2 years post RNY, have run 3 HM, 2 more in the next month, and training for Marine Corps this fall)... good luck!!!