For the Osaka Marathon, I chosen Precision Gas and Hydration’s PF 90 as my main supply of carbohydrates and complemented with Maurten Gel 100 and 32GI Guarana Caffeine shot.
I consumed six Maurten Gel 100 for my B marathon in December and shared a few of my favourite gels for this distance. They’ve all labored nicely for me, however I made a decision to make a brand new fueling plan. I’ll get into the explanations beneath.
My recreation plan
I needed to take into accounts three new components:
1. First marathon exterior of Taiwan
I needed to be ready for the evening earlier than, breakfast, and pre-race. Discover choices just like what I normally eat to make sure I don’t give my abdomen a shock.
Though there have been inconveniences touring to a international location, I centered on controlling what I may management and loved the various new experiences. It doesn’t matter the place you’re. Working is simply operating, in any case.
2. It was my coldest marathon, round 4-8 levels Celsius
I wore gloves the whole race, making grabbing vitality gels from my compression belt and tearing them open extra tough.
It was additionally fairly chilly on the Taipei Marathon in December. I wore gloves for that race and found that I didn’t have the finger dexterity to easily open six vitality gels. I needed to merely the fueling course of for Osaka.
3. It was the largest marathon I’ve ever participated in, with over 30,000 runners
Japanese street races are nicely organized however identified for lengthy waits within the pens. To get a great place up entrance, many Japanese runners begin queuing greater than an hour earlier than begin time.
For such a giant occasion, I needed to stand and watch for for much longer than I used to be used to. Warmup was nearly pointless, particularly in such chilly climate. Muscle groups and joints had been going to be stiff regardless. I needed to discover methods to remain heat and preserve my vitality stage up.
My gel alternatives and causes:
These are my vitality gel alternatives based mostly on the second and third considerations.
2 x Precision Gas and Hydration’s PF 90 Gel.
It’s a easy and handy gas. The aim is to ship 90 g of carbohydrates. It does precisely that—no different macro- or micro-nutrients, simply straight-up glucose and fructose. (Learn our full assessment)
Two packs present 180 g of carbohydrates, equal to 7-8 customary gels (a typical GU vitality gel, for instance, incorporates 20-25 g of carbohydrates). Simply two jumbo gels, fewer objects to maintain monitor of, and ideal for my gloved fingers.
The vitality gel is available in a resealable design excellent for “micro-dosing,” permitting me to sip the gel as an alternative of overwhelming the digestive system with an entire sachet unexpectedly. I additionally bought the reusable Chunk Valve, so I don’t must unscrew and screw every time I take a sip.
1 x 32GI Guarana Caffeine Shot an hour earlier than the race.
It offers 60 mg of caffeine per 4.5 g pack. Pure liquid guarana is the caffeine supply as an alternative of espresso. Guarana is possibly much less delicate to the abdomen. The shot additionally incorporates 13 energy and three.3 g of carbohydrates, of which 2.3g is sugar, largely from brown rice syrup. It was an extended wait, so I took caffeine to remain alert. (Learn our full assessment)
1 x Maurten Gel 100 20 minutes earlier than the gun.
It’s a 40 g vitality gel with 100 energy and 25 g of carbohydrates at a 1:0.8 glucose-to-fructose ratio. The corporate claims that the carbohydrates are encapsulated in a hydrogel, which may bypass the abdomen to the intestines and will be absorbed sooner with out inflicting gastrointestinal misery. The gel additionally offers 35 mg of sodium and 21.6 mg of calcium. It’s mildly candy with a novel consistency just like jello that’s not fairly utterly set. (Learn full assessment)
I wasn’t too apprehensive about hydration because it was a chilly day. I’m not a heavy sweater, to start with, so water offered by the organizer alongside the course did the job.
Complete gas:
833 energy
208 g of carbohydrates
