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RICK: Hi and welcome to the Running Channel.

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I'm Rick and alongside Anna,

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we're going to be giving you tips on how to fuel those long runs.

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ANNA: That's right. We are going to go into the science behind what

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your body needs to fuel it through runs longer than

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an hour to give you all the advice that you need to

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nail your nutrition and training so you can get ready to race half-marathons,

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marathons, and even further.

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RICK: If you are new around here, don't forget to hit

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the subscribe button and [NOISE] tap the bell icon so you get notified

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and we upload new videos all about running,

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which we do every week. [MUSIC]

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If you've been running for a while,

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you're probably starting to think about taking on a half-marathon,

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a marathon, or even further.

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If you're thinking about these distances,

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you're going to have to start increasing your training ahead of race day.

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When it comes to your training,

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if you're running for more than an hour or so,

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you're going to have to be thinking about how to fuel

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that training and get the fuel into your body efficiently enough.

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ANNA: We've got some science incoming here, so bear with me.

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When you run, your body uses energy from carbohydrates and fat,

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and your body can store carbohydrates as glycogen in the liver and in the muscles.

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Now, the fitter you are,

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the more you can store,

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and the harder you run, the more you use.

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During periods of intense exercise,

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glycogen particles are broken down freeing up glucose molecules,

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and those glucose molecules are then oxidized by

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the muscles during anaerobic and aerobic processes to free up ATP,

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which is needed for muscle contractions.

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MINION: What?

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RICK: As your glycogen stores become progressively more depleted on your run,

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your body conserves what's left by relying more on fat.

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But as fat is about 15% less efficient compared to carbohydrates,

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then we slow down.

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Now, we can all improve our training and

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our run by managing those glycogen stores more efficiently.

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ANNA: During exercise at intensities of

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greater than around 60% of maximal oxygen consumption or VO2 max,

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blood glucose and muscle glycogen are the primary sources of fuel

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that's being oxidized to produce the ATP required to sustain exercise at this intensity,

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which then means that you require more carbohydrates as your predominant fuel source.

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RICK: Glycogen depletion is a key limiting factor

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in races that last longer than about 90 minutes.

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Studies have shown that we can increase our glycogen stores by tapering our training

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and building up our carbohydrates in the 3 days before a race, or carb loading.

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In the same way that we carb load before a race,

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we can also do the same thing in training or before that weekend long run.

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ANNA: Let's look a little bit more in-depth at carb loading then.

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This information is based on people who follow regular diets and doesn't

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take into account those on keto diets or similar low-carbohydrate diets.

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RICK: Generally speaking, it's recommended for the average adult that carbohydrates make

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up between 45% and 65% of your calories in a day.

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If you take in 2,000 calories in a day,

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somewhere 900–1,300 will be for carbohydrates.

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Of course, this does not take into account exercise.

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How much extra you need to take on depends on

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the duration and the intensity of that exercise.

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ANNA: As an example, on days where you're only going to

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be doing some light training for a short amount of time,

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you're going to need considerably less carbohydrates to restore

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that muscle glycogen level than if you were doing a heavier training day.

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For that reason, typical carbohydrate recommendations will

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vary from person to person depending on their training schedule.

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RICK: However, athletes often don't consume enough dietary carbohydrates

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to meet the recommendations for daily carbohydrate intake.

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It's thought you need between 8 and 12 grams of carbohydrate

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per kilogram of body weight to fully replenish your glycogen stores.

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Those not making that, well,

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it often happens because of busy lifestyles,

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busy training regimes, and also essentially a poor knowledge of health nutrition.

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ANNA: Now, it is to be expected that you'll gain some weight during carb loading,

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and that's because the body hangs onto 2.6 grams of water for every gram of glycogen.

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Extra weight is unavoidable,

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but it can actually be helpful come race day to

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avoid dehydration because of the extra water you're holding.

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There are a lot of variables when it comes to how much fuel

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your body needs during long runs and long races,

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and those variables can include your pace, your weight,

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and how your body metabolizes that fuel that you're taking on.

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But as a general rule of thumb,

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you should consider topping up those fuel reserves every

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30–45 minutes after the first hour.

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RICK: For runs longer than 60 minutes,

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you can take in about 30 grams of carbs per 30–45 minutes.

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Your stomach can absorb around 60 grams of carbs per hour when diluted with water,

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so make sure that you hydrate along the way.

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ANNA: While you're practicing fueling on your long runs,

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pay attention to how you feel towards the end,

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and after you finish as well.

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If you end your long runs feeling all right and still pretty energized,

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then you've probably got your nutrition spot on.

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But if you're feeling a little bit ropy,

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a little bit tired, then next time,

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maybe try adding an additional 15 grams

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of carbohydrates per hour and see how you go with that.

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RICK: Keep track of answers to questions like:

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Do I feel totally energized?

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Do I feel able to keep a constant pace and only hit a wall at the end?

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Does the fuel agree with my stomach?

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It might be worth keeping a training diary to keep note of

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this or putting it into a training app like STRAVA,

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so you can refer back to it next time.

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ANNA: Make sure you test out lots of different mid-run fuel options.

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There are loads out there to try.

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Also, keep a note of how much you had,

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the timings of it as well,

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and what works for you.

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Like I said, there are loads of different options that you

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can try from gels to sports drinks,

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energy bars, homemade real food that you can make yourself,

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or even just some sweets.

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I love a bit of a Haribo personally.

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If you want some inspiration of gels that you could try,

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make sure you check out our video on the Running Channel,

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where I taste tested a load of gels for you.

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But yeah, we're going to take a look now at

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some of the different options that are out there for you to try.

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RICK: With a mixture of water and carbohydrates,

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sports drinks are a quick and easy fuel that boost your energy and keep you hydrated.

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To perform your best, you'll generally need

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between 30 and 60 grams of carbs per hour of exercise.

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Sports drinks generally have a blend of carbs,

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including maltodextrin, glucose,

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water, and sodium to help prevent dehydration.

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As well as preventing dehydration,

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the sodium can also help you retain fluids while you're running.

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You may also consider a sports drink with added protein.

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University of Texas researchers found that when people

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took on a sports drink with the added protein during endurance test

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compared to people who did it without the added protein,

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they managed to perform better.

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If you do go for this route,

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then consider a 4-1 carbohydrate to protein ratio.

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ANNA: Energy gels are a super convenient energy source for runners.

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They're in single-serve packets,

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and they provide a punch of energy.

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If you want some suggestions of gels,

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do check out that video of me trying a lot of them.

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Don't worry, I wasn't sick after.

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But when you're looking for a gel,

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the things to look out for are ones that will provide you with

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25–30 grams of carbohydrates,

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and that's from sources like honey or brown rice syrup or maltodextrin.

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Also worth looking for gels that contain sodium as well,

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around the 50 milligram mark.

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Look out for gels that have additional extra benefits in them, too.

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For example, branch chain amino acids or BCAAs.

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What they are is essential amino acids,

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meaning that they're not actually made by the body,

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but they make up more than a third of the protein found in human muscle tissue.

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What BCAAs do is they're used as an additional energy source,

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meaning that they delay the onset of fatigue,

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so you can go faster and harder for longer.

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It's also been shown that taking on BCAAs before, during,

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and after exercise can even reduce

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the severity and the duration of delayed onset muscle soreness.

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Some energy gel brands will also have caffeine options, too.

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Now, caffeine is shown to stimulate the central nervous system and the brain,

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which means that it can make exercise feel a bit easier,

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so between 3 and 6 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram

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of body weight can help reduce that perceived rate of exertion,

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meaning six-minute mile feels more like a seven-minute mile.

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Maybe. Not quite.

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Caffeine does affect us all in different ways, though,

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especially if you're not used to it,

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so it can cause the jitters in some people,

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or it can also cause GI issues.

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Do make sure you try it out and work out what's best for you.

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With all these different energy gels,

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just have a good try of loads of them and find the one that is perfect for you.

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RICK: Energy bars are great as a pre-run or post-run snack,

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and are also good to take on during a run depending on if you get on with them or not.

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They are also jam-packed with carbohydrates and

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are better than drinks and gels at satisfying hunger,

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especially during long runs and especially really long runs.

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Try to choose a bar with a high carbohydrate value such as oats, dates,

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or brown rice syrup compared to bars that have high levels of fat,

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protein, or fiber.

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That's because bars with too high a level of fat,

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protein, and fiber can actually slow down our digestion.

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ANNA: Energy chews can give you an instant hit of energy like a shot of espresso.

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They're small, they're compact,

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and they contain the same relative amount of

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carbohydrates as you'd get in a gel or a sports drink.

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But because they're smaller,

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it means that you'll have to take them more regularly.

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Most energy chews, you're looking at around five grams of carbohydrate per chew.

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You can also get pure caffeine versions.

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Things like Revvies strips or Caffeine Bullets.

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Now, they're obviously not going to help your carbohydrate stores,

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but they are going to give you an instant hit of caffeine.

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Now, we say this a lot on the Running Channel,

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but nothing new on race day.

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We mean it. Practicing your fueling on your long runs is so important.

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Treat them like a dress rehearsal,

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not just for your kit and your pacing strategy,

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but for your nutrition strategy, as well.

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It's really important that you find out what

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works best for you before you go into race day.

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RICK: Do your research as well.

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Check out what they provide on the aid stations on the race and see if it works for you.

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But if it doesn't, make sure you bring your own along.

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Glycogen reloading is greatly enhanced after exercise and remains moderately enhanced for

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about 6 hours after. Take advantage of that window by taking

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in lots of food and drink in the form of carbs in that short space of time.

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ANNA: Consume between 50 and 100 grams of

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carbohydrates in the first 30 minutes after your run.

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Then aim to top that up with another 50–100 grams of

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carbohydrates an hour after to really kick start the replenishment process.

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RICK: Glycogen replenishment and overall recovery is

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also enhanced by taking in a moderate amount of protein,

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roughly 15–20 grams with the carbohydrates.

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Things with a high glycemic index are best taken in the first hour after exercise,

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and a high carbohydrate meal should be taken within 5–6 hours of finishing your run.

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ANNA: By the end of your training cycle and heading into race day,

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you should be able to answer the following questions about your fueling strategy.

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What are you going to have for breakfast on the morning of your race,

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and how long before the race do you need to eat it?

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What kind of fuel works best for you?

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How often are you going to need to take it on?

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How are you going to carry it around the race as well?

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Hopefully, that's given you some tips on how to

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fuel those long runs and long races as well.

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What's your go-to fuel for racing?

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Is it something that maybe we've mentioned here

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today or maybe we've given you a few tips that you didn't know?

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Either way, let us know in the comments below,

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and we'll see you next time on the Running Channel.

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