Hi B2B and Big Sur VIP Marathon Runners:

In this edition of “Sage Words with Coach Sage” we’re going to be discussing Marathon Race Day Nutrition and Hydration Strategy!

First off, congrats on just passing the halfway mark in your Marathon Training Plan since we officially started on January 6th!

By now you have undoubtedly had to overcome some challenges (whether it has been an extra cold and snowy winter where you are or you’ve had some unexpected scheduling conflicts or feelings of extra fatigue at times). The “ebb and flow” of marathon training can certainly feel like a rollercoaster, but just know that there is light at the end of the tunnel!

In this newsletter I wanted to briefly touch on the importance of Race Day Nutrition and Hydration and help empower you with some general tips and strategies that have worked well for a lot of marathoners. Of course everyone is different and changes with the weather on race day can alter your plans, so I encourage all of you to experiment with what you feel works best for you and your body during this month of training. I know we have a range with super experienced marathon runners as well as first-timers in this group, so realize that getting to know what nutrition products (and in what amounts) works for your body might be more of a learning process for some compared to others!

With more recent developments in “fueling gel” products there are a plethora of mainly carbohydrate based and convenient brands that are fast, portable, and easy to digest and use. In general, I believe that getting familiar with the taste and texture of products offered at the aid stations in your marathon race(s) is key. This way there are no surprises on race day, and if you don’t like the products they have offered during the race you can prepare to carry some more of your own products instead.

For runners doing Boston Marathon first, the race website has listed the following products and support on hand:

Maurten hydrogel will be offered at the following points in the race:
11.8 miles, 17 miles and 21.5 miles.

For hydration Boston also offers water and Gatorade Endurance Formula (Lemon Lime flavor) starting at Mile 2 and continuing onwards.


This is actually the Gel 100 CAF 100 which has 100mg of caffeine in it…Boston also says that they will have the regular Maurten Gel 100 with no caffeine also.

Having three gel station handouts is rather unique in a marathon so this is a huge potential benefit to you as you might not need to carry as much fuel compared to other races! However, if you don’t like Maurten gels (and/or Gatorade) you might want to consider practicing taking other gel and hydration products in your upcoming long runs and longer Tempo workouts instead. It is important to note the rough nutrition facts of the Gatorade Endurance Formula drink can offer some additional calories in the form of carbohydrates as well as electrolytes though. My general rule of thumb is that I’m lucky to get a 6oz serving of fluid when grabbing a cup and trying to drink it on the run though (as it is often a quick sip and I might spill some!). Also note that Gatorade Endurance Formula lists their nutrition facts as a full strength mix in a serving size of 12oz.

For the Big Sur Marathon, the race website has listed the following products and support on hand:

Gu energy gels will be available at aid stations twice on the marathon course:
At the 12.2 mile mark and the 19-mile mark.

For hydration there are 11 total aid stations and they have Nuun hydration drink and water. Aid stations start at Mile 2.5 and are generally every 2-3 miles after that.

These are all very different products in terms of taste, texture and caloric value! It is important to note that generally a drink mix like Nuun, while ample in sodium and other electrolyte content, has basically negligible carbohydrate and sugar content.

In general, as a coach I usually recommend that most runners can benefit from taking a carbohydrate based gel product with at least 20-25 grams of carbohydrate (80-100+ calories in each gel packet) once every 4-6 miles. Gu and Maurten standard gels generally fit this bill. Depending on the runner, this may be anywhere between 4 to 7 gels* for the entire marathon race. *Some people could also benefit from taking an extra gel about 10-15 minutes before the start of the race as well. We are generally looking to consume enough carbohydrates during the marathon race to help keep our blood sugar stable and fuel our muscles and brain enough so that we don’t “hit the wall” really hard. Most trained runners on a regular carbohydrate rich diet (that have been carbo-loading before the race!) should have enough glycogen stores in their muscles and liver to sustain a fairly hard effort for 16-18 miles in a race without relying on consuming extra carbohydrates. However, that work output might increase given adverse weather conditions, an overly aggressive pacing strategy, and/or lots of hills. It also of course varies with the efficiency or Running Economy of the individual runner at their relative marathon race pace/effort. With this in mind, I’d highly recommend starting to not only consume carbs in the form of energy gels on a regular schedule in the first half of the race, but to also look to drink and hydrate with some extra calories (carb-based) as well!

As an example, here is a strategy that I used at Boston (applies to any all out marathon race effort):

Mile 0: (15-minutes before the start): Take a gel
Mile 4: take a sip of water
Mile 6: Take a gel (wash down with 6-8oz of water)
Mile 8: Take a sip (4-6oz) of Gatorade
Mile 10: Take a sip of Gatorade
Mile 12: Take another gel (wash down with 6-8oz of water)
Mile 14: Take a sip of Gatorade
Mile 16: Take a sip of Gatorade
Mile 18: Take another gel (wash down with 6-8oz of water)
Mile 22: Take a gel (wash down with 6-8oz of water)
Mile 24: Take a sip of Gatorade

Notice how in the second half of the race (last 10-miles) I increase the frequency of my gel consumption slightly. I may even grab or carry an extra gel with me for the final 4 miles “just in case” as usually in the last 10km of a marathon I am “scraping up against the wall” and trying not to hit it too hard! This kind of strategy has generally worked well for me as an individual…but you might be quite different with your needs and how you feel. It’s good to practice eating and drinking on some of your long runs in training (if you haven’t already) to get your GI system used to taking in fuel and fluid on regular time intervals while running.

Usually I will roughly time my gel intake as I approach an official race aid station so I can “wash down” the gel with a cup of 6-8oz of water. The added benefit here is that usually I can also throw my sticky used gel wrapper into a trash can at the aid station as I run by so I don’t have to keep carrying it with me! A lot of these aid stations occur right near a mile marker, so I can keep track of how many miles I’ve run between each gel intake. Finally, if I feel like I might need more calories and hydration I can also try to grab an extra cup of fluid besides just plain water.

Experiment with nutrition and hydration products during your Long Runs!

In closing, please also consider how weather conditions can change your race day strategy (much like it should change your pacing strategy and possible goal times) when it comes to hydration especially. Some people may need more electrolytes (mainly sodium) compared to others, and if the weather is exceptionally hot, then an increase in total volume of fluid intake generally is needed as well.

With this in mind, some people may opt to wear a small “waist pack” (Boston limits this size to 5”x 15”x 5”) or a small “fuel belt” to store extra gels and even possible hydration bottles. Boston does not allow “hydration vests” or “CamelBaks” or backpacks. Any fluid bottles (for the “waist pack”) must be 1L or smaller. Given the relative frequency of fluid aid stations in these marathons I often opt to just carry some extra gels in my short’s pockets and then to also rely on grabbing more gels at the select aid stations where they are offered.

That’s it for now! Keep up the great training and stay tuned for more newsletters and “tips and tricks” on the VIP and B2B Facebook groups.

Best,
Coach Sage