Hey all you long distance runners out there!

Question - I am training for my first HM in October, and am not sure how to properly hydrate/eat during my longest runs. As of now, I am only running about 30 minutes at a time and drink water all day and after my run.

When do you start running with water? How much? Gels, jellybeans, protein bars?

I'm so confused!!!!!!

If you start running longer than an hour, then you would may want to look into something to eat or possibly something to drink that has calories.

You can run with water when you feel like it but possibly again after an hour, you'd definitely want to look at rehydrating.

I don't eat solids during a half mary because my stomach has problems with food while running, but I usually take a few sips of water every mile once I'm past the 5 mile mark. More sips if it is particularly hot and humid (I run in Florida).

During races I alternate sips of water with sips of a sports drink at every water stop (past the 5 mile mark). And I had my best long run ever fueled by an exorbitant amount of dark chocolate in the morning before I ran.

The key is for you to experiment during your training to see what makes you feel best (that way you'll know exactly what you want to do during a race). Different people like different fuels: candy, pretzels, gels, power bars, etc. As your runs get longer you'll start judging how to best fuel up before, during, and after. Don't be afraid to experiment, it is a voyage of self-discovery and part of the fun!

for me, i must have water for anything over about 7 miles, but we are all different... I fuel up for any run longer than an hour to and hour and a half with the power gels/hammer gels/cliff shots, whatever... Take one right before your run, and then approx every half hour to 4o minutes during your run....Also, when i have a particularly long run, especially when i do not allow myslef adequate time to recover frome the run the day before (btw,if you CAN dont run the day before your long run, or at least only run EASY), i eat a lot of...HONEY!! it is a great source of the type of carbs you need!! I will have some bread with honey on it, or fruit with honey the night beofre, and then add it to my high carb breakfast, usually consisting of a small wheat bagel (100 calories) with peanut butter and Honey on it, then a piece of fruit ( maybe with honey too!), and possibly a yogurt...dont eat too soon before you run...try to allow an hour, or more... Good luck!!

thanks everyone! it sounds like i just need to experiment and see what works for my body...

mkroyer-honey is such a good idea! i don't really like the thought of gels (what's IN them anyway?) but honey is good, natural source of sugar/carbs...

TylerDurden- i can definitely try and work dark chocolate into my plan... that's my kind of training...

I can't eat right before I run, or ... it isn't pretty. I find that I don't need calories to fuel a run unless I go over 10 miles. If I'm doing more than 10 miles, then I like to pop one or two Clif Bloks starting at about 7 or 8 miles. That's just enough sugar boost to get me through the run, then I'll refuel well afterward.

My hydration needs depend on how hot it is. I don't bother to take a water bottle if I'm running less than an hour, even in the Florida summer heat. More than that, I'll take water and drink every 2 or 3 miles. Right now, in the heat, I'll easily go through 1 - 1.5 water bottles in a 12 mile run. In cooler weather, I might drink half a bottle in 12 miles. But, I'll rehydrate really well after. I can't chug water during a run or ... it isn't pretty.

My race strategy is somewhat different. Before a half marathon race, when I have several hours to digest, then my usual breakfast is half a peanut butter sandwich and a cup of coffee. I alternate gatorade and water at the water stops, but not too much at once of either. I may also pop one clif blok along the way, but the gatorade usually gives quite a bit of sugar boost already.

I've tried gels, and sports beans but I find I like Clif Bloks the best because I can eat smaller portions. A full gel is too much concentrated sugar for me in one shot, and eating half of one leaves you with a gooey packet to try to stuff back in your pouch for later. But one Clif Blok is 1/3 of a gel, and it's like eating a gummy bear - perfect!

Bottom line --you will have to experiment to see what works for you.