Fat for fuel on Long distance?

[Twister]

What's the consensus on this one? I've read about training to use fat stores to fuel long distances, as opposed to necking a constant flow of carbs. I'm interested to know if anyone had experience training their body to use fat and if this is the best strategy for long distances.

I've read on the net that taking no more than 100 calories in per hour is a good strategy, but haven't tried it on myself yet.

Any thoughts or advice appreciated.

[karen nash]

I am hopeless at eating on the run. Frequently at MMs I will eat one gel, a mini mars and no more all day. Tried gels but don't like them so put off eating altogether. Had sime success with tiny bits of homemade flapjack and marmite sandwhiches. Did manage a jaffa cake at each checkpoint on High Peak 40. On MM I just scoff in the eve.

[BLUEBIKE]

I scoff dried fruit at intervals...have to be careful on amounts tho' for obvious reasons...I will also eat choc and gels etc...I look for slow release foods...quick sugar rush is not helpful according to the experts...as blood sugar level raises quickly then drops like wise...if you cant do gels then try wine gums etc...also depends how long your out for etc....

[two toenails]

Malt loaf! Best thing since sliced bread.

[Splatcher]

I've been running on 160 cals/hour this year, topping up every 45 mins. I can't get more than this down without feeling ill, & I've managed to keep this rate up for 10 hours max - I don't run longer races than this. It seems to work better for me than 100 cals/hour, which was about the rate I was refueling last year. If I don't refuel like this, I conk out after 2 or 3 hours. I had this problem on the HP40, when my stomach rebelled after 5 hours & I couldn't get any more cals down - I was getting a low blood sugar bonk before the end.

Mind you Karen, you ran a lot faster than me, so perhaps I should be following your tips instead!

[Derby Tup]

What's the consensus on this one? I've read about training to use fat stores to fuel long distances, as opposed to necking a constant flow of carbs. I'm interested to know if anyone had experience training their body to use fat and if this is the best strategy for long distances.

I've read on the net that taking no more than 100 calories in per hour is a good strategy, but haven't tried it on myself yet.

Any thoughts or advice appreciated.

I suspect it'd be easier to eat properly if you could rather than rely on training your body to run on its own resources. Also don't lose sight of the psychological (sp?!) boost of having something you like when you're tired; the longer you're out the more important this becomes imho

[Grouse]

Margarine.

[molehill]

I reckon that if you make a habit of scoffing every time you go on a training run of 1hr+, and keep scoffing every time, the chances are that you will find eating easier on a long event and have an idea of what suits your stomach.

I just stuffed everything in on the 100, to the extent I had to 'go' after about 23 hours. But I didn't run out of energy .

[Witton Park]

I suspect it'd be easier to eat properly if you could rather than rely on training your body to run on its own resources. Also don't lose sight of the psychological (sp?!) boost of having something you like when you're tired; the longer you're out the more important this becomes imho

I agree - the psychological side helps - I've mentioned before on here that I was in bits coming off Whernside in the 2008 PPP (my debut) having eaten and drank.
A swift Timothy Taylor's at the Hill Inn brought much needed levity and I perked up and made up quite a few places between there and the finish.

Ultimately though, I think the training prep is far more important and I struggle once I get beyond 3 hours because I don't train enough for those type of races and don't have the history as I only really started going over 10km a couple of years ago.

[wycoller]

I did a ToP recce with a triathlete last year and she reckoned that us fell runners don't start eating and drinking early enough. If you leave it too late then your stomach cramps up and you won't be able to eat.

A friend who competes in iron man events (aged 60 and very succesful!) advised just sticking to gels and energy drinks. He felt that anything else didn't get digested if you were working hard. I think that he makes his own energy drinks. He is out for about 12 hours.

Back to the fat bit - isn't the fact that woman can burn more fat one of the reasons that they can do well on ultras?