Quote Originally Posted by matthew View Post
So my question to those who are saying they generally don't eat. My limited understanding of sport science says that the body starts to run out of glycogen stores after 90ish minutes. WHy wouldn't you keep this topped up? What benefit is there to not eating?
Horses for courses, but as far as I am concerned the benefits of not eating are numerous - you don't have to carry the food, get it out of your bumbag and out of its wrapper; you don't risk inhaling it because of heavy breathing, nor do you need to worry that it will make feel nauseated or need to open your bowels, and in the longterm, that you will risk losing dental enamel if the food contains sugar.
The 90 minute limit for glycogen stores is overstated - stores reduce, but they don't run out. That does not mean low glycogen stores cannot cause problems, of course it can, but fell running involves periods of lesser exertion where the main fuel by far would be fat, so that 90 minute limit is unhelpful.
I ran my last 2 road marathons on no food or fluids - and it did not adversely affect my times compared to previous marathons - 3 hours 15 odd.
Ultras - all the rules change....