Body Fuel 10 of 12 Use your Brain

There's sooo much written on this subject, so I will try and be brief, and tell you what works for me. Remember, let science, not dogma, be your guide. If you have additional fact based information from neutral parties, please feel free to share it. But spare us all the quick fix magic and corporate sponsored quack wonder drugs. Like really, Red Bull, Monster???? Puhleeeze.....Try a balanced diet with fruit, protein and pasta....( and even pizza dripping with olive oil)

1. Basically, the physiologists tell us we have about 2200 calories of stored glycogen calories at full taper. Runners burn 80 to 120 calories per mile running. A marathon is 26.2 miles. DO THE MATH......Glycogen stores alone are not enough, no matter how mentally tough you are. You will need upwards of 3-4000 calories just to RUN, adjusted for effort, weather conditions, and myriad other variables.
2. The higher the intensity, the more straight glycogen is burned. The lower the intensity, the more fat is mixed with glycogen for fuel. So learn to pace properly whereby you burn glycogen AND fat simultaneously. This "pushes out" the limits of the 2200 calories of stored glycogen, thereby extending the "wall" or "bonk" that inevitably stalks all endurance athletes running maximal efforts at around the 2-3 hour marks.
3. When you run out of glycogen, your body is unable to burn fat. With no glycogen, your body can't burn fat. Your body bonks, and you switch to eating protein; and you are miserable. Basically, when you go out too fast, don't run a negative split, and don't fuel properly, you eat muscle. Not good. Not good racing, not good in training. Older runners who follow outdated running programs, lose, instead of gain, muscle mass. Bad news.     Most folks run and train this incorrect way. Stop it!
4. Not only do you eat muscle mass if you run out of glycogen, you prolong greatly the recovery period after endurance efforts like marathons or long runs. Another reason to FUEL UP on the backside of training runs, regardless of how you "feel".
5. Basically, if you are out over 1 1/2 hours on a training run, or 2 hours in a race, you need to address glycogen stores for either current and/or recovery conditions.
6. Experienced runners can ingest upwards or beyond 1000 calories under race conditions, between goos, blocks, sharks, gatorade, fav natural food, etc.( I love my dried sugared mangos in a plastic ziplocked baggie stowed away in my shorts) thereby allowing a faster pace, as they can delay the glycogen bonk that occurs around 20 miles. (get a calculator out at re read #1 above). See previous blogs on what when and how to ingest, otherwise ask questions in comment section. Remember, if you run a negative split, you can start eating VERY early, while your stomach can handle it, and thereby delay the glycogen bonk until very late or even to the finish line. If you run a positive split, not only do you shut your stomach down earlier, you exceed lactate thresholds earlier, you run out of glycogen earlier, and the back half of the race is a miserable lactic acid induced, muscle eating disaster.
7. Consider eating better in training, constantly testing race fuel strategies. and also thinking ahead to tomorrow's fuel needs, while on the back side of today's longer workouts. Preserve more glycogen right now, feel better now, and recover faster for tomorrow.
8. I will cover pre race loading and general diets in other blogs, so stay posted!