Whether you are an experienced marathoner or a beginner, getting your nutrition right for the Gold Coast Marathon can be very tricky. With a huge selection of products available for runners, how can you be sure you’re making the right choice? Sports gels, bars, chews and drinks are generally mass produced and often include ingredients with weird sounding names that can be impossible to pronounce. Not to mention the effect these products can have on your system and your running result.
The key elements needed to successfully fuel a run include hydration (fluid), electrolytes (4 key minerals to replace what you are losing) and carbohydrate (energy) intake. These are all vitally important but how can we consume all of these sufficiently while moving to keep our body moving?
The easiest way to consume all these elements is to drink a pre-mixed endurance fuel like Fixx Nutrition Fuel X along with a dual source energy gel such as Gel X PRO. With the right blend of electrolytes and the right quantity and type of carbohydrates, this nutrition will keep you energised and well hydrated. Fuel X is a powder which mixes easily with water and can be sipped from a pe-mixed aid station cup, drink bottle, soft flask or hydration vest during your run.
How to use Fixx Nutrition in the Gold Coast Marathon and Half Marathon
The day before the marathon or half marathon
Add one scoop of your favourite Fuel X flavour to 500-700ml chilled water and sip during the day and if you can repeat even better. There are huge benefits to pre hydrating as well as pre-loading carbohydrates which will impact how your body feels on race day.
The morning of the marathon or half marathon
Add one scoop to 250-500ml water and sip over the hour before the start of the run.
Start line
Just before the start gun goes off, consume one Gel X PRO Coldbrew Espresso which has 75mg of naturally occurring caffeine to help get you focused. Alternatively, a Gel X PRO Lemon Sorbet which is caffeine free.
During the run
Drink 2 cups PER HOUR of pre-mixed Fuel X endurance fuel PLUS 1 Gel X Pro PER HOUR.
Fuel X endurance fuel will be provided in FIXX branded cups, at the Refreshment Stations which are located approximately every 5km on the full and half marathon course.
Gel X Pro is a superior energy fuel ideal for athletes looking for clean, high-quality nutrition that is big on performance yet easy on the gut. Like all Fixx Products the new Gel X PRO is All Natural, Gluten-Free, Vegan Friendly AND PRESERVATIVE FREE. Made with simple carbohydrates Dextrose & Fructose, Gel X PRO is GUT FRIENDLY.
Quickly Ingested & Easily Digested.
NO LARGE PEAKS or FALLS!
No cane sugar or syrups.
Dual Source Energy Gel with a 1:.08 Carbohydrate Fructose Ratio which improves the efficiency of utilisation on ingested carbohydrates, reduces the utilisation of carbohydrates stored & can help reduce symptoms of stomach bloating & nausea. Each gel contains 120 Calories & 29.3g Carbohydrates.
Key additions to help performance:
220mg Sodium, Electrolyte Replenishment
400mg Alanine, Amino Acid to help regulate blood sugar
75mg Naturally Occurring Caffeine (OR Caffeine Free Lemon Sorbet)
Both the Cold Brew Energy Shots & Gel X Pro are small enough to carry in your pocket or running belt.
After the run
Drink 1-2 cups Fuel X in the Recovery Area after you have finished your race, grab a piece of fruit & water, stretch, relax & enjoy the glory!
Things to watch out for:
- Waiting until it is too late. Get your nutrition in as early as you can to avoid the dreaded wall. Drinking at least one drink bottle of Fuel X the day before and hydrating the hour before an event will set your body up well. Continue to drink Fuel X and water from the aid stations (refreshment and water stations) to ensure your body is getting the required carbohydrates and electrolytes and consumer 1-3 gels per hour depending on how many carbohydrates you may need.
- Practice using your race nutrition during training. Using your race day nutrition on your long runs will help you get more out of your training and will indirectly help with your recovery too. The best way to use an endurance fuel while training is to carry a hand-held soft flask or wear a hydration vest. Your local running store sell these and will advise you on suitable options.
- Get familiar with Aid Stations. Research well ahead of time exactly what brand and products are being offered and at what km marks and practice using them during training runs.
- Avoid the dreaded GUT BOMB. Another good reason to practice using the event nutrition before race day to ensure your stomach can handle them without any adverse reaction. The great thing about Fixx products is that they only contain simple carbohydrates which are easily digested and very gut-friendly unlike many other brands on the market.
- Manage muscle cramps. No one knows exactly what causes these, we think a lack of hydration, minerals or lactic acid build up all could contribute to muscle cramping, but cramping can strike marathon runners unexpectedly despite their best training efforts. Consuming premium nutrition like Fuel X & Fuel X PRO will go to some lengths to help you with this but the fastest way to get rid of a muscle cramp mid-race is to drink a CrampFix Shot. Cramps will disappear within seconds.
- Naturally occurring caffeine is best. Produced from plants rather than acid, many nutrition companies use synthetic caffeine which is not good for your body, natural caffeine offers a more sustainable and cleaner boost of energy like that in the Fixx Gel X PRO Coldbrew Espresso which by the way taste amazing!
This all may seem somewhat overwhelming but if you do your homework as early as you can and get familiar with the premium, all natural product range of Fixx Nutrition you’ll be all set for an awesome running experience.
Important TIP: Try out Fuel X endurance fuel & Gel X PRO – it is a combination of the most important parts of nutrition – hydration, electrolytes and carbohydrates and might just be the easiest way to fuel your run.
All Fixx Nutrition products are manufactured in their own food production facility in Burleigh Heads, Queensland. If you need any help with choosing the right products for you feel free to contact them via the website or social pages.
