"If It’s Not Broke…" — Rethinking Your Run Fuel (& what I'm changing)

“If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”That’s what I kept telling myself about my intra-run nutrition and hydration as a 9-time marathoner training for marathon #10 (LFG GRANDMAS IN JUNE!!!)

But here’s the thing I have realized. just because something works doesn’t mean it’s working at its best

Lately, I’ve been playing around with new gels and hydration approaches and it got me thinking...

How good could I actually feel?

How much stronger could I finish?

How much faster could I recover?

Because without the right nutrition and hydration strategy, you’re leaving a lot of untapped potential on the table!

I'm not a sports dietitian—but I've been running for nearly a decade, coached hundreds of athletes, and learned through sweaty miles and race day trial and error what to look for, what matters & how to introduce fuel on the run.

For me it all shifted in Chicago Marathon 2024.. I hit mile 18 and felt absolutely depleted. I train at elevation in Denver, CO—so my body is used to dry, cooler conditions. What I didn’t account for in Chicago? The humidity. I hadn’t realized how much more sensitive I’d become to it after moving away from the East coast. I wasn’t replenishing sodium properly, and it hit.. HARD.

That race taught me the importance of environment-specific fueling—and to always be one step ahead. Whether it’s humidity, elevation, or the rising temperatures of summer, your body’s needs are going to change & you have to tweak your nutrition has to keep up.

So alas.. I went (& am very much still trialing) on the journey.. what can I do to better improve and optimize performance through my intra run fueling & hydration plan leading up to Grandmas Marathon & beyond. I started paying more attention to my sodium/hour and got curious about how to get more bang for my buck when it comes to carbs on the run

What I was looking for in a gel..

I wanted a fuel source that checked these boxes:

1. Higher carb content — more bang per gel

2. Sodium included — for better fluid balance & sodium intake

3. Flavor and texture — nothing too thick or overly sweet

What was working for me..

1. Gu Salted Watermelon (23g carbs every 20 minutes)

2. Tailwind Nutrition (2 scoops = 50g carbs)

3. Flavorless LMNT

   
   

It worked… until it didn’t! And that is OKAY-- part of running is experimenting and trialing

When I placed an order from TheFeed.com, I grabbed four gels I’d been eyeing:

Gel Brand	Carbs (g)	Sodium (mg)	Notes
SiS Beta Fuel (orange)	40g	30mg	Light orange flavor, thinner texture, not a ton sodium
Victus (salted watermelon)	45g	320mg	Salted watermelon flavor not too over powering, smooth texture
Carbs Fuel (originial)	50g	105mg	Smarties like flavor in my opinion, smooth texture, large packaging
Strykr (unflavored)	30g	0	Still trialing—more soon

When testing new gels—or guiding athletes through the process—I always recommend:

1. Avoid testing on speed days or key long runs

2. Slow down or stop to open it and trial-- there's no need to push yourself

3. Be near a bathroom, just in case (IKYK)

4. Snap a photo so you remember what you tried

5. Jot down what you liked or didn’t like

   
   

You’ll start to notice trends. Are you more sensitive to thick textures? Do you prefer something flavor-neutral? What gives you the steadiest energy? Are you running to the bathroom during your run or right away?

What I have landed on (so far)..

Honestly, I liked all three for different reasons:

• SiS was refreshing and easy to take, but it lacked sodium

• Carb Fuel gave a solid carb boost with a neutral flavor

• Victus hit the sweet spot for me: carbs, sodium, and a light, not-too-sweet flavor

• 
  

They’re all larger than the Gu packets I was used to so still working on HOW to carry them, but that means fewer gels overall—and more efficiency on race day

Are you hitting the 60-90g carbs/hour mark?

If you’re running for more than 90 minutes, the current evidence-backed recommendation for endurance athletes is to aim for 60–90 grams of carbohydrates per hour. That number might sound high at first, especially if you’ve been doing the one-gel-every-45-minutes thing, but with the right combination of gels, chews, and drink mixes, it’s absolutely doable—and it can make a massive difference in performance and recovery!!

Start small, train your gut, and increase gradually. And remember: you have to practice your fueling just like you practice your pacing AND... you don't HAVE to wait until your running > 60 minutes to start trialing things and figuring out what you like!

A friendly reminder as we head into summer..

Your nutrition and hydration strategy should never be static.

As temperatures rise, elevation shifts, or your sweat rate changes, your plan should evolve too. What worked in the fall might not cut it in July. Always be thinking one step ahead and adjusting based on your current environment

QUICK CHECKLIST FOR YOU:

• Identify your priorities: carbs, sodium, flavor, texture

• Order a few different options with varying profiles

• Test one at a time on easy runs

• Track your GI response, taste preference, and energy

• Adjust your strategy for climate, pace, and duration

  
  

Eager to learn more?

If you're the kind of runner who likes to dig deeper, here are a few podcast episodes we love:

• [RACE SERIES] Fueling for Race Day: Nutrition Tips for Endurance Athletes w/ Natalie @befueledsportsnutrition: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2068538/episodes/15620302

• Mastering Nutrition for Endurance Sports: Tips and Tricks w/ Stevie Lyn: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2068538/episodes/15135941

  
  

Let me know if this was helpful—or if you want a deeper dive into how I fuel long runs versus race day. Shoot us a DM & come hang out on @sfsrunners!

It might not be broken… but what if it could be better?