For the TL:DR’s Maurten gels have VERY low salt content, I think this affects me on marathon efforts. What would people recommend to top up Sodium/electrolyte loss on a 2.5hr+ run? Or would they recommend an entirely different gel?
Long version
I switched to Maurtens a while ago as I’ve historically had GI nonsense over the years. Fairly intermittently, I’ve noticed some headaches on longer slow runs 1h45 upwards. But never really thought about it, as it wasn’t consistent.
I hobbled round the London marathon at the weekend. And had the full range of low sodium effects. Rapid onset nausea (though a brief walk and that cleared) cramping in my hip flexors that lasted till the end, then a headache that passed after maybe 2-3 miles when I took on some of the on course Lucozade Sport drink. I noticed later that I had quite a lot of salty residue behind my ears and upper neck, despite it being cold and rainy. My impression is that the drink helped by at least replenishing some of my lost sodium.
I was surprised that when I actually read the back of the Maurten that the salt content is 0.050g! Interestingly even their 320 drink mix is 10 times that amount at 0.50g when mixed in a 500ml bottle
I doubt I’m an outlier, so over to you guys for suggestions. Do people pre-load electrolytes the day before/ morning of to offset the losses that Maurtens cannot replace? Do people preload with Maurten drinkmix or something different? Does anyone carry salt tablets that can be swallowed with half a cup of water at an aid station at the same time as consuming a gel? And is that a complete PITA when running at race pace?
Or, am I overthinking this?
And would I have been fine if I’d just taken on a cup or 2 of carb drink at the earlier stations of miles 9 and 15 and not left it to the penultimate stations at 21 and 23. There was only 4 carb drink stations the whole route!
For reference Chicago had 20 stations with Gatorade Endurance.
I don’t use Muarten but for Chicago I would alternate water and gatorade at each aid station. I also took gels (Gatorade and SiS) at miles 3.2, 7.3, 11.5 (caffeine), 15.8, 19.3 (caffeine), and 23 (caffeine). From my spreadsheet that I made it worked out to be about 73 grams of carb per hour for a 2:44 but I did not check sodium content on my gels. There are enough places to get your sodium if that is what you are lacking from Muarten.
I don’t use Muarten but for Chicago I would alternate water and gatorade at each aid station. I also took gels (Gatorade and SiS) at miles 3.2, 7.3, 11.5 (caffeine), 15.8, 19.3 (caffeine), and 23 (caffeine). From my spreadsheet that I made it worked out to be about 73 grams of carb per hour for a 2:44 but I did not check sodium content on my gels. There are enough places to get your sodium if that is what you are lacking from Muarten.
For a marathon run at 3 hrs at my tempo pace I have calculated I’d need 3500 mg of sodium.
A full 3 oz cup of Gatorade endurance contains 75 mg of sodium.
I’d aid stations are every mile that would mean 1900 g of sodium total assuming a full 3 oz cup and it’s not watered down by the volunteers.
I need more than aid stations to get to the required level of sodium.
I have found the electrolyte SIS gels with extra sodium contain 22g of carbs and 130mg of sodium. That’s how I try make up the delta but that would mean 12 gels! That’s not sustainable. I have yet to find a solution. Perhaps salt pills
you could start the run sipping a bottle mixed with something like skratch hyper hydration (1700 mg) and supplement with water and gatorade as the race progresses
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This is really interesting and timely for me. I switched to exclusively using maurten products this year and first two races (70.3 and marathon) I experienced cramping. I’ve never had that issue before.
I did 70.3 Texas and got off the bike and could barely walk. Again, never had this before. I was wondering if I was dehydrated but it may have been more of a sodium issue.
Fast forward two weeks later to Boston and I again had muscle cramps that started really early. This may have been more due to the downhill running but not sure. I’ve never had that sensation after only 7-8 miles of running and it was a humid/rainy day. I pounded gels (Maurten) throughout and was able to hold pace, but in hindsight maybe I really just needed sodium, again. Pretty stupid of me to not look more closely at this.
Wow. That is a lot of sodium! Did you calculate that with a sweat test at MP to see how you sweat? Same conditions as your race? I am now going to go back and see how much sodium I take in just to see. But good for you knowing what you need and I wish you luck in figuring out your solution!
I don’t use Muarten but for Chicago I would alternate water and gatorade at each aid station. I also took gels (Gatorade and SiS) at miles 3.2, 7.3, 11.5 (caffeine), 15.8, 19.3 (caffeine), and 23 (caffeine). From my spreadsheet that I made it worked out to be about 73 grams of carb per hour for a 2:44 but I did not check sodium content on my gels. There are enough places to get your sodium if that is what you are lacking from Muarten.
For a marathon run at 3 hrs at my tempo pace I have calculated I’d need 3500 mg of sodium.
A full 3 oz cup of Gatorade endurance contains 75 g of sodium.
I’d aid stations are every mile that would mean 1900 g of sodium total assuming a full 3 oz cup and it’s not watered down by the volunteers.
I need more than aid stations to get to the required level of sodium.
I have found the electrolyte SIS gels with extra sodium contain 22g of carbs and 130mg of sodium. That’s how I try make up the delta but that would mean 12 gels! That’s not sustainable. I have yet to find a solution. Perhaps salt pills
You’re not crazy. You need more salt. Yes maurten is often problematic for this very reason.
Sodium sources. Very effective but won’t break the bank like salt tabs/pills. A bag will last you several months of daily use.
Add your choice of the above to maurten or anything else.
If you’re not into links, source any of these on your own:
Table salt. Sea salt. Himalayan salt. They’re all → sodium chloride (NaCl). Works great.Sodium citrate is even easier on the gut. Amazon is a great place.
Wow. That is a lot of sodium! Did you calculate that with a sweat test at MP to see how you sweat? Same conditions as your race? I am now going to go back and see how much sodium I take in just to see. But good for you knowing what you need and I wish you luck in figuring out your solution!
I based that off using Dr Harrisons’s app for a 3 hr tempo run
Crank sports egel is the most underrated product on the market. (meaning: I’d never heard of it until someone working for them handed me a few, a little over a year ago.)
Totally reasonable sugar composition, sodium content, and easily the best tasting gel I’ve ever had. Genuinely looked forward to eating them. This is not an endorsement. I don’t buy them. Just my 2 cents since this is the first I’ve seen of them anywhere on the internet.
Should you not rather be questioning the sodium content of whatever fluids you are consuming?
I would propose that it’s not the maurten gel that is the problem, it’s the fluids you are consuming. Or, if you are not consuming enough fluids, start there.
This is crazy - I’m going around in circles about this myself this past week - due to my upcoming 70.3 being in probably 30’c / 80% humidity and also using Maurten for training and now thinking some electrolytes might be a good idea…
My current plan (if there is any basis for this - who knows!) - is to start taking some electrolytes 3 days out of the event and hopefully fill any gaps I have pre-event. Then take some chews / capsules for the bike and run and hopefully remember to take them.
I think after this event, I’m swapping to Precision but its too late in the day for that now
