Thanks for sharing Darren. This video gives me a good idea of what I would like to try for my 3 hour easy run this weekend. Thanks for including the part where your fuel malfunctioned and ended up on your shirt, such a real thing!!! Have a great day and happy running Darren!
No worries, just bare in mind rice can be dangerous if not cooked and eaten right. It should not reach room temperature, either needs to be hot or cooled in the fridge. This can pose its issues. On ultra's I have some one with a cool box and only use on long runs when I know it'll remain cool enough (so early stages) this is due to spores. Though you may already know all this :)
Thanks for the informative video. I like the idea of rice - you could also drip some honey through it for extra carbs. I've been taking very basic sandwiches on my long runs lately - white bread with the crusts cut off, a little bit of butter to help it go down and either honey or marmite. Marmite is good if you've had enough of the sweet stuff. The most natural gels I've found are a brand called Pure from New Zealand. These go down much better for me than other more processed gels.
Thanks, the only slight issue with rice is it has to be cooled in a fridge once cooked before reaching room temp for too long and likewise must be eaten when cool or steaming hot...when room temp theres a risk of spores which can make you sick...if you have a crew this is not a problem but if not near impossible to use. I had no crew in my latest 55 miler so used cheese and pickle wraps (just white tortilla type bread) and jam/peanut better wraps with some chia charge chews and other bits and pieces.
Another great video, thanks Darren. I've got a few long races coming up this year (Yorkshire 3 peaks, 50k Pen y Ghent and a 50 miler ) so really interested in getting more natural foods on my runs. Cheers.
@@DarrenSmithTrailRunning Hey, Darren, quick question. Have you ever tried to add 3-5g of creatine to your home made gel? Care to try if it makes difference?
Not something I have tried to be honest, idea of these was to keep it as simple as possible and natural of course but certainly worth trying if you feel it'll work for you.
Thanks James much appreciated. On the gel it’s made to taste, I put about 3/4 honey first then a dash of boiled water and add in the cherry in very small amounts, tasting with every addition until the bitter cherry taste cancels out the sweetness of the honey. The cherry is only used to make the honey more palatable so it will be personal preference mate
Cheers for this Darren, really useful. I'm plant based too so find more natural stuff sits better with me and looking into rice options so thanks for sharing.
No worries hope you get some ideas, just on the rice be careful when you cook and how you store as it can be dangerous if not treated right. I found it best to cook, put straight in fridge before cools, pull out to make packets then put straight back in fridge and only eat on the run before it gets to room temperature for too long. Can cause stomach issues otherwise, the key is not allowing it to reach room temp for more than an hour max...can be tricky when you run for long stretches.
@@DarrenSmithTrailRunning Thanks, will definitely bear that in mind. I'm going to look at the potato option too as these might be better for longer runs where you can't avoid having them at room temperature for several hours. Good to have some different options to try out
ive just searched for alternative food to use instead of energy gels for long ultras . i starting to believe these gels are just a con and ive just started eating a pack of Haribo's instead. ill be trying your suggestion's
Endurance tap is another really good natural energy source and is definitely my favorite. It’s just maple syrup, sea salt and ginger. I have major stomach issues if I’m not eating right during a run and this never bothers my stomach.
Hi Darren, thanks for the insight, some great tips. My one concern is the rice based food. The reason being is because cooked rice can be extremely dangerous if not dealt with correctly. It really does need to be cooked cooled and refrigerated quickly, which can be done safely at home. But to have it in a race pack for long periods in warm sometimes hot conditions would be a serious concern to me. Not a criticism by any means but certainly something to think about. Great channel. Cheers👍🏻
Thanks for the feedback Simon and I agree the rice has to be handled well I put in a Fridge straight away and I take in a cooler box until transferring to a pack. For very long runs out this may be a problem and unsupported races likewise. I haven’t had an issue yet though
@@RoyRagnar Hi Roy, the problem with rice is it’s storage once cooked if not done correctly. Packets of already cooked and sealed rice you buy from supermarkets are fine. Home cooked rice when consumed soon after cooking is also fine. It’s the storage of home cooked rice and consumption later is problematic. If we don’t eat rice with the meal it is cooked for we bin it. If we need more later we cook more later.
@simonlakin5067 thanks so much for this. Learning all this nutritional information is a bit overwhelming but so eye opening at the same time. Happy 4th to you all and happy trails
Do you have any recommendations for vegan gels or chews that digest quickly for quick fuel. I've been using date bars and toddlers organic fruit bars, but they are hard to digest later in a 50 k and I feel like I never get the energy and keep piling in food in my stomach. Also, I get super swollen in my lower abs like water tire hanging over my running belt, is this dehydration, like do I need more electrolytes or do I have too many electrolytes?
Hi, this is a very complicated subject but what you describe is what happens to me in ultras and I put much of it down to dehydration. The difficult part is understanding why you’re getting dehydrated, not enough fluid or not enough salt/sodium etc as it is possible to get too much sodium too…if you race in warmer weather and don’t use any products to get sodium and electrolytes I’d bet on lack of that and consider using precision hydration. I use that but generally run in cooler climates so don’t need much. On the food front, I’d recommend chia charge chia chews if you’re uk based they are ace and Maurtens gel 100 for a simple gel that’s easier to get down.
To be honest road running is hard to recommend for but I would say something lighter weight like this montane.com/collections/hydration-vests/products/montane-gecko-vp
Thanks for sharing Darren. This video gives me a good idea of what I would like to try for my 3 hour easy run this weekend. Thanks for including the part where your fuel malfunctioned and ended up on your shirt, such a real thing!!! Have a great day and happy running Darren!
Thanks for sharing...rice is one of my favorites, so it is encouraging to see someone actually using it!
No worries, just bare in mind rice can be dangerous if not cooked and eaten right. It should not reach room temperature, either needs to be hot or cooled in the fridge. This can pose its issues. On ultra's I have some one with a cool box and only use on long runs when I know it'll remain cool enough (so early stages) this is due to spores. Though you may already know all this :)
Awesome advice it really works. I just can’t do the rice part.
Salted banana and dates
coconut water with salt
Thanks for the informative video. I like the idea of rice - you could also drip some honey through it for extra carbs. I've been taking very basic sandwiches on my long runs lately - white bread with the crusts cut off, a little bit of butter to help it go down and either honey or marmite. Marmite is good if you've had enough of the sweet stuff. The most natural gels I've found are a brand called Pure from New Zealand. These go down much better for me than other more processed gels.
Thanks, the only slight issue with rice is it has to be cooled in a fridge once cooked before reaching room temp for too long and likewise must be eaten when cool or steaming hot...when room temp theres a risk of spores which can make you sick...if you have a crew this is not a problem but if not near impossible to use. I had no crew in my latest 55 miler so used cheese and pickle wraps (just white tortilla type bread) and jam/peanut better wraps with some chia charge chews and other bits and pieces.
Thanks for usefull information
Great informative film thanks.
Thanks 😊
Loved this video. Found a few new companies and food recipes. Thanks!
Thanks glad it helped.
Good advice, thanks
Thanks Andrew hope it helps, I’m also going to play around with spring energy for the shorter stuff so will make a video about that at some point
Another great video, thanks Darren. I've got a few long races coming up this year (Yorkshire 3 peaks, 50k Pen y Ghent and a 50 miler ) so really interested in getting more natural foods on my runs. Cheers.
No worries its always a tough mix I do find on the natural food its best to try slow down when eating and be more strategic when to take it on board.
Thank you for the video! very useful
No problem hope it helped
@@DarrenSmithTrailRunning Hey, Darren, quick question. Have you ever tried to add 3-5g of creatine to your home made gel? Care to try if it makes difference?
Not something I have tried to be honest, idea of these was to keep it as simple as possible and natural of course but certainly worth trying if you feel it'll work for you.
Great tips! Exactly the info I needed
Glad it helped Alexis.
Good info. Beautiful place to run
Thanks :)
Enjoy the no fuss videos. Definitely some ‘food for thought’. What ratios do you use for making the gel? Cheers
Thanks James much appreciated. On the gel it’s made to taste, I put about 3/4 honey first then a dash of boiled water and add in the cherry in very small amounts, tasting with every addition until the bitter cherry taste cancels out the sweetness of the honey. The cherry is only used to make the honey more palatable so it will be personal preference mate
Cheers for this Darren, really useful. I'm plant based too so find more natural stuff sits better with me and looking into rice options so thanks for sharing.
No worries hope you get some ideas, just on the rice be careful when you cook and how you store as it can be dangerous if not treated right. I found it best to cook, put straight in fridge before cools, pull out to make packets then put straight back in fridge and only eat on the run before it gets to room temperature for too long. Can cause stomach issues otherwise, the key is not allowing it to reach room temp for more than an hour max...can be tricky when you run for long stretches.
@@DarrenSmithTrailRunning Thanks, will definitely bear that in mind. I'm going to look at the potato option too as these might be better for longer runs where you can't avoid having them at room temperature for several hours. Good to have some different options to try out
Yes potato is a good one, roast potatoes might be good...I am going to experiment with a homemade gel of potato and some fruit mix of some sort.
Thanks good stuff
ive just searched for alternative food to use instead of energy gels for long ultras . i starting to believe these gels are just a con and ive just started eating a pack of Haribo's instead. ill be trying your suggestion's
You should look into onigiri. They are japanese rice balls quite similar to your foil basmati idea.
Yes the idea came to me from having sushi homemade, just found it a little fiddly so tried to simplify :)
Endurance tap is another really good natural energy source and is definitely my favorite. It’s just maple syrup, sea salt and ginger. I have major stomach issues if I’m not eating right during a run and this never bothers my stomach.
Thanks for the suggestion Amy, will take a look at that
You’re welcome! Hopefully it works for you too! I’m going to try some of your suggestions!
Maple syrup = sugar = the bonk = avoid
Hi Darren, thanks for the insight, some great tips. My one concern is the rice based food. The reason being is because cooked rice can be extremely dangerous if not dealt with correctly. It really does need to be cooked cooled and refrigerated quickly, which can be done safely at home. But to have it in a race pack for long periods in warm sometimes hot conditions would be a serious concern to me. Not a criticism by any means but certainly something to think about. Great channel. Cheers👍🏻
Thanks for the feedback Simon and I agree the rice has to be handled well I put in a Fridge straight away and I take in a cooler box until transferring to a pack. For very long runs out this may be a problem and unsupported races likewise. I haven’t had an issue yet though
Hello I'm reading this comment and wondering what's unsafe about rice? I'd love to know more about this.. I love rice lol
Cheers on the channel!!
@@RoyRagnar Hi Roy, the problem with rice is it’s storage once cooked if not done correctly. Packets of already cooked and sealed rice you buy from supermarkets are fine. Home cooked rice when consumed soon after cooking is also fine. It’s the storage of home cooked rice and consumption later is problematic. If we don’t eat rice with the meal it is cooked for we bin it. If we need more later we cook more later.
@simonlakin5067 thanks so much for this. Learning all this nutritional information is a bit overwhelming but so eye opening at the same time.
Happy 4th to you all and happy trails
That sound wasteful. Sure bin it if it's gone bad, but don't do that as an precaution. Food shouldn't be wasted.
Do you have any recommendations for vegan gels or chews that digest quickly for quick fuel. I've been using date bars and toddlers organic fruit bars, but they are hard to digest later in a 50 k and I feel like I never get the energy and keep piling in food in my stomach. Also, I get super swollen in my lower abs like water tire hanging over my running belt, is this dehydration, like do I need more electrolytes or do I have too many electrolytes?
Hi, this is a very complicated subject but what you describe is what happens to me in ultras and I put much of it down to dehydration. The difficult part is understanding why you’re getting dehydrated, not enough fluid or not enough salt/sodium etc as it is possible to get too much sodium too…if you race in warmer weather and don’t use any products to get sodium and electrolytes I’d bet on lack of that and consider using precision hydration. I use that but generally run in cooler climates so don’t need much. On the food front, I’d recommend chia charge chia chews if you’re uk based they are ace and Maurtens gel 100 for a simple gel that’s easier to get down.
@DarrenSmithTrailRunning Thank you. I suspect it was too much water not enough salt.
Hi.. could you recommend a hydration vest for London marathon please?
To be honest road running is hard to recommend for but I would say something lighter weight like this montane.com/collections/hydration-vests/products/montane-gecko-vp