Has anyone had experience using Maurten for marathon fueling? In the past I have always used various gels or chews along with Gatorade Endurance Formula. Maurten sounds intriguing, though, and I was thinking of giving it a try.
1 Like
Hmm, I’d never heard of Maurten before.
When I ran NY in 2008, I used Gu gels, which I considered to be nasty but helpful. (One hard 6x1-mile workout in the middle of a 14-mile run, while I was learning to use them, I took a strawberry Gu and found myself spitting what seemed like blood shortly after. I was in the middle of a hard mile and panicked for a moment that I was bleeding internally somehow before I realized it was just the gel, which I hadn’t known was colored red.)
My sense has been that there isn’t really much difference between the different brands, such that it’s more important to find one you like and that works well for you without messing with your stomach.
Perhaps @vedgund or @ChelseaB or @ellie-pell have more experience with modern fueling products.
So Keith, what Marathon are you training for? Virtual or (we hope) actual?
I am not the best person to ask b/c I tend to have a lot of trouble fueling during a marathon (i.e. gag and vomit). Sorry too much detail! I have tried a lot of different products including Maurten. I used the drink at CIM - did not get sick, yay! Then I used the drink and gels at Twin Cities - did get sick, boo. I find both the gels and drinks very sweet - it’s like consuming straight sugar and has no flavor. It also does not seem salty enough for me. All that said, the product is widely used and loved by pros.
2 Likes
Working toward Virtual Boston next month. Plan to run it on the Jim Schug/Dryden Rail Trails.
1 Like
Good for you!! But where is Heartbreak Hill on those trails? And where are the cheering Wellesley girls? And the guys offering you a beer on Beacon St.?? 
1 Like
Chelsea -
Thanks for the feedback! Did you rely on just the Maurten drink at CIM or did you use some other fuel as well to supplement it? Also, do you remember if you used the 160 or 320?
What I’ve learned with any kind of fueling is that you should experiment with your long training runs before the actual event. Everyone handle fuel differently. I agree with Adam that Gu’s are really bad – they’re not easy to swallow goo, but rather like a clop of slimy solid going down. Years ago, I used PowerBar gels, but I don’t think those are made any longer. I’ve come to like Hammer gels – those seem to be much easier to swallow than Gu. As far as drink, you should figure out what works for you. What works for one person doesn’t always work for another. Especially at trail ultras where you’ll get a spread of “food” at aid stations like salt potatoes, chips, bananas, gummy bears, M&Ms, PBJ sandwiches, hot broth, etc., etc.
Steve
2 Likes
There’s always the Dryden Hotel and Agway! 
@KateB is also training for a fall virtual marathon, but I think hers is a bit later.
3 Likes
I used the Maurten 160 for both CIM and Twin Cities. I took Spring gels at both marathons too. I really like the Spring gels b/c they are thinner than other gels and go down easier (for me). I did find that alternating between water and the Maurten helped to cut the sweetness. I also mixed my bottles to have more or less Maurten concentrations. As other people noted, it’s all about experimenting during long runs and long run workouts. If you can’t get something from Ian’s store, I’ve found that The Feed is good for ordering single servings which makes for more affordable testing! Happy fueling!
2 Likes
Lots of great inputs already, especially from Chelsea who has run marathons much more frequently in the last few years. I have tried Maurteen and actually like it a lot. I first tried it during a long run workout of 50 minutes easy followed by 3 x (5K at marathon pace, 1K floating at a steady pace) ~ 24 miles while training for CIM 2019. Up until then, I had typically relied on Gu Roctane (various flavors) and found that 2 during a race or long workout were fine, but a third one started causing stomach cramps and discomfort. On the other hand, Maurteen felt really easy on the stomach and I actually felt like the energy release was much more steady as opposed to Gu which tends to give me bursts of energy. Post-run, I also felt that I wasn’t as depleted when I consumed Maurteen. I had 3 Maurteen gels at CIM and they did their job.
3 Likes
I’m actually adding in a hill on East Lake Rd, off the south end of the trail. It will be at about the 4 mile point, though, instead of at 20 miles - much less heartbreaking. Unfortunately, there is no Scream Tunnel on the trail. That will be sorely missed.
Keith, actually to simulate Boston you should start at the top of E Lake Road and get that downhill from Hopkinton. I remember how steep that was the one time I ran Boston. Back when only 3k or so runners. To simulate Heartbreak you could go up George Rd. to the south, then back to the trail. Maybe we can arrange a Dryden Purple Lions cheerleader practice session at the George Rd. crossing to inspire you?
1 Like
I was intrigued to see this article summarizing a lot of research that carbo loading doesn’t work. Lots of other general advice in the article.
https://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/carbohydrate-loading-does-not-work.html