Cherry Super Gel

Marathon nutrition is critical during the race, and runners are advised to consume 2 to 3 energy gels per hour. The fast-acting energy boost these gels provide, thanks to their high carbohydrate content, is key to delaying fatigue. Regularly replenishing electrolytes helps the body restore key reserves as it sweats.

If you prefer to plan your marathon nutrition by distance, we recommend taking an OTE energy gel every 6-8 km to maintain energy.

Though much shorter, a half-marathon still requires deliberate nutrition for a successful race. We recommend taking your first energy gel around the 45-minute mark, using a caffeine gel to maintain high energy. Repeat this at around the 75-minute mark.

For runners who expect to run a half-marathon in over 2 hours, a general rule to follow is to use a gel every 30 minutes.

Thanks to their high-carb content, energy gels can be used during long runs to maintain energy levels and replenish electrolytes lost through sweat. Knowing when to take them comes down to assessing the intensity and duration of your exercise, though we recommend a general rule: use one gel around 30 to 45 minutes into your workout.

For runs or workouts under 60 minutes, energy gels are not required. This is because the body’s energy reserves should be well-equipped for handling such a short duration of exercise.

Marathon gels can make all the difference for race day performance, but how can you carry enough to last the entire race? Firstly, we recommend putting 2 to 3 gels in the pockets of your running shorts (be sure to zip them up!). Next, consider using an elastic, lightweight armband or belt to carry a few.

Once you have reached the limit for how many you can carry, ask a family member or friend to wait at a strategic point along your run to resupply your gels and provide much-needed energy boosts for the remaining kilometres.