If you can stomach "real" food that woud be your best bet. I have had no GI problems with eating Uncrustables whole wheat with peanut butter and honey...they are packaged perfectly for a race and each one has 290 calories (good balance of fat, carbs, and protein).

It could be that you are slightly dehydrated. How much water do you consume during your long run?

I'd also recommend that you use water instead of an electrolyte drink and bring a few salt tablets along with you. I used to have the same problem and now take in more water than I used to and I keep the Gatorade at home. I also take a Sat Stick Cap every hour, which provides me with the electrolytes that I need, particularly during these hot months of training.

So gels (Hammer Gels are my current favorite), salt tablets, water, and immediately after your long run be sure you take in lots of water.

Don't use immodium on long runs! I'm no medical guru (despite efforts to convince my wife to play doctor ), but the way I understand immodium is that it works by slowing down your digestive processes. This can translate into reduced uptake of food/hydration by your body during a long run. I have personally witnessed DNF's in ultras where the "victim" reported having taken immodium, and then after a few hours said they felt like their gut wouldn't empty. They were dehydrated and ill enough to stop trying. As best I recall, these cases were well under the 50-mile point in 100's.

The best way to deal with the runs on runs is to just deal with it. Address the potential causes, for sure, but carry toilet paper and don't be shy!

quote:<HR>Originally posted by kestrou:
Thanks for the replies gang - could certainly be that I'm not drinking "water" - but instead swigging down those gels with a carbo drink (Gatorade or Clip 2) and making too thick of a soup in my stomach. Not sure how that would cause diarrhea, but could be?!

I don't think it's dehydration at all - over halfway through my 21 miler last Sunday I had to stop to pee - so kidney's are functioning fine.

I'll stick with the no fructose but more water with the gels and try to add in some more solid food.

My next long training run is a 40-mile "night run" this Saturday. If the problem's going to show up, then it'll definitely show up then!

kestrou<HR>

How many calories an hour are you ingesting? And how many ounces of fluids are you drinking per hour? Are you replacing your electrolytes?

Generally using just gels and a carbo drink is hard on the stomach. It's best to separate the two, meaning if you use gels, then use water with an electrolyte replacement and don't use the sports drink. And visa versa, if you use a sports drink, don't use gels.

I bet you are dehydrated, drinking a sports drink for hydration is tough, its mainly used for fuel, not hydration. Especially if you are using gels, that sloshy feeling you get is because your stomach can't keep up with the digestion of the carbs from the drink and the gels.

Btw, your body will absorb 200-300 calories an hour, and you can drink anywhere from 20-40oz of fluids an hour, depending on how much you sweat.

Good luck.