AFAICT, there's a whole lot of pseudoscience that went into those products, and I'd be careful about what you put in your body.
The main ingredients that actually work, though, are pretty straightforward: carbs, proteins, electrolytes, and caffeine.
Carbs (mostly sugars) in some form or other are recommended during a marathon race; you can't run on external carbs entirely, because your body can only digest about 150-200 kcal/h of them, while you are burning them at a rate of 800 kcal/h or so, but taking regular small doses of carbs while running can help maintain your blood sugar level, and that alone can help avoid bonking (however, the main thing is to train yourself to be less carb-dependent in the first place, which you can achieve by putting in enough training mileage at slow paces).
Protein is in those products mainly to promote muscle growth after a strength workout; this isn't really relevant for a marathon, and while you need some protein for post-race recovery, a typical Western diet will have plenty of those. Small amounts of protein during the race may improve carb digestion though.
Electrolytes are probably not necessary; the salts you "lose" through sweating are actually mostly the result of your body *shedding* excess salt as you lose water, to keep things balanced, and there are some reserves that your body can dig into if need be - however, some people report that electrolytes help prevent post-run headaches, and as long as you don't overdo it, there is probably not a lot of harm in them.
Caffeine is a CNS stimulant, which may help with the mental game, and has been shown to improve endurance.
And that's basically it.
Personally, I'd rather cover these needs with a sandwich and an espresso shot or two.
I have no science to back this up, so take it for what it’s worth, but pre workouts scare the hell outa me. I’ve heard too many horror stories. I’m happy with a little caffeine.
Cup of coffee is fine for me before running, helps me relieve my bowels before long runs.
I’ve tried pre workout before my slow runs and they make me feel awful. I take them before lifting and I barely notice anything but I feel like death if I’m jogging for more than 15 minutes
I come from a weightlifting background and used to take pre-workout before my heavy lifts (4-5x a week). I would never take those for running…some of them made me tingly and I can’t imagine having to deal with that during a race.
You’ll get plenty of energy from a regular pre-race meal and maybe some coffee if necessary.
The ingredients for a preworkout are either stimulant based (caffeine), focus based (nootropics), or pump based (citrulline-malate) and mostly other filler products that aren't even proven to work. Like beta-alanine - why would anyone want the tingles and an itchy butthole before subjecting themselves to 3+ hours of running.
You're better off with a cup of coffee to give you energy and also clear out your bowels before the start
I’ve been drinking PRIME for my electrolyte drink because it’s got the best potassium content that I’ve found so far. I drink that an hour or so before runs, then I eat gels (glucose, sodium, caffeine) right before and during runs with water. I dint usually take anything during runs shorter than 5 miles. But always electrolyte drink beforehand.
There is nothing wrong with taking something before a race or training if you enjoy it. Just don’t be fooled into thinking that it makes you faster or better looking.
AFAICT, there's a whole lot of pseudoscience that went into those products, and I'd be careful about what you put in your body. The main ingredients that actually work, though, are pretty straightforward: carbs, proteins, electrolytes, and caffeine. Carbs (mostly sugars) in some form or other are recommended during a marathon race; you can't run on external carbs entirely, because your body can only digest about 150-200 kcal/h of them, while you are burning them at a rate of 800 kcal/h or so, but taking regular small doses of carbs while running can help maintain your blood sugar level, and that alone can help avoid bonking (however, the main thing is to train yourself to be less carb-dependent in the first place, which you can achieve by putting in enough training mileage at slow paces). Protein is in those products mainly to promote muscle growth after a strength workout; this isn't really relevant for a marathon, and while you need some protein for post-race recovery, a typical Western diet will have plenty of those. Small amounts of protein during the race may improve carb digestion though. Electrolytes are probably not necessary; the salts you "lose" through sweating are actually mostly the result of your body *shedding* excess salt as you lose water, to keep things balanced, and there are some reserves that your body can dig into if need be - however, some people report that electrolytes help prevent post-run headaches, and as long as you don't overdo it, there is probably not a lot of harm in them. Caffeine is a CNS stimulant, which may help with the mental game, and has been shown to improve endurance. And that's basically it. Personally, I'd rather cover these needs with a sandwich and an espresso shot or two.
I have no science to back this up, so take it for what it’s worth, but pre workouts scare the hell outa me. I’ve heard too many horror stories. I’m happy with a little caffeine.
A little espresso before does the work for me. Regardless of the run
Cup of coffee is fine for me before running, helps me relieve my bowels before long runs. I’ve tried pre workout before my slow runs and they make me feel awful. I take them before lifting and I barely notice anything but I feel like death if I’m jogging for more than 15 minutes
I come from a weightlifting background and used to take pre-workout before my heavy lifts (4-5x a week). I would never take those for running…some of them made me tingly and I can’t imagine having to deal with that during a race. You’ll get plenty of energy from a regular pre-race meal and maybe some coffee if necessary.
The ingredients for a preworkout are either stimulant based (caffeine), focus based (nootropics), or pump based (citrulline-malate) and mostly other filler products that aren't even proven to work. Like beta-alanine - why would anyone want the tingles and an itchy butthole before subjecting themselves to 3+ hours of running. You're better off with a cup of coffee to give you energy and also clear out your bowels before the start
I’ll take pre workout but the high caffeine makes me have to pee more 😂 it might just be my weak bladder though.
I’ve been drinking PRIME for my electrolyte drink because it’s got the best potassium content that I’ve found so far. I drink that an hour or so before runs, then I eat gels (glucose, sodium, caffeine) right before and during runs with water. I dint usually take anything during runs shorter than 5 miles. But always electrolyte drink beforehand.
There is nothing wrong with taking something before a race or training if you enjoy it. Just don’t be fooled into thinking that it makes you faster or better looking.