Top Recommendation: REIZE Energy!
You might have previously run a half marathon, so now it’s time to step up the challenge, and attempt a full marathon!
I personally think running a marathon is a great way to keep healthy and fit. This is because you’ll have to pile up months of training for the big day whereby you’ll build up the discipline to cross the finish line.
Running a marathon isn’t merely your legs “carrying” you to the goal, but also your willpower and help from external stimulants. And by external stimulants, I mean, energy drinks!
Read on to see how energy drinks can help you in completing a marathon, and make sure you read till the end for some recommendations for the best energy drinks for a marathon!
Energy Drinks and Marathon
If you’re wondering why energy drinks are a suitable match for running a marathon, it’s primarily due to caffeine.
Caffeine is proven useful especially when it comes to endurance events like a marathon. However, this doesn’t mean the more caffeine you consume, the faster you’ll be able to complete 26.2 miles.
Everyone has a different reaction and tolerance toward caffeine. If you’re planning to use energy drinks to help your marathon course, you should train with them even before the big day.
Other than caffeine, energy drinks also contain other ingredients like taurine, creatine, and BCAAs —all of which may not be found in most energy drinks as it is catered more towards muscle recovery.
In short, consuming an energy drink for your marathon is a good move.
Is it OK to consume caffeine for a marathon?
Consuming caffeine for a marathon can be of great advantage to you as caffeine can enhance your physical performance, providing you with the energy boost and endurance you need to reach that goal.
As with how you may depend on caffeine at the start of the day to wake you up, consuming it before running a marathon can increase your alertness, which is important to get you through the finish line.
Other than that, if you’re joining a marathon to lose weight, caffeine can actually increase fat burning, and that’s a bonus for everyone too.
Most importantly, caffeine is proven to increase your running speed, so if you’re aiming for the top or to complete your run in record time, you could try caffeine as a natural performance enhancer!
Is it OK to consume sugar for a marathon?
The consumption of sugar for a marathon may be beneficial as it can act as fuel for your run. However, do make sure you consume it in moderation as sugar is generally unhealthy.
Excess consumption of sugar can affect your health and waistline, which I doubt you would like especially if you’re trying to keep to a healthy lifestyle.
Getting sugar from natural sources of food is substantial enough to fuel your run, so I personally don’t see the need to go all out and load up on excess sugar before a marathon run.
How much water should you drink before a marathon?
Before a marathon, it’s important to make sure that you’re in your best condition. To do that it’ll be vital to make sure that you aren’t dehydrated, as it may lead to a decline in physical strength and endurance.
However, over-hydrating yourself wouldn’t be beneficial for you either. As a general rule of thumb, it’ll be good to drink 12 to 16 ounces of water within the duration after you wake up to an hour before your race.
Tip: You can also check the color of your urine for hydration level —a clearer pee indicates that you’re well hydrated.
What is the best thing to drink during a marathon?
To rehydrate during a marathon, you could either go for water or a sports drink, as these two promote rehydration. At that point, you should stay away from caffeinated beverages as it has diuretic properties.
According to studies, it’s suggested that it’s best to rehydrate during a marathon, as you would be losing fluids while running through your sweat and breathing.
What can I drink after a marathon?
After you’ve completed your marathon, you should first, of course, bask in the glory, but also ensure that you’re properly hydrated. To do that, you could drink water or sports drinks to rehydrate!
Once you’re well-hydrated and feel the need for an energy boost, here’s where energy drinks would come in handy. It’ll be good to choose one with moderate caffeine content and also one with little to no sugar.
This will help energize you enough to get through the rest of the day until you reach the sweet comfort of your bed.
Besides that, if you’re feeling sore after a marathon, you could try a protein shake consisting of Greek yogurt, banana, and berries. This could help your muscles to recover.
Can I drink Red Bull for a marathon?
I personally think that there are other energy drinks out there that could be a better suit for you rather than Red Bull Energy Drink.
An 8.4 fl. oz can of Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine, an amount I think is moderate enough before or after a marathon.
However, Red Bull also contains 27g of sugar, which means you’ll be loading up on a lot of unnecessary sugar that could potentially harm your run.
Is it good to drink an energy drink before running a marathon?
In order to complete a full marathon, you’ll need all the energy you can get to help you through 26.2 miles. Drinking an energy drink before you run may just be what you need!
Can energy drinks help with running stamina?
Yes, it does, as long as you consume energy drinks in moderation.
When it comes to endurance sports, stamina is all-important in ensuring you are able to complete it. Especially for a full marathon with 26.2 miles, you’re gonna need all the stamina you can muster to get to the finish line.
This is where energy drinks can be a good partner for your run. A study previously conducted concluded that runners who drank energy drinks an hour prior to their run managed to complete their course in a faster time.
This shows that they’ve enough stamina to finish faster as compared to the ones in the placebo group.
Other than that, caffeine in energy drinks can be a mood booster which could also play a part in prolonging your running stamina.
What to consume during long runs?
Here are some options for what you can consume during long runs:
- Sports Drinks. Carbs in liquid form with added sodium and potassium are essentially what sports drinks are, and it serves as an easy way for you to rehydrate on the go.
- Gels. A super-concentrated carbohydrate source that has been designed for endurance sports.
- Energy Bars. Though energy bars could satiate your hunger while on a marathon, you might, unfortunately, find it hard to digest or swallow due to their dryness.
- Natural Foods. Dried fruits, Twizzlers, or gummy bears are high carbs, sugary options with less fat and protein.
Check out this video to learn more about your energy drink options for the long run.
How to choose the most suitable energy drink for running a marathon?
The best energy drink for running a marathon is dependable on your caffeine tolerance and what you’re most accustomed to in terms of energy-boosting beverages.
If you’re more sensitive to caffeine, excess consumption can deter physical performance. This is due to the side effects you could be experiencing later on.
It’s also good to train with your energy drink of choice so as to gauge which one is suitable for you on the day of the marathon.
How long does an energy drink last when running a marathon?
Once you’ve consumed an energy drink, it peaks around 45 minutes after. Hence, you should drink your energy drink an hour prior to your run to make use of its full benefits.
After consuming an energy drink, the caffeine would work in your bloodstream for hours and could possibly last throughout your entire marathon.
Best Energy Drink for a Marathon
| Energy Drinks | Caffeine | Sugar |
| Bang Energy Drink | 300mg | 0 |
| Advocare Spark Energy Drink | 120mg | 0 |
| REIZE Energy Drink | 50mg | 0 |
Bang Energy Drink
To start off your marathon with a “bang”, Bang Energy Drink contains a crazy amount of caffeine at 300mg, which places it on the list of strong energy drinks.
If you’re interested in drinking this for your marathon, be sure to train with it just to gauge your body’s reaction and tolerance.
Bang Energy Drink contain creatine and BCAAs, which could potentially help with muscle recovery; however, there’s no further research to prove that the content is substantial to work well.
I do however like the fact that it’s zero sugar and zero calories.
Advocare Spark Energy Drink
If 300mg of caffeine scared you, how about Advocare Spark Energy Drink with only 120mg of caffeine? Additionally, though it does have 15 calories, it has zero sugar, which I think is a plus.
Besides that, I think the moderate caffeine content would be well-suited for you to run your marathon.
There are also about 10 flavors to choose from so you’ll never have to worry about getting tired of drinking the same flavor every time.
REIZE Energy Drink
As someone with low caffeine tolerance, I would definitely choose REIZE Energy Drink as it contains only 50mg of caffeine. Despite the minimal caffeine, I find that it is still the right amount of caffeine for my marathon run.
On top of that, REIZE Energy drink is also sugar-free, which is great ’cause I’m also trying to cut down my sugar consumption.
I could mix a packet of REIZE about 45 minutes before my run and mix another packet after I’ve crossed the finish line.
Not to mention, REIZE ships right to your door for only around $1 per drink (including shipping). That’s amazing value for money.
Give REIZE a try today and you might just find that it will be the perfect running partner that’ll help you cross the finish line at 26.2 miles.