Should I carry my own fuel during a sub-3 marathon attempt?

My parents both ran marathons, and they never carried gels or sports drinks. That ethos was common well into the 1970s and 1980s, when fuelling mid-race was often seen as unnecessary or even weak. Many runners prided themselves on getting through the full 26.2 with nothing but water, and guidance around nutrition was minimal at best. I followed in their footsteps for my first two marathons and hit the wall hard around mile 20.

Since then, I’ve fuelled every sub-3 marathon I’ve run – sometimes even to the point of overfuelling – and I’ve always carried my own nutrition.

I take eight gels in total. Three are decanted into a 150ml soft flask to avoid tearing packets mid-course. Another 250ml soft flask holds water mixed with High 5 energy powder for an extra caffeine kick. I stash these in my Camelbak running belt and in the long side pockets of my OMM shorts – they don’t bounce and they’re easy to reach.

My go-to is High 5 aqua gels with caffeine, but I’m considering switching to Maurten for Berlin. The most important thing is to find the brand and flavour that suits you and to use it in training. One of Sub-3’s golden rules is clear: nothing new on race day. Your gut doesn’t want surprises.

Course nutrition is almost never like-for-like. At London, the Lucozade Sport in cups tasted nothing like the bottled version. It might just be me – but it’s a variable I don’t want to gamble on. If you want control, bring your own. Even spotting the fuel stations can be tricky at sub-3 pace. And once you do, there’s no guarantee they’ll be in stock or that you’ll reach them without losing time or rhythm in the crowd.

Here are five things to bear in mind:

1. Test your belt setup. Don’t assume it works. I once lost most of my gels by mile 3 at the Yorkshire Marathon when my belt’s loops shed them one by one.
2. Airport rules can be tricky. I once had to negotiate my way through security in Valencia when my gel stash didn’t fit the clear liquid bag.
3. Practise your technique. Opening gels and drinking at pace is a skill – rehearse it.
4. Take early and often. A gel every 20 to 25 minutes works for most runners. Don’t wait until you feel empty – frontload when you can.
5. Don’t improvise mid-race. Avoid jelly beans and mystery sponsor gels. A freebie is not worth GI issues or a toilet stop.

Carrying your own fuel isn’t just about convenience. It’s about minimising risk and staying in control. When you’re chasing sub-3, every second counts – and every variable you can eliminate helps stack the odds in your favour. Fuel like it matters, because it does.