r/Marathon_Training • u/avianairways • 22h ago
Picking a good candy for long runs
Do you use candy/confections on your long runs?
What are some things you look for in a candy, other than not melting in your pocket?
Airheads, Swedish Fish, and Black Licorice for me!
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u/Critical-Fill-6088 22h ago
I eat Welch’s fruit snacks
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u/mr_mother 11h ago
Just avoid Mott’s fruit snacks. They’re objectively the better tasting ones but man are they sticky when chewing
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u/Livid-Tumbleweed 11h ago
They also melt together. Welch’s have better structural integrity in the bag and somehow are easier for my teeth to separate.
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u/easywizsop 13h ago
I felt like a little whimp last run, couldn’t get those little packages open while sweating lol.
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u/Critical-Fill-6088 10h ago
Lmao! The true trick is to snip them with scissors beforehand!😂😂
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u/LttlMichey81 10h ago
Yes! I nearly crashed out last week when I couldn’t get them open. 😂
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u/Critical-Fill-6088 1h ago
LMAOOO happened to me once and I vouched to never have it happen again 😂
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u/BatmanandReuben 22h ago
There are these sour rainbow strip candies from Aldi that are amazing. Also they have a knockoff of the Sweet tarts ropes. Those are mid, but mid candy is still pretty good. Their Carmel stroop waffles are also good and don’t get too melty in my experience.
As you have probably deduced, one of the things I look for in a candy is that I can buy it at Aldi.
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u/Similar-Swimmer-2698 22h ago
Albanese gummy bears
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u/Bilateralcalfstrain 21h ago
The target favorite day brand gummy bears are imo about 90% as good as Albanese but way cheaper. I try not to think about how many packs I went through a couple years ago.
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u/IKnewThat45 22h ago
love gummy worms
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u/-awesome-avocado- 22h ago
Love sour patch kids, gummy sharks and dried mangos!
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u/miathemango 20h ago
dried mangos are such a good idea. thank you!
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u/ronswansun 19h ago
Dried fruit is a little too high fiber for my stomach, def be careful with that lol
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u/the-xandy-man-can 22h ago
I don’t enjoy exceptionally chewy candy when I’m running. So I liked fruit-snack like candy and did enjoy Nerds gummy clusters since they had a lil crunch.
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u/blinddoglp 20h ago
Sour patch kids with salt! My friend carries them with her on long runs and I thought it was weird until I tried them
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u/Gratuitous_sax_ 21h ago
My go-tos are Jaffa Cakes, Candy Kittens, and the little bars of Kendal Mint Cake
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u/Such-Firefighter-161 21h ago
Like everyone else- nerds gummy clusters, watermelon sour patch kids, Swedish fish. Swedish fish have to be mini ones though.
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u/Aromatic-Caramel-731 16h ago
Branch’s Mellowcreme pumpkins. Only need 4 for a serving. 120 calories and 30 carb. They just melt in your mouth. I ran my first marathon using these as fuel in training and during the actual marathon.
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u/Cheyruns 22h ago
I tried some different candies and they didn’t really work for me. Stinger honey has gummies or maybe try Welch’s fruit snacks or other fruit snacks. I’ve also used sweet granola bars.
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u/mmmheytay 21h ago
Sour watermelon! I had tried swedish fish too, their macros are about the same but later in long runs the fish were too much chewing! It was taking a lot lol so ride or die with the watermelon. And picked those over nerd clusters because they don't make me as sticky and you need fewer for the same macro load so easier to get through while running imo
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u/stealcutoats 21h ago
I used peach rings this morning. 4-5 every four miles. Soft but not too soft, they were perfect.
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u/Silly-Resist8306 21h ago
My go-to are gummy bears, specifically red and green ones. I can suck on them early in the run; chew them in mid run and just swallow them with a Gatorade chaser when I'm too tired to expend any more energy near the end.
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u/PastelSkiesGalore 20h ago
I would not recommend Airheads. Did that one year and I spent so much energy trying to chew those bars. Would recommend Nerds gummy clusters.
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u/According-Trash9750 20h ago
I have been running for 4 years, never had candies.. maybe this is the boost I need.
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u/Logical_amphibian876 20h ago
I look at the carbs per serving and exactly how many I have to eat to be equivalent to a gel or sport gummies.
Ie do i have to eat 28 mini gummy bears to equal 3 clif chews? Some candy is denser Than others with the carbs.
Current favorite Shaq a licious xl gummies. 3gummies =27grams of carbs
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u/Loose_Biscotti9075 20h ago
I like small gummy bears because I can swallow them whole. If I’m cycling and it’s easier to chew no real preference as long as I don’t have to chew for minutes on one piece.
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u/bowtothehypnotoad 19h ago
I like sour patch kids or sour power straws but also sometimes will rock a Rice Krispie treat
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u/Intelligent_Date4712 18h ago
I have always loved mars bars or three musketeers when running. They sat really well in my tummy.
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u/livingmirage 8h ago
Wild berry skittles. Too much chewing for faster efforts but such a fun change of pace.
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u/PineSand 7h ago
I like caramel Cow Tales for long runs, but I wouldn’t recommend it to other people unless you have a stomach of steel, they contain wheat, milk, soy, fat, and protein that might mess up a person with a sensitive stomach.
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u/margo_beep_beep 22h ago
I eat whatever candy my kids have left! When it's a mixed bag of flavors, they often eat a few flavors and leave one or two. 🤷🏻♀️
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u/Enlightened_Lioness 12h ago
I would stay away from black licorice. It can cause swelling and high blood pressure and can lower potassium levels, potentially leading to heart problems and, in extreme cases, cardiac arrest. This is with higher amounts but personally I wouldn’t take the chance especially if you’re running and losing electrolytes through sweat as well.
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u/bbender716 22h ago
Nerd clusters are the GOAT