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Scenario answer

The cheapest way to fuel a marathon properly

Hitting 60–75 g/hr for four hours can cost $8 or $40 depending on the product. The cheap answer is usually a drink mix plus a supermarket carb.

Carb target for this profile
≈ 70 g/hr
To hit ~70 g/hr carbs: about 2.3 C30 Fuel Drink Mix per hour (69 g/hr). For a cool road race your sodium need is small. Plain water plus your carb fuel covers it; add electrolytes to taste.

The three-product answer

#1 · 67% matchDrink Mixes · Drink

NEVERSECOND C30 Fuel Drink Mix

30 g carbs · 200 mg sodium · Science Score 100
  • Caffeine-free, as you asked.
#2 · 67% matchDrink Mixes · Drink

Precision Fuel & Hydration Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix (PF 30/60)

30 g carbs · 500 mg sodium · Science Score 100
  • Caffeine-free, as you asked.
#3 · 67% matchDrink Mixes · Drink

Maurten Drink Mix 160

41 g carbs · 210 mg sodium · Science Score 100
  • Caffeine-free, as you asked.

Why

Cost per 25 g of carbohydrate is the honest comparison, and it varies almost fivefold across the catalog. Gels are the most expensive way to carry carbs; drink mixes and some chews are the cheapest.

What matters: pick the primary carb source on cost per 25 g, then check that its sodium and blend are adequate for the race. The cheapest-way tool ranks every product and every gel-plus-drink combo for your target and race length.

The trap is buying a variety pack of premium gels to "test". Test two candidates from the top of the cost ranking; experimentation is cheaper when the options are.

Also fits

Science in Sport Beta Fuel Gel · 67% match · 40 g→Precision Fuel & Hydration PF 30 Chew · 67% match · 30 g→Precision Fuel & Hydration PF 30 Gel · 67% match · 30 g→Science in Sport Beta Fuel Energy Chews · 67% match · 45 g→Science in Sport Beta Fuel 80 Energy Drink Mix · 67% match · 80 g→

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