Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

[Good Times]

Ok so I've been quietly training for a half and full marathon for the last 8 weeks now. It's been very difficult to say the least and I've come to the point where my body has finally acclimated to the routine.

It all began with the thread on the "UY's Biggest Loser Contest" (http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=3695.0) which really got me thinking about how overweight / unfit I was. I knew looking at the mirror every morning that I had to definitely do something or I'd fall victim to the millions of overweight individuals with a lot of medical issues. Since I'm not a big fan of needles I figure I'd go about the conservative route by changing my eating habits and also exercising.

Welp I've got to the point where I can honestly prepare for the half and full marathon.

I know that we have some avid outdoor members here that run, swim, hike and bike. I also know that many of you have trained for similar adventures and wanted to get a different perspectives to the whole deal with energy gels. Have any of ya tried any of the energy gels? I just started taking the GU Vanilla gel but haven't had the chance to try any other brand but wanted to hear from other members that have tried other brands. Which brands are the best and what flavors are your favorite?

I'm running close to 1 hr on my weekday run and my weekend runs are starting to hit the teens so I really need to make sure my body doesn't fall apart from the long runs. I sweat like a crazy sweat monster so I know I'm losing a lot of fluids. I'm being proactive by drinking water in 30 min intervals but I really haven't started on the gel route on a routine basis. A friend who trains for these full marathons recommended them to me and gave me a few to get me started but I'm honestly clueless as to which brand/flavor I should look at. Vanilla seems to be the most neutral flavor so it works for me now (only cuz I got em from my friend) but I've noticed some other cool flavors so now I'm like a little kid having a difficult time trying to decide which one to get!

Tom, I know you've trained for a triathlon so I'd like to hear from you too!

ps, I know that at the end of the day I'm just going to have to sit down and try em all to see if it agrees with my stomach but hopefully some of ya have friend a few flavors and can help me narrow down some based on experiences.

thanks! :)

[randver]

im a huge fan of "GU". used to use it all the time mountain biking, and for force marches with the military.

[4x4mike]

Supplements are kind of like toliet paper, everyone has their favorite brand. I think I've tried everything on the market, even stuff that isn't around any more. Companies make a bunch of different products and market them to different users for use at different times. There are before event drinks, gels, bars, capsels, etc. There ones for during and after as well.
I'm a cyclist. I ride short rides and long rides, road and mountain. For the most part I always have a few GU brand gels with me. I tend to go through flavor phases. I like the Clif blocks but they are really sweet and I think would be too much for running. You want to make sure you have water to get them down and to get them working. Clif bars are good and easy to pack whatever you're doing. For drink I usually go with water or Gatorade. Most other drinks are a bit too much for me and over time give me stomach aches. Again I've drank gallons and gallons of everything out there.

This year I'm doing the triple crown, 3 or more 200 mile road bike rides. I have done different endurance mountain and road races but the doubles are a little different. The Davis Double was in May I think and the high temp was 109. There was ample support but rest stops were 20-40 miles apart. I did the ride with 2 small water bottles and no camelback. I feel the water packs are too heavy and you tend to over fill them with a bunch of stuff you don't need. I started using Hammer Products Endrolytes. They are electrolite replacments. I tend to sweat like a stuck pig and on a 200 mile bike ride I need them to keep going. Without them you tend to get heat exhaustion and or need to carry more bottles/camelback (crap). When you're out there for 13+ hours I don't eat GU packets. Rest stops have things like potato chips, boiled potatoes, pretzles, canned soda, fruit and tizzlers. I like this because it is stuff that your body recognizes. You don't want to over do it though otherwise you'll have a sugar crash. I would keep a few GU's and a Clif bar in my pocket but at the end of these rides I still have them at the end of the ride. These new fangled "sports supplements" are good but they're expensive. First focus on training. Ramp up and as you get further you will be stronger and them know what your limitations are. I rode 60 hard miles Saturday with nothing more than a banana and clif bar in my jersey pocket. Others would be loaded down with GU's, shots, bottles, creams, pills, etc. It's not all necessary.

In short go out and buy a "few" items and use them one at a time. If you mix all this junk you will get sick (a lot of these things have caffene and high sodium)and claim they don't work. If you use one at a time you will find which ones you like and which ones you tolerate. One bad thing is if you get stuck with only liking one brand of food and drink. If you run a marathon and they stock differnt stuff you might be SOL and have to carry your own stuff the whole course.

[4x4mike]

Some more:
My Dad is a runner. 8 years ago he joined a gym and started running. He was 43 and in good shape. He's a little guy and fit but hadn't run for over 20 years. 8 years later he has run marathons all over the country (not super hard core but just likes to visit new places and mix it up) and placed in the top 5 for his age group in some of them. He's a little old school and wasn't keen on trying the stuff I used to use on rides, runs, hikes, etc. He was more of oatmeal for breakfast and a water bottle while running. Currently he runs marathons with a 70 oz. Camelback and GU's. He likes the Camelback because he has his hands free, water at demand and he doesn't have to stop at the choas that is a water station. If you're going to get hurt during a marathon it will be at the water station. I think he usually has a little bagt of pretzels as well. I got him into taking the endrolyte tablets because he runs in the heat and tends to cramp. I tell him it's his 51 year old body, 25 mile training runs and heat but he just says it's his shoes.

Part of the old school part is routine. He has his days at the gym and Saturday outdoor runs. He eats well and walks at lunch during the week. He also runs the same all the time. If he's feeling really good he still keeps a marathon pace and only runs what he set out to do. I don't know what his marathon mile pace is but he keeps it the entire time, for an event. As the years pass he shaves off a little time and each marathon is faster than the last. He stays on pace but uses training runs to fine tune his pace.

So Lance try everything and use what works. It will be different than me and maybe different from the other guy. My dad likes this book and re-reads part of it before marathons. $10 on Amazon.
The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer (Paperback)

[Good Times]

thanks for the insights guys!

I'm really not too worried about the gel brand on the course because I'll be packing my own. the last thing I want to deal with is consuming some other "brand/flavor" that my stomach is not used to and experience death because I gotta take a crapper on the course :) I will have a small water bottle with me and I'm "sorta" ok with it. Really don't want a backpack/camelback so that won't happen. I don't plan to hit all of the water stations (especially in the beginning) but will literally stop to visit the "rest" station as part of my "whew I'm crazy" breaks. Figure this way I won't get killed by trying to run around other athletes.

I've never been big on energy supplements back when I used to run/mtn bike etc so this whole aspect is really new to me. Usually water would be the only thing I would carry for most of my long adventures but I know I should make sure I don't drop dead either.

I'll start trying one gel flavor after my long 60+ min runs over the next 8 weeks to figure out which one works best. Figure by then I should have a good idea which one tastes good and doesn't upset my stomach. That's probably my biggest fear at this point. Making sure my stomach doesn't go crazy.

Side note, I'm not sure if I'll do the Clif Bar while on route during my runs. I'll consume some after the run but not during. Something about "eating" while I run just doesn't sit well.

[4x4mike]

Depending on what you read they say that it'll take 30-45 minutes for your body to start absorbing "food." This is one of the reasons there are sport beans, clif blocks, gu's, etc.

I did a ride last year that had cytomax and gatorade. I thought, cool I drink gatorade. Thing was the water in the region I was in was horrible. One stop was an old school house and just seeing the pump they were using to pull water would have made you gag. Another place the water was really cloudy. Ultimate makes some good water bottle holsters. They also make some belts that will hold GU flasks and bottles.

[paddlenbike]

I find GU vanilla to be the least offensive of the products I have tried. I am so sick of eating Powerbars and Clif bars; someone needs to make an energy bar that tastes like something other than chalk with cocoa powder.

[Teotwaki]

Hey Lance! Happy birthday!

Be sure to buy a few samples and try the types out, with and without caffeine. I really like the Powerbar Chocolate and the Gu Apple (tastls like apple pie filler)

[NakSuKow]

cytomax FTW

[TDiddy]

Lance - wow, I'm only about 3 years late on this... How did it end up working out for you?

[Good Times]

Holy crap Tom!

welp not much as happened... ha! was hoping that I'd be all trim but that wasn't meant to be.

I did however finish 2 marathons, 8 (I think) half marathons and a hand full of 5k/10k's but the last run I did was earlier this year completing a series for a local half marathon run. Work has really put a curve ball so I haven't been able to run regularly to make it worthwhile to do any more races. I've learned that running 26 miles is really not that enjoyable so I've been sticking to halves and even then it's really not that fun so I'm honestly lost as to why I subject myself to that pain/stupidity. Maybe running is just too boring... regardless I just view it is as a means to an end to get rid of the flat tire on me.

What I've learned from trying the various gels is that I really like the GU Tri Berry. Ended up going to REI to buy a bunch of different ones and see how it impacted my body. I learned that some just didn't work as my stomach said so pretty quickly. Good thing I just used it while running on the treadmill so it wasn't committing suicide but I did finally find a few that I liked so I just ran with that. Not sure if it's the best performing product but it helped on the longer runs and/or is useful for the burst of energy I needed on race day.

I have recently reinvigorated myself to run again so it'll be interesting if I will use the gels. The funny thing is that after doing a bunch of various runs, my body got accustomed to the run and I'm honestly on the fence on whether or not I really want to use the gels. But to ensure that I don't burn out, I have used the gels as an added insurance. :)

[TDiddy]

That's good you were able to try some out in training. Definitely best to experiment. PErsonally, I'm a big fan of EFS Liquid Shot from First Endurance.

http://www.firstendurance.com/

I also use their EFS drink mix on the bike.

When it comes to gels, there's so many different variations in flavors, viscosity/consistency, etc. Some you would think would taste good, but then you try them and they bother your stomach. Others may work well and taste good when it's 65-70 degrees, but that same gel might turn your stomach when it's 90 and humid. I've found that on the bike I can use just about any flavor, but on the run, I need something tart. Vanilla or chocolate just makes we want to gag.

On my weekend long runs that aren't high intensity, I usually won't use a gel unless I'm going to be out for longer than 90 minutes. When I was just getting started, I would typically use one at the 45 minute mark. It makes sense that you're able to go longer without feeling like you need one. If you body is using more fat than carbs for fuel, it's a good thing, and the more time/miles you log, the more effecient your body gets at doing that.

I always carry one with me though, just in case. If its a long run with tempo or interval stuff and my heart rate is constantly higher, I would probably use a gel sooner.

That's great you're back on the running wagon again! I'm going to run the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach next Feb., that will be my first open marathon. Let me know if any questions come up.

[Good Times]

You're doing the HB run? Are you doing the half or full? Just curious. btw that run is boring... :)

[TDiddy]

The full.. I want to see how close I can get to a qualifying time for Boston. Unless I surprise myself, I'll probably try to qualify in October 2012 at the Steamtown Marathon back in PA.

[Obi..]

GatorAde, SportLegs, and Gummy Worms. I do like the Gu Shot Blocks but lately they're too much $$ and I seem to get sick from them making my stomach acidic about every third time.