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Thread: Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

  1. #1

    Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

    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" 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!
    Lance
    TLCA Member

    2003 4Runner SR5 4x4 Chaos Edition
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  2. #2

    Re: Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

    im a huge fan of "GU". used to use it all the time mountain biking, and for force marches with the military.
    just because you&#39;ve always done it that way doesn&#39;t mean it&#39;s not incredibly stupid.<br /><br />1999 4x4 SR5 4runner<br />http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&amp;Itemid=26&amp;topic=1 081.0

  3. #3

    Re: Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

    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.

  4. #4

    Re: Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

    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)

  5. #5

    Re: Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

    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.
    Lance
    TLCA Member

    2003 4Runner SR5 4x4 Chaos Edition
    2000 Toyota Landcruiser
    19xx M416 Trailer

    Chaos Edition Profile
    Operation Rebuilding Chaos Edition
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  6. #6

    Re: Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

    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.

  7. #7

    Re: Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

    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.

  8. #8

    Re: Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

    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)

    Jim<br />&#039;05 SR5 4WD V6<br />[SIZE=&quot;1&quot;][COLOR=&quot;Blue&quot;]HQ sliders, Downey C/Os, Deaver springs 30%/2.5&quot;, Donahoe shocks, 265/75/R16 Bridgestone Revos, rear diff. breather, Scion 1806 H/U, ScanGauge II, Garmin 276C, Engel 45 fridge/Two-Zone, All-Pro Ultimate LCAs &amp; LCA Skids, TC A-Arm Skids, dual batteries, Downey skid plate, Cyclone pre-filter [/COLOR][/SIZE]

  9. #9

    Re: Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

    cytomax FTW
    2001 4Runner 3.4V-6 SR5 4x4 Money Pit<br />2008 FJC TT SE 6 SPEED stock

  10. #10

    Re: Energy gel recommendations for those long adventure activities

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

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