Gu? Clif blocks? Zingers? Favorites?

simmoner4
simmoner4 Posts: 131 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am training for my first marathon and am curious to know what your favorite energy supplement is during races and long runs and when to take them? I need to start trying some out but don't know a lot about any of them. Help a girl!

Replies

  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
    Great idea to try this now while training. You need to know before the race what works best for you.

    I use GU Gels and HoneyStinger Gels. I 'practice' during my long runs. I plan to use 3 during my marathon in May so when I run 12 or more miles I try to incorporate 3 gels into the run (so my stomach is used to the routine).

    BTW - 3 gels may be overkill but I am known for overkill so it is all good. :D
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    Totally personal preference. I like Powergel or Hammer gels, because they are more liquid-y. Others like Gu, Clif, Honey Stinger, because they are more like chewing on something. I found that I can't handle anything frosting-flavored during a race (no chocolate, vanilla, caramel etc), I only like fruit flavors. Because what sounds good at the start does not taste good at mile 18. And I like the ones with caffeine (though for ultras I will alternate caffeine with no caffeine).

    I generally use one every 45 minutes during a race, though once I knew which ones I liked, I stopped using them during training (I want them to be a boost, not a crutch).

    I would go to a running store or REI or something and buy a bunch to try. Figure out which one works best, then order in bulk from Amazon.
  • Slackpacker
    Slackpacker Posts: 20 Member
    I've been taste testing gels and chews myself for the last year. I'm a fan of Honey Stingers and Hammer Gels (particularly the chocolate and nocciola flavors). I tend to use one an hour after the first two hours. Seem to work pretty well.
  • cowbellsandcoffee
    cowbellsandcoffee Posts: 2,975 Member
    For cycling, I like GU gels, Honey Stinger chews and Clif Blok chews.

    As far as timing, I take a gel 10 minutes before the start and then every 45 minutes during as long as the event is 3 hours or more. Gels and chews are always taken with water.
  • simmoner4
    simmoner4 Posts: 131 Member
    dewd2 wrote: »
    Great idea to try this now while training. You need to know before the race what works best for you.

    I use GU Gels and HoneyStinger Gels. I 'practice' during my long runs. I plan to use 3 during my marathon in May so when I run 12 or more miles I try to incorporate 3 gels into the run

    [quote="ThickMcRunFast;35535329"
    I generally use one every 45 minutes during a race, though once I knew which ones I liked, I stopped using them during training (I want them to be a boost, not a crutch).
    [/quote]
    BicyclingJen wrote: »
    I tend to use one an hour after the first two hours. Seem to work pretty well.

    How would y'all recommend to take them during training so that they don't become a crutch? That is not what I want. I'm on week 3 of 17 in my training program, so this week I'll be doing 13 mile long run. The highest it gets to is 20, and I haven't used any yet, up to 11 miles now.
  • simmoner4
    simmoner4 Posts: 131 Member
    @ThickMcRunFast
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    edited February 2016
    simmoner4 wrote: »
    dewd2 wrote: »
    Great idea to try this now while training. You need to know before the race what works best for you.

    I use GU Gels and HoneyStinger Gels. I 'practice' during my long runs. I plan to use 3 during my marathon in May so when I run 12 or more miles I try to incorporate 3 gels into the run

    [quote="ThickMcRunFast;35535329"
    I generally use one every 45 minutes during a race, though once I knew which ones I liked, I stopped using them during training (I want them to be a boost, not a crutch).
    BicyclingJen wrote: »
    I tend to use one an hour after the first two hours. Seem to work pretty well.
    How would y'all recommend to take them during training so that they don't become a crutch? That is not what I want. I'm on week 3 of 17 in my training program, so this week I'll be doing 13 mile long run. The highest it gets to is 20, and I haven't used any yet, up to 11 miles now.

    I would get some that you think might be good, and then try them out, one every 6 miles on runs of 12 miles or more. If you have multiple 20 mile runs, I would use them on one to make sure they work and you aren't getting any unpleasant side effects. I think you'll be fine using them on your training runs now, its when people start downing them for every run of the week that they start losing efficacy. I definitely still use them in training runs if I'm going out over 4 hours, because I need the calories, I just don't use them with the same frequency that I would in a race.
  • smallwiseone
    smallwiseone Posts: 11 Member
    I prefer Hammer Gel and Shockblocks.

    I work extremely part time in a running store (special events or when they really need me as I have a 9-5). I always recommend buying a bunch of different ones and trying them on short runs. I have a pretty sensitive stomach and some of them actually made me sick. You don't want to be in the middle of a long run and find out that you're sensitive.
  • PlantBasedRnr
    PlantBasedRnr Posts: 129 Member
    I like to eat the GU energy blocks before my " long " runs ( I haven't worked my way up to a marathon ) and during I will mix the GU gel with one of my waters so I can drink it along the run - seems to work for me as I have a hard time eating anything while running - FWIW, I prefer the fruit flavors like watermelon and black cherry. Good luck with your training and run.
  • RiserGirl
    RiserGirl Posts: 1 Member
    Chocolate #9 is amazing. I've tried a lot of gels but that's my favorite.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    I like the Gu Chomps. the watermelon and strawberry are my favorite
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I'm a cheapskate. I make my own gel out of 3 parts honey, 1 part molasses a pinch of salt and just enough water to thin it out a little (you can find a few variations on-line). A 6oz gel flask is the equivalent of about 4 gels at a fraction of the price.

  • runsonrabbitfood
    runsonrabbitfood Posts: 89 Member
    I like GU gels. So many delicious flavors and they're thicker, especially in colder temperatures. I often find the reason I take gels is because I feel 'hungry' every 45 min or so while running. It's distracting. The consistency helps this feeling go away for ~45 minutes which is when I'd just eat another haha.
    Clif are cool, I prefer GU though. I dislike PowerGels for the same reason ThickMcRunFast likes them - they're liquidy. And I could not stand the taste of huma. Haven't tried Hammer gels but want to.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i don't like cliff shots on my runs. GUs are better, but my prefered source of nutrition on my runs are usually liquids such as Hammer Heed energy powder.
  • furmickc
    furmickc Posts: 43 Member
    I love hammer gels! Gu hurts my stomach. As for them being a "crutch", don't worry! In longer distance runs, your body needs more fuel. That's just the way it is. Most energy gels recommend taking one in every 45 minutes-1 hour, but this can depend on the amount of energy you are exerting. During my recent ultra, I took in fuel every 30 minutes during a 6 hour race. And I needed it. For my half yesterday, I just used 1 gel at the half point of the race. Experiment and see what keeps you energized during the run, and what keeps your stomach happy.
  • ironhajee
    ironhajee Posts: 384 Member
    Vodka.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    smallwiseone wrote: »
    I prefer Hammer Gel and Shockblocks.

    I work extremely part time in a running store (special events or when they really need me as I have a 9-5). I always recommend buying a bunch of different ones and trying them on short runs. I have a pretty sensitive stomach and some of them actually made me sick. You don't want to be in the middle of a long run and find out that you're sensitive.

    This. For some reason, some of them are fine for me and some make me instantly nauseated, and there's no apparent logic to which, so I'm glad I tried a bunch initially and figured out which ones agree with me.

    I'd also make sure you try both caffeinated and uncaffeinated, as I've heard lots of people are sensitive to the caffeinated ones (I'm not and I love them, but still, caffeine is notorious for unpleasant gastrointestinal surprises, so....)

    As far as timing, I don't run marathon distances so I can't help too specifically, but I'll say that I'm usually fine with half of what's usually recommended for racing when I'm just on a regular long run (in my case, I have half a gel around 7 miles and the other half around 11 if I'm running 14.) I think most people suggest one at the beginning and then a full one around both 1 hour and 1.5 hours for races, but I don't need it for easy training runs so I don't do it (I'm not fast, so maybe my opinion would change if I were running 7 min/miles or whatever, though.)

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