Runners (or cyclists): Jelly Beans vs. Gu

MoreBean13

Hi! I've been wondering recently if you could substitute any nice sugary garbage candy for gu on long runs. It would certainly be easier and cheaper to throw a small handful of jellybeans (or gummy bears or whatever) in a baggy then remembering to bring a gu with me...

This came up the other day, I accidentally did a much longer run than I intended when I left my house, so I had nothing with me. I always keep a couple bucks cash in my armband for an ICE bottle of water en route, but I wondered if I could get the same benefits from cheap-o candy during a long run as clif shots or power gel or gu. Any thoughts?

runfatmanrun

I saw that raisins are supposed to be good for this for long runs so I am going to try when I hit 10mi. I am curious about this too.

lporter229

I have never tried gu or any other type of gels. Years ago when i started running they simply were not around to the extent that they are now. I always relied on jelly beans and candy. I suppose i should give the gels or blocks a try. Maybe they work better, but I have nothing to compare them to. So i guess I can't actually answer your question, but I can verify that jelly beans and gummie candies will work better than nothing at all.

Mabohlale

My hubby is a marathon runner and he swears by chia seeds soaked in water overnight. It makes a gel that has both carbs and protein in it.

CarsonRuns

I don't like to chew while I am running, so the gels work better for me. That being said, you don't really need them for anything under 90 minutes. Your body should have enough fuel stored for that time period. With THAT being said, I think it's better to train without supplemental nutrition and use it on race day. Train the body to use it's own fuel stores as efficiently as possible and then supplement that on race day when you really need it.

ninerbuff

C'mon it's gotta be POPTARTS.

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katcod1522

I use GU...but I dont use anything if its under an hour. Im addicted to the PB ones! On my last half...I did a gell..a clif bar and about 20 pretzel m & ms. I ran really well

MoreBean13

I don't like to chew while I am running, so the gels work better for me. That being said, you don't really need them for anything under 90 minutes. Your body should have enough fuel stored for that time period. With THAT being said, I think it's better to train without supplemental nutrition and use it on race day. Train the body to use it's own fuel stores as efficiently as possible and then supplement that on race day when you really need it.

For the most part I agree with you and I know when to use supplements. I disagree about using something on race day that you haven't trained with though, I would never try something new during a race. I'm talking about a situation where I was on a long run, and I felt like I was losing my gusto at around an hour in.

scott091501

The advantage to Gus is convenience and the fact they have electrolytes in them. That said I know people who can't stomach them so they take PB&Js, bananas, etc. I would imagine candy would work the same way Coke does for triathletes/marathoners.

CarsonRuns

I don't like to chew while I am running, so the gels work better for me. That being said, you don't really need them for anything under 90 minutes. Your body should have enough fuel stored for that time period. With THAT being said, I think it's better to train without supplemental nutrition and use it on race day. Train the body to use it's own fuel stores as efficiently as possible and then supplement that on race day when you really need it.

For the most part I agree with you and I know when to use supplements. I disagree about using something on race day that you haven't trained with though, I would never try something new during a race. I'm talking about a situation where I was on a long run, and I felt like I was losing my gusto at around an hour in.

I should have added that I do training runs where I practice with that I'm going to use on race day. I just don't use any supplements during training runs as a matter of course.

MoreBean13

I use GU...but I dont use anything if its under an hour. Im addicted to the PB ones! On my last half...I did a gell..a clif bar and about 20 pretzel m & ms. I ran really well

Oh man, clif bars sit like a rock in my stomach! I couldn't eat one of them until afterwards.

BrianSharpe

I was using clifshots and found them quite good (chocolate......yummy) but I've started making my own "gel" in a flask and it's a fraction of the cost. (Honey, molasses, a pinch of salt and a bit of water to dilute it - and it tastes like Halloween candy!:happy: )

MoreBean13

My hubby is a marathon runner and he swears by chia seeds soaked in water overnight. It makes a gel that has both carbs and protein in it.

That is one I've never heard of! Maybe I'll give that a shot sometime! Not exactly something you could get at a 7-11 on the way though

JoniBologna

Long distance hiker here...Gummy bears work great!!! Though, I'm not sure how I'd feel about chewing and running either.

MoreBean13

I was using clifshots and found them quite good (chocolate......yummy) but I've started making my own "gel" in a flask and it's a fraction of the cost. (Honey, molasses, a pinch of salt and a bit of water to dilute it - and it tastes like Halloween candy!:happy: )

Ooh that sounds interesting. I have all of those things...but do youpull out an actual flask when you're running. or are you talking about like those little water belt flask things? Haha its a pretty funny image imagining you with a madmen style pocket flask on a run

ETA...I bet those honey sticks - straw looking honey filled things would work too. and a salt packet....

Laurej

My hubby is a marathon runner and he swears by chia seeds soaked in water overnight. It makes a gel that has both carbs and protein in it.

That is awesome!!! Thanks for sharing!

oats4breakfast

I don't like to chew while I am running, so the gels work better for me. That being said, you don't really need them for anything under 90 minutes. Your body should have enough fuel stored for that time period. With THAT being said, I think it's better to train without supplemental nutrition and use it on race day. Train the body to use it's own fuel stores as efficiently as possible and then supplement that on race day when you really need it.

THIS !!

I was wondering what was considered a long run, but this post says all that's needed to be said really.

Except I will say, gummy bears is not real food, it's more likely to be detrimental to overall performance in the long term. They may provide a short term spike that may make you feel energetic, but there's no long term substance behind them. Eventually, it'll probably turn into a thing where you are just gobbling gummy bears for no real benefit - even a cyclical thing where you need gummy bears to run because you're eating gummy bears.

strangeways

Gu and other gels are not just straight suger like cheap candy. They provide sodium (50mg) and electorolytes that help with cramping. However, they are not needed on anything less than an hour. I am a cyclist and will ride sometimes for 4 hours at a time. At times when I have failed to use Gu I have had cramping in my hamstrings. I swear by the energy gels and believe they not only provide the energy that candy would provide but provide additional benefits to keep your muscles performing over long periods of time.

MamaKeeks

I use a few "sport" jelly beans (they have the same benefits as the gels, but in bean form) The gels make me queazy. A friend of mine likes to munch on little pieces of raw potato on long runs.... :huh: .... uuhhh... I'll stick with my jelly beans!

BrianSharpe

I was using clifshots and found them quite good (chocolate......yummy) but I've started making my own "gel" in a flask and it's a fraction of the cost. (Honey, molasses, a pinch of salt and a bit of water to dilute it - and it tastes like Halloween candy!:happy: )

Ooh that sounds interesting. I have all of those things...but do youpull out an actual flask when you're running. or are you talking about like those little water belt flask things? Haha its a pretty funny image imagining you with a madmen style pocket flask on a run

ETA...I bet those honey sticks - straw looking honey filled things would work too. and a salt packet....

LOL - a little gel flask but a real flask could be way funnier!

MoreBean13

Gu and other gels are not just straight suger like cheap candy. They provide sodium (50mg) and electorolytes that help with cramping. However, they are not needed on anything less than an hour. I am a cyclist and will ride sometimes for 4 hours at a time. At times when I have failed to use Gu I have had cramping in my hamstrings. I swear by the energy gels and believe they not only provide the energy that candy would provide but provide additional benefits to keep your muscles performing over long periods of time.

Good answer...I wonder what other electrolytes we're talking about, other than sodium. I'm going to look in to it. Some of the ones I've tried have caffeine too, which I appreciate greatly.

MoreBean13

I use a few "sport" jelly beans (they have the same benefits as the gels, but in bean form) The gels make me queazy. A friend of mine likes to munch on little pieces of raw potato on long runs.... :huh: .... uuhhh... I'll stick with my jelly beans!

I'm irish, but I'm not THAT irish! yuck!

JoniBologna

Except I will say, gummy bears is not real food, it's more likely to be detrimental to overall performance in the long term. They may provide a short term spike that may make you feel energetic, but there's no long term substance behind them. Eventually, it'll probably turn into a thing where you are just gobbling gummy bears for no real benefit - even a cyclical thing where you need gummy bears to run because you're eating gummy bears.

They're not the only thing I'm eating for fuel. Gee. Didn't know it was a sore spot.

MoreBean13

Except I will say, gummy bears is not real food, it's more likely to be detrimental to overall performance in the long term. They may provide a short term spike that may make you feel energetic, but there's no long term substance behind them. Eventually, it'll probably turn into a thing where you are just gobbling gummy bears for no real benefit - even a cyclical thing where you need gummy bears to run because you're eating gummy bears.

They're not the only thing I'm eating for fuel. Gee. Didn't know it was a sore spot.

I think it's understood in this thread we're not talking about food that should make up the bulk of your diet, but glucose (and maybe electrolyte) supplements during long endurance exercise. We're not talking about eating gummy bears for dinner or even the people that slug gatorade during 12 minutes on an elliptical....

JoyousRen

Gu and other gels are not just straight suger like cheap candy. They provide sodium (50mg) and electorolytes that help with cramping. However, they are not needed on anything less than an hour. I am a cyclist and will ride sometimes for 4 hours at a time. At times when I have failed to use Gu I have had cramping in my hamstrings. I swear by the energy gels and believe they not only provide the energy that candy would provide but provide additional benefits to keep your muscles performing over long periods of time.

Good answer...I wonder what other electrolytes we're talking about, other than sodium. I'm going to look in to it. Some of the ones I've tried have caffeine too, which I appreciate greatly.

I believe a lot of them have potassium. It's the other side of the equation when staying hydrated.

sarahc001

I've been pooling long distance running friends- looking for something quick and easy for a tough mudder- one mentioned sport beans. They're made by Jelly Belly (ha ha) and come in regular and "extreme" (with caffeine.)

Awkward30

I don't like to chew while I am running, so the gels work better for me. That being said, you don't really need them for anything under 90 minutes. Your body should have enough fuel stored for that time period. With THAT being said, I think it's better to train without supplemental nutrition and use it on race day. Train the body to use it's own fuel stores as efficiently as possible and then supplement that on race day when you really need it.

I hate when people say that you don't need them under 90 minutes. Everyone is different, and I can say, as a smallish girl in a calorie deficit, I absolutely cannot run for 90 minutes without Gu. I can do an hour. That is all. My body simply doesn't have enough stored energy to go past that and I can feel the energy depletion and I've ended up stranded a few times because people kept saying it's all psychological so I kept trying. I can run a half marathon, I'm not an amazing runner, but I was doing a 13 mile run weekly for a while. I tried carb loading the night before, the day before, the day of, and I cannot run more than 60 minutes without supplemental energy.

I bought my last box of Gu from Amazon and they had mistakenly posted a box for the price of a unit ($1.36), so including S&H my box was like $6. It made my day

nmjellison

As a new-er runner - Bump! : )

MoreBean13

I don't like to chew while I am running, so the gels work better for me. That being said, you don't really need them for anything under 90 minutes. Your body should have enough fuel stored for that time period. With THAT being said, I think it's better to train without supplemental nutrition and use it on race day. Train the body to use it's own fuel stores as efficiently as possible and then supplement that on race day when you really need it.

I hate when people say that you don't need them under 90 minutes. Everyone is different, and I can say, as a smallish girl in a calorie deficit, I absolutely cannot run for 90 minutes without Gu. I can do an hour. That is all. My body simply doesn't have enough stored energy to go past that and I can feel the energy depletion and I've ended up stranded a few times because people kept saying it's all psychological so I kept trying. I can run a half marathon, I'm not an amazing runner, but I was doing a 13 mile run weekly for a while. I tried carb loading the night before, the day before, the day of, and I cannot run more than 60 minutes without supplemental energy.

I bought my last box of Gu from Amazon and they had mistakenly posted a box for the price of a unit ($1.36), so including S&H my box was like $6. It made my day

Awesome deal! I agree about the timing. I can feel when my body needs a boost, and the one that inspired this post was about 1 hour. I have no interest in trying to go another half hour beyond that point because it's torture, and there's simply no need to avoid supplementing and train my body to get to 90 minutes vs. 60.

scottb81

Any kind of candy will work. Jeff Galloway recommends plain sugar cubes. If you are concerned with electrolyte then you can just drink it instead of plain water.

zippo32

Gu and the dream of beer at the finish line..................